Coffee vs Water – What a Difference a Week Makes!

A lot of people ask me if they should drink coffee vs water when it comes down to their morning brew. After all, in my opinion there is NOTHING like a good cup of coffee to kick off the morning. Are you with me??

But this past week crazy things have happened that caused me to rethink that FIRST cup of coffee in the morning. Let me share with you my take on coffee vs water and what I was NOT expecting when I gave up coffee for water for the last week.

Coffee vs Water – What I was Not Expecting

Do not get me wrong, I am not swearing off of coffee for life. I still really enjoy the taste and don’t plan on going to an all-water beverage diet (I’ll discuss this at the end).

So what got me into this coffee vs water debate was my recent INSANITY Max 30 fitness journey. I am currently doing the “Ab Maximizer” 7 day diet, and part of this diet is drinking 2 gallons of water per day from Day 3-6.

WHAT!? 2 Gallons of water per day? That sounds crazy!!

I know tell me about it, after I’m done using the restroom….again.

In my normal fitness lifestyle, I aim for 1 gallon of water per day (and I’m sure to space it out throughout the entire day!). This is helpful to keep your energy high and of course aid in weight loss metabolism (see: Does Drinking Water Help you Lose Weight?).

So why am I skipping coffee for water during my INSANITY Max 30 Ab Maximizer Week?

Good question – I am skipping coffee so that I can start my day off with 32 ounces of water. Trust me, when you drink 2 gallons of water per day, drinking anything else gets in the way of the goal (including coffee).

Funny enough, I use the 32 ounce mug my wife got in the hospital when we had our daughter Mackenzie:

Sweet Life Tip: Keep the bathroom nearby when drinking lots of water!

But now that I am on Day 6 of the Ab Maximizer plan, here is what I have started noticing since I gave up coffee for water:

• I wake up faster and have more energy – even on the days I get stuck with 6 hours of sleep, I thought not having coffee would send me to dreamland during my working day. It’s quite the opposite! I feel fresh and energetic the entire day.
• I feel good – I know, that sounds too broad. But I really do feel good. My stomach feels great, I feel lean and healthy. No aches or pains. It is incredible.
• My skin is smooth – I actually read on a recent article that when you experience dry skin (face, elbows, legs), it could be due to lack of water and a bit of dehydration. I can say that after this week of 2 gallon extremeness, I am feeling like a champ.

Coffee vs Water – is Coffee Bad for Results?

So at the end of it all, I do not want anyone to think that the benefits I mentioned above were because I had no coffee.

Coffee is GOOD for you, and does carry its own special health benefits.

My suggestion is to use almond milk or coconut milk and avoid sugar at all costs (sugar is the enemy!)

But besides the cup of joe that I’ll be enjoying next week, I have realized it’s time to change a few things. This week taught me that I need to:

• Have water upon waking. Normally I wait until well after my morning cup of coffee to drink water. But honestly I love this BOOST that I get for waking up my internal organs with water.
• Drink around 180-200 ounces of water per day (that is between 1 and 2 gallons). This is based on my height, the heat of Florida, and my needs.

The benefits of water far outweigh the bathroom trips! So at the end of the day, the great debate of coffee vs water is really not that different.

The real goal is to drink enough water, and start and end your day with water! In between your daily water drinking, a cup of natural coffee (without artificial sugar or creamer) can provide it’s own array of health benefits.

Do you like coffee? Comment below and let’s chat!

Yours in Success,

Coach Bob

Coffee vs Water Photos attributed to freedigitalphotos.net.