I am sure you’ve heard the old saying that you need to drink 8 – 8 ounces of water a day for proper hydration. However, would you believe me if I told you that wasn’t quite accurate? Like everything else in life, you cannot assume your water intake is the same as your friend who is a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier or four inches shorter and thirty pounds lighter. We all have different bodies, different body types and different genetic makeup, so drinking 8 – 8 ounce glasses of water a day may not be so accurate for your specific needs.
To start with a better estimation of how much water you should be drinking daily, take your body weight and divide it by two and that will be how many ounces of water you should be drinking daily. For an example, if you are 150 pounds, you should be drinking around 75 ounces of water per day.
If you’re like most people and have a hard time consuming your daily intake of water, there are plenty of ways to get your daily dose in. Did you know that, according to the Mayo Clinic, 20% of your water intake comes from the foods you eat? Watermelon is a great source of water, so are cucumbers, celery, lettuce, strawberries, grapefruit, oranges and tomatoes. You can also flavor your water with fruits, veggies and herbs to make you want to drink more.
Here are a few tips:
- If you are thirsty, you are more than likely already dehydrated. Drink up!
- If you are hungry, try drinking water first. Most people associate actual thirst with hunger. Most of the time, if you are hungry it is really your body telling you that you need some water. If ten minutes after you have had some water and you are still feeling hungry, go ahead and eat.
- Set a timer on your smartphone or watch to remind yourself to drink water. I recommend setting it for an hourly alarm.
- Add fruits, veggies or herbs to your water to help you want to drink more.
- Stop drinking those sugary drinks and cut back on drinks and foods that dehydrate you such as: coffee, alcohol and even asparagus or even higher sodium foods.
- If you have a headache, it could mean that you are dehydrated and need to drink more water.
So drink up my friends and stay hydrated!