Did you know the human body is 50 to 75 percent water?   

As you can imagine, that makes water one of the primary resources we need to replenish on a daily basis. If that’s not enough to convince you, let’s take a look at four things that can happen when you’re not drinking enough water. 

1. KIDNEY STONES 

Those who don’t drink enough water are at higher risk for developing kidney stones. These can cause a tremendous amount of pain in your sides, which can quickly spread around to the lower abdominal area. 
 

2. DEHYDRATION 

Dehydration occurs when more water leaves your body than you take in.  Exercise, eliminating waste, and breathing are some of the ways that we regularly lose water.  If this water is not replenished, dehydration sets in.  Symptoms of dehydration include feelings of helplessness, confusion, depression and weakness.  Surprisingly enough, drinking a bottle of Gatorade or another type of sport drink can actually further dehydrate you due to their high sodium content. 

3. WEIGHT GAIN  

Lifting weights, running on the treadmill and swimming laps are all healthy choices when trying to lose weight. But, did you know that if you are not replenishing the water lost during your workouts, you’re actually causing your body’s metabolism to come to a screeching halt, which can lead to weight gain?  Often, people confuse the feeling of hunger with thirst, which means you could find yourself reaching for a cheeseburger when you should be filling up on water! 

4. LOOKING OLDER 

Drinking enough water each day helps you to look younger.  All those pesky fine lines and wrinkles will be less noticeable as water hydrates your skin from the inside out. Your skin will look both brighter and plumper. 
 

GETTING MORE WATER INTO YOUR DAY 

It’s not hard to get more water into your daily routine. Try drinking an 8-ounce glass before eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Make sure you hydrate adequately after exercise and incorporate foods with high water content into your meals. This includes tasty, low calorie additions such as watermelon, cucumbers, lettuce, and celery.