How much water should I drink everyday?
A. Proper water intake is often an overlooked component in an individual’s quest to achieve a leaner, more muscular body. Water is essential for the transpiration of nutrients within your body. Water also comprises more than 70% of your muscle. Water is also great at helping you control your appetite. Often times we may begin to feel hungry when actually our bodies may be craving water. By simply drinking a large glass of water, our urge to eat extra calories has been appeased. It is absolutely crucial that you constantly hydrate yourself throughout the day. Drink water when you exercise, drink it with meals and between meals. Try to drink 10-15 cups of water daily.
So how much water does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? In general, doctors recommend 8 or 9 cups. Here are the most common ways of calculating that amount:
- Replacement approach.The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.
- Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Although the approach really isn’t supported by scientific evidence, many people use this easy-to-remember rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
- Dietary recommendations.The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
Even apart from the above approaches, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you’re concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that’s best for you.
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