What Really Happens When You Drink a Gallon of Water a Day

Good news: it’s nothing like the milk challenge.

By Kirsten KumarJune 12, 2015 8:31 am

Recently, I discovered there’s something called “the 30-day water challenge.” Now – this is a bit different from the milk challenge – where you try to drink a gallon of milk in an hour – and normally end up throwing up before you get done. This assignment challenges you to drink a gallon of water a day for 30 days straight.

Why drinking water is considered a “challenge,” I still don’t know.

Apparently, drinking a gallon of water a day is what some Hollywood stars do to maintain that “I woke up like this” glow. Houston native and mildly famous recording artist, Beyoncé, even attests to drinking a gallon a day.

I felt like I wasn’t drinking the amount of water I should, so I figured, why not? And I started doing a bit of research.

I’m sure it’ll come as a shock to hear that there’s a lot of misinformation on the internet about the benefits of drinking water. There’s the story of one woman who tried the challenge and her face ended up looking radically different. And some claim that it helps get rid of headaches and helps you lose weight.

But, dear listener, I want to give it to you straight. So here’s a week-by-week rundown of what actually went down:

The first day I drank a gallon of water, I counted the number of glasses of water I drank, aiming for about 10½ glasses a day. I kept forgetting what number glass I was on and I felt bloated and a bit sick from making myself drink so much.

Around the third day, I noticed my skin started to break out, apparently because of the toxins being flushed out of my body. Pretty gross.

For week two, I invested in a proper gallon jug, which made keeping track of the water I had consumed a whole lot easier.

I still had to actively remind myself to drink water throughout the day, but I began to feel less bloated. I also ate less since my stomach was so full of water.

Week three is when I really noticed a change in my body. I was actively craving water more than I ever had before. Before the challenge, I would wake up, drink a few sips of water and be good to go.

Now, I virtually could not consume anything, even coffee, before drinking a full glass of water. Drinking a gallon a day definitely didn’t feel like a task anymore.

By the time I got to the fourth week, it was hard to believe it had already been a month. I felt like I had more energy, was getting better sleep at night and had noticeably softer hair and stronger cuticles.

I guess that’s what happens when you’re not always dehydrated.

So…what’s the takeaway?

Well, folks, I’m here to tell you that after 30 days of drinking a gallon of water, my face looks the same, loud children still give me headaches and there has been no noticeable weight loss. 

But, I did notice some pretty drastic changes in my body and general mood.

Drinking that much water made me feel generally more healthy and lively, and I’m happy to say that my body is finally getting the hydration it needs.

While drinking an entire gallon each day may be a little overkill, the truth is that water is always good for you, and most of us are probably dehydrated without even knowing. The worst that could happen is your fellow classmates could give you some strange looks from time to time for carrying around a gallon jug.

At the very least, though, challenge yourself to drink a few full glasses of water or water bottles a day. Your body will thank you.