We struggle with drinking the right amounts of water these days and it may not be our fault completely. So many articles, journals, and scientific studies say different things about the amount of water we should be drinking and how we can meet those numbers. However, I stumbled across a simple solution to calculate how much water you should be drinking to maintain proper hydration.
Spring is around the corner and this means warmer temperatures and most of you, including myself, will start some sort of workout regimen for that summer bod, right? You want to make sure that you are properly hydrated to prevent certain ailments like:
- Dehydration
- Headaches
- Decreased Kidney Function
- Dizziness
- Dry Skin
- Acne
- Low Energy
- Feelings of Hunger
- Brittle Nails
At the start of my social media fast, I wanted to also incorporate more water into my life. Granted I’ve been drinking La Croix carbonated water like it’s going out of style, I still wanted to participate in the “gallon a day” challenge.
Upon further research, I realized that the gallon challenge may not be as beneficial for me as it has been for others. I have a relatively small frame, I do not workout, and I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. So I googled, how much water should I drink daily?, and came across this super simple equation that helped me determine what my 8 glasses of water looks like.
Standing at 5 foot 7 inches and weighing only 112 pounds I should consume roughly 74 oz (ounces) of water per day to meet the 8 glass requirement.
How to find your water requirement:
- Know Your Weight
To properly calculate how much water you should be consuming, you must first know how much you weigh.
Example: I weigh 112 lbs (pounds) or 50.8 kg (kilograms)
2. Multiply Weight by 2/3
Two-thirds is about 67 percent. According to statistics, our bodies are made up of about 60-70 percent of water and we lose water through sweating, urine, bowel movements, and breathing (shocker to me). So to keep our levels where they should be, we are told to consume about 8-eight ounce glasses of water a day. However, this number will look different for everyone.
Example: 112 (my weight) x 0.67 (two-thirds) = 75.04 ounces
3. Add 12 oz Per 30-Minute Workout
Your activity level will determine how you’ll need to adjust the amount of water you consume. If you’re hella active and are in the gym on a weekly basis, you’d need an additional 12 ounces of water for every thirty minutes you workout that day.
Example: A 1-hour workout will require an additional 24 oz of water. This will make my daily requirement for that day 99 oz. That’s about 3 Coke Liters of water.
How to get your daily requirement
How I easily get my requirement of 75 ounces per day. I carry a water bottle with me daily that holds 74.4 ounces of water. I find it easiest to remove the cap while drinking. This allows for more water to enter my mouth. I work from 9-6pm daily and ride public transit. So my water intake looks like this: start at 9 and finish by 5. This gives me a full hour to pee before getting on the train. Drinking this much water starting out will have you running to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Like. Clockwork.
If plain water ain’t your thing, you can infuse your water with:
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Lime
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Watermelon
- Oranges
- Mint
- Tarragon
- Peppermint
- Ginger
- Pineapple
Honestly, whatever you have on hand that is fresh, can be used to infuse your water to give it a very refreshing taste. There are plenty of receipts online. You can also try carbonated waters like La Croix or Perrier. They are more expensive than plain water, but gives you a soda feel without the added sugars. Another option is the soda streamers you can purchase to make your own carbonated waters at home.
Increasing your water intake can be daunting in the beginning, but you will decrease headaches, your kidney function will increase, and you’ll feel an overall boost in energy.
Health over everything, ya dig?
Peace + Love.
