How much Water do I need?

Here are some quick answers to common questions about water...

1) How much water should I be drinking? The old "8 glasses a day" is severely outdated. Just as everyone needs different amounts of Calories, we also need different amounts of water. In fact, your fluid requirements are directly related to your energy (Calorie) intake. We need 1ml of fluid for every Calorie we eat. So on a 2000 Calorie/day diet, you need about 2L of fluid.

2) What about exercise? Exercise definately increases your requirements... especially if you're exercising in the heat. Read more about exercise hydration here.

3) Does coffee/tea count? In short, yes. Read more on that, here.

4) Do other beverages count? Milk, juice, etc, all count towards your total fluid intake. Fluid is fluid. But watch out for high Calorie and high sugar beverages. If you stray from water, go for beverages that are also high in nutrients, like milk and 100% fruit juice. Most of your fruits and vegetables should be coming from whole foods though, so try to limit juice to 1 cup/day.

5) Is it possible to drink too much water? It sure is. Most people don't need to worry about it, but it can happen. Overhydration messes with electrolytes, and can lead to a lot of the same symptoms as dehydration, such as dizziness.

5) What about sports drinks? As I mentioned here, sports drinks are unnecessary unless you're exercising intensely for over an hour. They are meant to replace fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat, and generally shouldn't be consumed if you're not working out.

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