How Much Water Should I Be Drinking?
Way back in January, one of my goals for the new year, was to drink more water. Drinking water is not a regular habit of mine. Yes, I drink plenty of fluids, but definitely not the daily 2L or 8 glasses of water that has been recommended time and time again.
Water is Essential
I am sure you are aware that water is essential to our survival. Our bodies are composed of up to 60% water.(1) Water keeps every part of our body working properly. Without sufficient water our body’s ability to eliminate waste would be impaired. We would not be able to regulate our body temperature, our organs and tissues would not have sufficient protection, our body would not be able to digest meals efficiently, and our joints would not be able to move properly. These are just a few issues we would encounter. We would be a mess.
How Much Water Should I Be drinking?
For decades we have been told that in order to keep our body healthy and functioning properly, we need to drink 8 glasses of water every day; the 8 X 8 rule (eight 8-ounce glasses everyday day). Wrong!
According to the review conducted by Valtin (2002), there is no actual research or scientific studies to support this idea that is so ingrained in society.(2) I found this quite surprising!
So what is the “right” amount?
Well, the right answer is, there is no “right” amount. The right amount of water actually depends on the individual.
Based on surveys conducted by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, most healthy people can stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty.(3) While the average healthy man requires 15.5 cups or 3.7 litres of total fluids daily, and the average healthy woman requires 11.5 cups or 2.7 litres of total fluids daily, most people need 4 to 6 cups of water per day, as they get enough fluids from the water-based beverages, such as coffee, tea, milk and juice, and the food they regularly consume, to reach total fluids their body requires.
The amount of water you require depends on many individual factors such as, your diet, weight, activity level, overall health, medical prescriptions and climate, for example.(4)
So How Much Water Should I Consume?
Use these guidelines to help you know how much water you need to drink.
o Drink water when you are thirsty
o Don’t force yourself to drink water if you aren’t thirsty
If you are exercising or its hot outside, drink enough water to balance out addition fluids you are sweating out.
If you are hydrated, your urine will be pale yellow – not clear or dark yellow.(5)
Are you still concerned you are not drinking enough water? Check out our blog post The 10 Best Tips for Drinking More Water for easy tips to increase your water intake.
Did you make any goals in January? What worked? What did not?
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