1 Gallon of Water a Day {and Weight Loss Progress update}

Here is an update to show you my muscle development over the last 3 years and talk about the benefits to drinking 1 gallon of water a day!

Weight loss journal Bikini prep 2023

My Progress Over the Past 3 Years

Sorry for the poor quality bathroom pics, but I found the photo on the left from April 2020, just 4 months after I started lifting weights. The photo on the right is just a few weeks ago (2023). I had no idea the progress I’ve made in building my shoulders! I realize three years is a long time, but muscle growth is a long and slow process.

Before, I never knew how much I would enjoy lifting weights. I love being in the gym alone with my headphones and tuning everything else out. It’s definitely my favorite time of the day! (my current 5 day training split here!)

I’m also getting leaner! I’ve lost 3 inches from my waist since January. I really have to stay around 1200ish calories to see any progress on the scale. My waist when I’m dieting definitely takes a hit though, and doesn’t come down until I make some changes.

Check out my newest YouTube video here where I talk about drinking water!

One reason my waist doesn’t respond well, is that I love to eat a HIGH volume of food, and often will have a whole head of lettuce for my salad, or several cucumbers in a day. But worse than that, I use carbonated drinks as a crutch to crush my hunger.

Why I’m Drinking 1 Gallon of Water a Day

To be clear- I’m STILL off diet coke! I wrote about that here and showed how my waistline responded after giving up diet coke, and I have not had a sip in over a year. But, between my soda stream, diet root beer, and diet 7-up, PLUS a gallon and a half of water a day, I’m pretty bloated. It makes it really hard to hold my core strong during the day when it’s SO FULL!

So, this week I stopped the soda altogether, and this is what I’m drinking instead: (watch the video for more info!)

• I love the taste of distilled water! I use this distiller and try to make a new batch of water each day. I used to buy gallons of distilled water at the grocery store, and then during the quarantine, they were always sold out. Then, I moved to a water delivery dispenser for about a year. I loved it, but the cost is not worth it to me. But, the distiller is so much easier than buying gallon jugs of water!
• I am drinking a lot of sweetened lemon water. I fill a cup full of water, squeeze about 1/8 cup lemon juice in it, and a few packets of zero calorie sweetener. It tastes like lemonade and I love it!
• Every morning I drink a cup of flavored BCAA’s, mixed with creatine and glutamine.
• I haven’t been doing it in awhile, but I do like the Mio (or store brand) flavored water drops during the summer! If I have some plain water, I’ll squeeze a bit in there.

Full Day of Eating Plus 1 Gallon of Water

𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟖 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝟏𝟐𝟐 𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧, 𝟏𝟎𝟖 𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬, 𝟑𝟑 𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐭

• 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭: 1 cup egg whites. 1 oz Fat free feta, 30 g avocado, 1/3 cup oats and salted caramel skinny syrup sauce.
• 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡:. Carrots, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, 4 oz Chicken breasts, 30 g avocado, 1 oz Fat free feta cheese
• 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤 Protein ice cream! 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 frozen banana, and more salted caramel skinny syrup sauce
• 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 100 g sweet potato, 4 oz Chicken breasts, cucumbers, carrots, and Bolthouse ranch

So, there you have it. Muscle development definitely takes time, but the progress is there! And, my dieting goes to show that what you put into your body can be just as important as the time you spend working at the gym.

Swapping out high calorie drinks for water is a great way to cut down on calories. It also helps you notice your health progress more quickly.

Drinking 1 gallon of water a day (or at least trying to) has been a game changer for me. Make sure to get your water too!

If you like this, you might also like

• How Long Does it Take To Lose Weight?
• Following a Basic Macro Plan {and a 1700 calorie day}
• Cookies & Cream Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip
• Blueberry Protein Pudding {26 g protein per cup!}
• Low Calorie Egg White Muffin Bites