June isn’t playing about and with the warm weather since, and many people are also seeking outdoor activities. Spending so much time out in the sun means that you need to become more conscious of your water bottle and basic water intake. You’ll get sweating a lot more during these times, so the risk of thirst is great. But exactly how much liquid should you be drinking in the first place? Is there good counsel in following the “eight glasses a moment” trick or is that a moisture misconception? To establish what our water usage may seem like this summers, we consulted with a registered dietician.
Renee Fitton, registered nutritionist and director of training at L-Nutra, a diet engineering company, explained that while you can apply certain guidelines, it’s better to focus on easy habits to help you get more water into your normal routine in general. ” The 8×8 law can be a little oversimplified for some but it’s also not necessarily harmful. “
How many waters if you drink every day?
Fitton says various factors affect the amount of liquid one needs routine, including body size, drugs, sex, physical activity, environment, health status and level.
Most of us are also familiar with the old adage: Sip eight 8-ounce glasses of water everyday. The eight-by-eight law advises us to drink 64 ounces ( around 1. 9 liters ) of water daily. Many of us have indiscriminately followed this advice for our whole life, without knowing its nature or the logic behind the advice to drink eight glasses of water.
Obviously, the eight-by-eight concept came out of a vacuum, because there’s no scientific evidence to back it up. It’s just another of those long-standing tales people believe because that’s what people believes. Drinking 64 ounces of water everyday isn’t poor but it could be too much or not enough for some people.
” For some people, plain rules like these help them stay on track. If drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day helps people beat their moisture objectives, then it’s a good starting place. But I haven’t call it the metal standard,” says Fitton.
Other recommendations exist but there’s still no real discussion. There’s no proper recommendation for how much liquid individuals should drink everyday, perhaps because people needs different amounts of water.
An “adequate diet” of fluids for adult men and women does occur but it can vary from person to person. This enough diet includes waters from non-water drinks, such as cheese, sports drinks, drink and yes, even coffee. It also includes water from fruits, vegetables and other foods ( think of how much water goes into a bowl of oats or soup ).
The suitable intake is 15. 5 plates (3. 7 liter or 125 ounces ) for ordinary people and 11. 5 plates ( 2. 7 liters or 91 ounces ) for average people. How you choose to take these 125 or 91 ounces of liquid is up to you. Although this is the closest number we have to a recommended daily intake, yet these figures differ for each individual based on their heath condition.
Reasons why you may need to drink more water
You have an active work: Those on the head all day (especially folks who work outside ) may need more water than most people. The more you move, the more you sweat, and you should replace lost water ( and electrolytes ) through fluid intake.
If you are working outside during a heat wave, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking 8 ounces ( 1 cup ) of water every 15 to 20 minutes during work. Drinking fluids before and after work can help avoid evaporation.
You exercise frequently: If you don’t have an effective job but you do practice a lot– whether in the gym or through pleasure activities– you also need more water than most. Even if you don’t realize it, you lose a lot of fluids during physical activity ( even in cold weather ). Up your water intake to account for activity (especially travel activity ).
You live in a hot climate : Hot weather means increased sweating and replacing the lost fluid is important. Dryness compounds fluid loss in hot weather– people in desert climates may need more water than those in tropical climates.
You’re pregnant or breastfeeding: Pregnant women need more water to encourage improved circulation, increased calorie intake and other physiological processes that support their baby’s growth. Breastfeeding women need extra water to support breast milk production.
Your urine is dark in color : The color of your urine can tell you a lot about your hydration levels. ” The color of your urine is the best and most personalized, consistent and immediate way to measure hydration throughout the day. We want to look for light yellow pee, not fully clear ( over-hydrated ) but also not deep yellow or amber (under-hydrated ),” says Fitton.
You have a dry mouth, chapped lips or muscle cramps: Yep, when you are dehydrated your body will let you know. ” Water is such a critical substance for life so when we’re lacking, our body will no longer work at its peak capacity and this can persist in many ways and uniquely from one person to another,” Fitton says.
Hydration hacks to help you drink more water
Different people follow different rules for hydrating. These four common guidelines can help you stay hydrated no matter your lifestyle.
Drink when you’re thirsty
There’s some controversy surrounding this method. Some health professionals say you shouldn’t overcomplicate hydration and your body tells you when it needs water. Others say waiting until you’re thirsty is waiting too long— that you’re already dehydrated when you feel thirsty. Some people seem to have stronger thirst mechanisms than others so this method may not work for you.
Drink a glass before meals and between meals
This isn’t bad advice. Structuring water intake around a ritual like mealtime can ingrain hydration as a habit. Your total water intake will vary depending on how many meals you eat. If you eat three meals, you’ll drink five glasses of water according to this rule, which may not be enough (unless they’re big glasses ). This rule probably won’t work for you if you don’t have a routine eating pattern.
Drink eight glasses daily
Generic health advice rarely works for everyone. If you feel adequately hydrated on 64 ounces of water each day, then that amount is likely sufficient to keep you hydrated. If you feel overly hydrated ( clear urine, very frequent urination or swelling ), cut back slightly. If you feel dehydrated ( dark urine, headaches, infrequent urination, lightheaded or fatigue ), eight glasses may not be enough for you.
Drink half your body weight in ounces
This is a simple guideline that’s easy to remember and usually easy to achieve. If you weigh 150 pounds, aim to drink 75 ounces of water each day. This is the only rule of thumb that accounts for different body sizes but it doesn’t account for thirst, climate, activity level or other factors.
Make water visible and accessible
Fitton says that keeping your water accessible at all times provides a visual reminder to drink water. She also recommends using an app like WaterMinder that sends daily reminders to drink water.
Pair your water intake with your daily habits
Another great way to get your daily water intake is to make drinking water part of your daily habits. This can look like drinking water right when you wake up, after eating a meal or right before you leave the house. ” These mini habits build on things you already do, so you’re not trying to remember to do something new. The more you tie hydration into your daily routine, the easier it becomes,” says Fitton.
Experiment with hydration techniques to find what works for you. As long as you’re not battling chronic fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches or other signs of dehydration, you are probably doing a pretty good job. As a failsafe, you can always determine whether you are under or overhydrated based on the color of your urine.
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