Guide to Drinking Enough Water
How much water should I drink a day? Why do I need to drink water? What does water do for my body? If you have every asked these questions, you are not alone! Actually, they are very common questions for people that want to focus on proper hydration.
Drinking enough water and staying hydrated is a beautiful form of self-care that most people don’t realize. It helps us feel our best and therefore we can BE our best. If we aren’t drinking our daily quota of water, our bodies aren’t performing like they could be.
As a busy mom, it is easy to focus on your kids all day and neglect your own body. After learning the hard way, I discovered that taking care of me helps me take better care of my children.
As a teacher turned stay-at-home-mom, I don’t have any formal medical background. However, I have done my research on being hydrated and have physically felt the results over the past 10 years of focusing on proper hydration.
We have all heard that it is important to drink water daily, but do you know why?
Benefits of Drinking Water
Our bodies depend on water in order to survive.
There are many benefits of drinking a sufficient amount of water every day.
- It lubricates joints.
- Aides in weight loss.
- Water carries nutrients to your cells.
- Helps regulate your body temperature.
- Removes waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.
Daily Water Recommendations
As of now, current research shows that drinking half of your body weight is recommended. Take your body weight and divide it by two. This will get you the ounces that you should drink daily.
According to The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the amount of water you need daily is roughly:
- Men- 125 oz (3.7 liters)
- Women- 90 oz (2.7 liters)
This recommendation is not just drinking water though. It is a combination of drinking water, drinking other liquids, and eating foods that contain water. Research shows that we get about 20% of our daily water necessities from foods that we eat.
With doing a little math, we could assume that 80% of our daily water should come strictly from fluids. That is roughly 100 oz for MEN and 78 oz for WOMEN. Use this as a starting line and then listen to your body.
How much water should I drink a day?
Unfortunately, there is not a one-size-fits all answer. There are many factors that go into the individualized water needs. Use the baseline of 78 oz (for women) or 100 oz (for men) and then take the following into consideration:
- LOCATION– Certain climates, such as hot and dry areas, would require its citizens to drink more water daily because they are loosing more water daily in their sweat.
- WHAT YOU EAT– If you eat a lot of spicy or salty foods, your body might require extra hydration.
- WHAT YOU DRINK– Drinking coffee, and other caffeinated drinks increase urination and therefore would require more water to rehydrate.
- TEMPERATURES– During warmer seasons, you will need to drink more water.
- DAILY ACTIVITIES– If you exercise or are outside frequently, your body will require extra hydration.
- BREASTFEEDING or PREGNANT– Providing food for a baby either before birth or after will require more water.
Using our bodies as a gauge is a good way to see if we are drinking enough.
How can I tell if I am drinking enough water?
Our bodies give us some signs that we are not getting enough water, and therefore should adjust our water goal.
Watch the color of your urine. The goal is clear, pale urine. If your urine is a dark yellow, that is a sign you are dehydrated.
Being thirsty is another sign from your body telling you to drink more water.
Tips to Reach your Water Goal
Now for some practical tips on how to actually get your recommend water in each day.
- Get a good water bottle. This one is my current favorite and makes reaching my water goal a breeze!
- Discover how you like your water. I can’t drink lukewarm water, so I always have cold water accessible to me. Maybe you limewater with lemon and that helps you reach your goal. Experiment to see what helps you!
- Create a plan that works for you. Set different systems in place that set you up for success each day.
- Build a routine and it will become second nature to you. After just a few days, you will see and feel much better! Having a routine will help you be successful.
RELATED: 7 Tips to help you reach your water goal
Frequently Asked Questions
What you need to know.
There is not a one-size fits all for daily water recommendations.
- Start with the baseline of recommended ounces of water a day for men or women.
- Listen to your body. If you are thirsty, drink. When your urine is clear and pale, you are getting enough water!
- Increase your daily water during hot seasons, workout sessions, or excessive sweating.
See my 7 Tips for meeting your water goal if you need some practical tips on how to drink more water.
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