From pesky headaches to afternoon energy crashes, many of our daily struggles can often be traced back to one simple culprit: not drinking enough water.
A few months back, one of my friends visited from Hungary and stayed at mine for a week. During the first two days, she was complaining about this absolute monster of a headache, and I started wondering – hang on, when did I last see her with a water bottle? 
When I asked her about it, she sheepishly admitted: ‘Weeeeell… I’ve basically been avoiding water completely because I don’t want to waste precious London time on loo breaks!’ 
I get it, I really do – when you’re exploring a new city, every minute counts. But here’s the thing: I knew those dehydration effects were going to absolutely wreck her holiday way more than a few toilet breaks ever could.
So being the slightly pushy but caring friend that I am, I made it my mission to keep her hydrated. I’d check in regularly, reminding her to drink up throughout the day.
And guess what? In less than a day, her headaches had completely disappeared. She was bouncing around London like a proper tourist should, making the most of every single moment – even rating the different pub loos she discovered along the way! (She’s actually been way more conscious about her hydration ever since, which makes my coach heart very happy. 
)
This is just one example of how sneaky dehydration can be – it doesn’t just make you feel rubbish, it literally steals your good times.
But when it comes to exercise? That’s where things get really interesting. Proper hydration can be the difference between feeling like an absolute fitness goddess crushing your workout, or wondering why you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus after what should’ve been a simple session.
By the time you feel thirsty, you're already experiencing the early stages of dehydration. 🥵
Here’s the thing about dehydration – it’s sneaky.
You know that feeling when you’re halfway through your workout and suddenly everything feels ten times harder? That’s not necessarily because you’re unfit – it might be because you’re already behind on your fluid intake.
That’s because dehydration starts messing with you way before you feel properly thirsty. Your heart has to work harder, your muscles can’t perform as well, and your brain starts getting a bit fuzzy.
Quick hydration check-ins that actually work 💧
Here are some super simple ways to tell if you’re drinking enough.
👉 The pinch test: Pinch the skin on the back of your hand and let go. If it bounces back quickly, you’re good. If it takes its sweet time, time to drink up.
👉 The headache detective work: Got a headache creeping in? Before you reach for ibuprofen, try downing a big glass of water and waiting 20 minutes. You might be surprised how often it sorts itself out.
👉 The energy slump: That 3pm crash when you feel like you could nap on your keyboard? Sometimes it’s not about needing another coffee – it’s about needing some H2O.
Sports drinks: marketing trick or actually useful? 🤷♀️
Now for the big question – are those brightly coloured sports drinks worth your hard-earned cash, or are they just expensive water with a fancy marketing budget?
Here’s the honest truth: most of the time, plain water is absolutely fine. If you’re doing a standard gym session or going for a run that’s under an hour, your body doesn’t need anything fancy.
When you might actually need electrolytes:
✔️ You’re exercising for more than 90 minutes.
✔️ It’s truly hot and you’re drenched in sweat.
✔️ You’re doing intense training and losing loads of salt through sweat.
💡 A cool DIY hydration hack: Chuck a pinch of good quality sea salt and a squeeze of lemon into your water bottle. Job done. Your wallet will thank you, and your body gets what it needs without all the added sugar and artificial nonsense.
Let's talk about wee (Yes, really!) 🚽
Your wee is basically your body’s way of giving you a hydration report card.
⚪ Pale yellow? You’re smashing it.
🟡 Dark yellow? Time to up your water game.
🟠 If it’s practically orange, drop everything and drink some water right now.
Be consistent 🙋
Good hydration isn’t about chugging litres of water. It’s about being consistent and listening to your body.
💦 Start your day with a glass of water, keep a bottle handy during the day and naturally during workouts, and pay attention to those little signals your body’s sending you.
Your summer workouts will feel so much better when you’re properly fueled with the most basic fuel of all – good old water. And the best part? It’s free, it’s simple, and it works every single time.
As part of my online coaching programme, I help my clients understand these fundamental habits that make or break their fitness progress – because sometimes the smallest changes create the biggest transformations.
If you’d like to work with me contact me at: berntogetfit@gmail.com
