How Much Water Do You Need to Drink a Day?

It used to be a rule of thumb to drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day (64 ounces total).  I think that was a myth.  64 ounces is a lot better than nothing.  However, athletes should drink more than that in my opinion.

Nowadays, other recommendations (not from me) have skyrocketed.  Some people recommend drinking 1 ounce of water for every 1.5 pounds of their body weight.  To figure this out, you would take your body weight and divide it by 1.5.  For example, I weigh 180 lbs.  So, I’d drink about 120 ounces of water per day.  That’s a huge difference compared to the old rule of thumb’s total 64 ounces.  

Drinking 120 ounces is too much for me on a cool rest day.  And it's definitely too much for me during these Winter months.  Right now, I'm taking an olympic weightlifting class 3 days a week.  I'm also taking a 90 minute hot yoga class once a week.  These workouts are extremely tough.  However, it's cold outside here in VA Beach.  I find myself much more in line with the 3rd and final recommendation.  Which is.....

Others recommend less, saying you should drink half of your body weight in ounces.  For me, being 180 pounds, my intake would be 90 ounces per day.  This is much more along the lines of proper hydration for me right now.  When Summer comes around and I'm playing beach volleyball for 6 to 8 hours in a day, then I'll definitely increase my intake.  

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So, how much water do you need a day?

The bad news: It's impossible to recommend a certain amount of water that is accurate for everybody.  There are so many different variables to consider when trying to figure it out.  Everyone's body, workouts, external environments, eating and drinking habits are very different.  It's up to you to figure out how much water you need to drink.  Experiment with the same amount for a few days.  If you feel good and energetic throughout the day, chances are that you either got it right or are very close.  If you feel tired or sluggish in the afternoon, increase your water intake, or start eating healthier foods.  For more on that, see my article about Healthy Food Choices (And How to Find Them Easily in the Grocery Store).

The good news: Here are some very helpful tips to help you figure out your own answer to the problem, "how much water do you need a day?"

*Most Important Paragraph You'll Read All Day*

Think about this perspective.  When you went to bed, you probably went to bed dehydrated.  That way you wouldn’t get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom multiple times.  Totally understandable, good sleep is underrated.  Then, you sleep for eight hours breathing constantly which depletes even more of the hydration in your body.  Then, the first thing you do when you wake up is get into a steamy shower.  Breathing in steam from the hot water depletes your body’s hydration even more.  This is why people are exhausted when they get to work in the morning after a good night’s sleep.  Then, they drink a cup of coffee because they’re “tired”.  People don’t realize the reason they are “tired” is because they’re dehydrated.  Guess what?  Your energy from the caffeine is going to be very short-lived.  Why?  Because there’s no water in your body to take the caffeine through your system.  You haven’t been properly hydrated for at least 12 hours by now.

Take These 5 Factors Into Consideration:

1. Temperature - A day laying on the couch with an air conditioner will require a lot less water than a day laying on the beach in the middle of the Summer.

2. Physical Activity Level - Rest days require a sufficient amount of water, but not as much as an intense workout day.

3. Body Weight - The more you weigh, the more water you need to drink, simple as that.

4. Amount of Alcohol, Caffeine, and Sugar Consumption - These 3 guys are the biggest enemies of hydration.  Take them in moderation as much as possible.  Also, whenever you consume them, make sure you drink some water either before or after.  It’ll help with digestion.  Also, the alcohol, caffeine, and sugar will have less of a dehydration effect on your body.

5. Dairy products - Regardless of how low they are in fat, dairy products are an inflammatory source of fuel.  Many health-conscious athletes are moving away completely from dairy these days.  I'm one of them.  I may have a piece of cheese on a bacon double cheeseburger now and then (from Whole Foods), but I no longer drink milk or bring cheese into the house with me.  The more dairy you consume, the more water you'll need to counteract the inflammation. 

Basically, in summary....

Drink at least one glass of water immediately every morning when you wake up.  

The healthier you eat, the less water you need to drink.  Nutrient-dense, whole foods are very often filled with water.  Especially when those foods are fruits and vegetables.  

The more alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and dairy you consume, the more water you'll need to drink.

How much water do you currently drink a day?  Do you feel like it's enough?  

Post your answers to the comments below.....