How Much Water Do You Need?

We’ve all heard over and over again to drink more water. Water is a vital nutrient in our daily lives. The average human body is made up of 60-70% of water. Benefits of drinking water:

It aides in transporting nutrients, digesting food, regulating body temperature, fighting off infections, and supports kidney function. Other benefits include clearing of skin blemishes, boosting your metabolism, and encouraging bowel movements.

Do you actually drink the amount you need on a daily basis? Previous recommendations were 8-8 ounce glasses/day. That would equal to 64 ounces per person per day.

One size fits all doesn’t work with everyone though, each person is unique and requires their own unique amount of water. A general rule I follow is to take your body weight, divide by 2 and drink ATLEAST that amount of water per day. So for example, if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be consuming ATLEAST 75 ounces of water per day.

If exercise is part of your daily routine, you will of course need to supplement more. Be sure to get around 20 ounces per 45 minutes to hour of working out. Increase amount according to the intensity of the workout of course.

It can be difficult to remember to drink enough water with our busy schedules, to make it easier on yourself carry a water bottle with you. I recommend a larger water bottle so you have to refill less frequently. Set reminders on your phone or computer or set goals throughout your day (such as I will drink 20 ounces of water by noon, another 20 by 4, and another 20 by 8). Another helpful way to ensure you’re getting water is to eat fruits and vegetables that have high water content. These would include: apples,

oranges, strawberries, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers and many more.

If water seems to be too bland for your taste buds, add some lemon slices, cucumber slices, or any sort of fruit you’d like to infuse into it and make it more enjoyable. Google has many ideas to offer so just do some research to find what appeals most to you!

You’d be quite surprised as to how well you will feel after a couple weeks of optimal hydration. What do you have to lose?