Drinking Enough Water
How Much Water Do I Need?
How many of you would be surprised if I told you that the idea of drinking 8 glass of water each day is fictional? No one really knows where it came from, or who said it first. Don’t be concerned, it can still be used as a basic rule to help you remember to drink water, but there isn’t any scientific evidence behind the recommendation.
One thing that I learned from this video was that we should drink when we’re thirsty. Growing up I remember being told that when you felt thirsty it was a sign of dehydration because you weren’t drinking enough. To me, it makes sense for our bodies to recognize when we need water and to tell us through signs of a dry mouth or fatigue. For example our stomach does it all the time to tell us when we are hungry, not that it’s too late and we’ve reached starvation.
If you are someone who likes having some kind of number recommendation, 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”.
And because we are constantly losing water due to activity and regular life activities, the Mayo Clinic also advises using the ‘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.”
Where Can I Get the Water I Need?
Most of the water we need comes from water and other beverages such as orange juice or milk. Drinking water by itself is therecommended option because it is calorie free and depending on where you get your water from, it can also contain vital minerals for your body. One source to get fluid that we easily forget about is food. The CDC’s nutrition page explains that ” broth soups and other foods that are 85% to 95% water such as celery, tomatoes, oranges, and melons” are also great sources of water.
Healthful Eating Tips 
Never thought of celery as a great source of water. Interesting.
Joe`
March 30, 2011
I always carry a water bottle around me to encourage myself to drink enough water.
CBT
March 30, 2011
Interesting. I learned in my nutrition class that when you feel thirsty, it is a sign of dehydration. But from my view it is the same thing with eating as it is with drinking water. Your body is telling you to eat and drink or it will start starving and dehydrating.
emilymclane1
March 31, 2011
I love drinking water! It makes me feel so good during the day. I honestly have a water bottle with me all the time.
ebeswick
April 1, 2011
I think so many Americans are dehydrated. I didn’t realize that drinking milk or juice counted as your water intake though 🙂 That’s good to know!! I love drinking water, but I sometimes have a hard time drinking 8 glasses a day. But with milk or juice combined, I definitely hit that! Great blog
susannahnaillon
April 8, 2011
This was super interesting! And I love the concept of just listening to your body to know when to drink and eat!
lisacorrigan
April 9, 2011
I think I get dehydrated all the time-I know for sure that I don’t drink enough water. Thanks for the reminder!
brookeblerdahl
April 9, 2011