How much water do we really need in a day? This is a question that haunts many of us, especially because many of us aren't tracking it. We'll have a cup of coffee, a water bottle while working out, and some throughout the day. But are you drinking enough water? Let's dive deep in and figure it out.
How Many Ounces of Water Should You Drink A Day?
You've probably heard that 8 glasses of 8 fluid ounces of water per day is the classic recommendation. Thus it's a great goal to set initially, but it’s definitely oversimplified. The truth is, no one really knows how much water an individual should drink per day since we're all different. Some studies even show that women should be having at least 2.7 liters of water per day and 3.7 liters for men, which translates to 11 to 15 cups of water per day. Since we have to start somewhere though, think of 8 to 12 glasses a day as the bare minimum range to have. What it really comes down to is your activity level and how you feel. You might have to push those numbers higher if you're sweating hard, completing intense workouts, or out in the sun for long periods of time. Start tracking your intake now to see how many ounces of water you're getting, and pay close attention to your thirst and pee for signs of dehydration.
Benefits Of Drinking Water Every Day
There are many pros to drinking water every day, especially because water can help you reach many of your health and fitness goals. Nutritional facts of water includes it being an essential for your daily health and well-being, since it affects literally every system in your body. It supports your liver, kidneys, bowel function, and acts as a natural detox. There's also other physical benefits of drinking water every day such as powering athletic performance and clearing out lactic acid, so your muscles can do more without cramping. Mentally, it helps you focus and boosts your mood tremendously. One of the biggest pros of drinking water daily though may be the weight loss. Water is the key to achieving your weight loss goals since it forces you to eat fewer total calories and less saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. Thus the next time you feel hungry, start with a big glass of water, and see if you’re confusing your thirst and hunger cues.
Strategies To Drink More Water
There are many strategies to drink more water if you feel like you're not getting enough, so don't worry. 8 fluid ounces is really small, so if you're filling up your to-go cup, water bottle, or mason jar daily, odds are you're drinking more water already. Keep filling up these larger containers 6-8 times a day and you'll hit your water goals no problem. Another great strategy is checking out water logging apps on your phone or smartwatch. It makes it easy to track the amount of glasses you're drinking and if you're hitting your set goal. If you are having trouble keeping your cells happy and hydrated with plain water, then add a flavor! There are many infusers and sparkling water flavors such as lemon, cucumber, mint, strawberries, and more that will help you drink more. Then, if you find water completely boring and difficult to consume a lot of, try some of these alternative ways to stay hydrated. Remember that some of your daily water intake can come from hydrating foods and other beverages, such as watermelon and lettuce, or coffee and tea.
How many ounces of water do you drink a day? Share your number with us by tagging us on Instagram @itouchwearables and Facebook @itouchwearables. Also, be sure to check out our new articles published daily!
-Gina
