A gallon of water...Is that really necessary?

sanfromny

I've read different articles. Some say the standard 8 cups (64oz) a day, some say a gallon and some say your body weight (in lbs) divided by 2. Is this based on fitness or activity level? So what are you guys drinking a day? I've been sticking to 64oz. I have a desk job but do manage to workout 30-60 minutes at home 4-5 days a week with light to moderate effort.

queenliz99

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill/

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp#3ZzKz0yVKlXmQRfj.99

http://iom.nationalacademies.org/Reports/2004/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-Water-Potassium-Sodium-Chloride-and-Sulfate.aspx

callsitlikeiseeit

everyone is different, but no, you dont. compare your urine to the chart.

shadow2soul

I don't keep track by counting ozs. I find it's much easier to tell how hydrated I am based on urine color. Some days I need more water than others, but this is a pretty easy way to tell if your dehydrated or not.

sanfromny

See I drink 8 cups and my urine always looks like line 1

SonyaCele

i get the majority of my water through the fresh vegetables i eat, coffee, etc. i only drink about 1 bottle of water a day, and i haven't died from dehydration yet.

sanfromny

I thought coffee dehydrates?

debrakgoogins

sanfromny wrote: »

See I drink 8 cups and my urine always looks like line 1

Then you are doing absolutely fine.

queenliz99

sanfromny wrote: »

I thought coffee dehydrates?

no, not really

auddii

sanfromny wrote: »

I thought coffee dehydrates?

Caffeine can dehydrate slightly, but not nearly enough to offset the amount of liquid in the actual coffee itself. And even food contains water, so there are lots of ways to get enough water/liquid to stay hydrated.

sanfromny

Hmm..ok, I never count coffee

_Terrapin_

sanfromny wrote: »

I thought coffee dehydrates?

Not as much as you'd think. Nice tutu^^^^^^^^^

WalkingAlong

I think it depends on each person-- how much water is in your foods, how much you exercise, where you live, medications, etc., etc.

I like the color chart. Just for clarification-- are the colors referring to the color of the water in the toilet or the color of undiluted urine?

I've also heard that you want to avoid cloudy urine.

kgirlhart

I don't keep track of how much water I drink. If I feel thirsty or have any other signs of dehydration then I drink more water. You get water from sources other than plain water. I drink coffee and herbal teas and eat fruits like melons that are very hydrating.

cwolfman13

sanfromny wrote: »

I've read different articles. Some say the standard 8 cups (64oz) a day, some say a gallon and some say your body weight (in lbs) divided by 2. Is this based on fitness or activity level? So what are you guys drinking a day? I've been sticking to 64oz. I have a desk job but do manage to workout 30-60 minutes at home 4-5 days a week with light to moderate effort.

There really can't be a standardized amount because individuals are going to have individual needs...I live in the desert at over a mile high in elevation and I'm very active...I need a lot more water to stay hydrated than someone living at sea level with temperatures in the mid 70s who is sedentary.

Just stay hydrated....staying hydrated is all that is important...

emdeesea

I go by the color of my urine although on average I get about 7-8 cups a day. More in the summer.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

#8: you ded.

ames105

Going by the color of urine is a better way than specifically trying to stick to a number of ounces (we do get water in food items too, fruit, soup, veggies, etc). I find my water intake varies from day to day - did I exercise, was it a workday or a weekend day, was it hot outside, etc. However, you can take water too far. Drinking too much water can lead to different health issues as well, so be careful!

daniwilford

I go by thirst and the pee color test too. As a rule in the winter time, 8 cups a day is about what I need to stay hydrated. In the summer it can go beyond 12 cups but it is a rare day when I need a gallon.

imwilecoyote

As far as caffeine is concerned, you would need to consume about 720 mg in a day before it becomes a diuretic. A normal cup of coffee is about 65mg, standard energy drink or Starbucks is usually 180 but varies. Some like Rockstar punched are 240mg. Pepsi, Coke, Mt. Dew and Dr. Pepper are 38-54mg. As long as all sources don't go over the 720mg limit you will be okay.

superfox12082

I usually drink over 100 ounces of plain water and about 3 cups of black tea also. But this is what my body is used too. The more salty foods I eat or the more vigorous workouts I do, I will need to drink more.

sanfromny

AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »

#8: you ded.

lol!

CindyS858

I say drink as much water as you can, or whenever you are thirsty everyday. I have never felt bad from drinking more water, I don't really keep track of how much.

Unknown

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angerelle

I just drink when I'm thirsty, usually a few cups of tea or coffee, glass of water with my tea (dinner) and whatever I sip when running. There's no need to drink a proscribed amount, as others have said it depends on weather/exercise/what you've eaten. Your body will use the power of thirst to tell you when you need to drink :-)

azulvioleta6

This is one of those things that you figure out my tracking over a long period of times and watching how you feel.

I have learned that I definitely need more than 8 cups/day and that I feel pretty lousy unless I drink more. In the winter I generally drink around 12 cups, plus 4-8 cups of coffee/day. In the summer, yes, I need something close to a gallon/16 cups...plus coffee.

It depends on your size, how active you are, how much you sweat, etc. Watch the pee chart, see how you feel and go from there.

Lounmoun

I drink a glass of water with meals and then whenever I am thirsty. I don't track it. My urine is very light in color.

smantha32

If you have brown pee, dehydration isn't the only thing wrong with you.

Merkavar

I never force myself to drink, that seems silly to me.

At a guess I drink about 1.5-2.5 litres. That includes milk, water, icy poles, coke etc Not something I track.

Probably more if you include water in foods.

But again I never force myself, I drink when I am thirsty.

I always find it odd seeing images of 5 litre water jugs with motivational message written down the side.

omima07

I drink as much as I can. But I'm not going to freak out over amounts...I think the best rule of thumb is to at least have a tall glass when you wake up, before lunch, before dinner, and before bed....and if those tall glasses are 16 oz you are at least getting around 70 oz a day

cerulean_blue

I'd be interested to know if it matters too. I used to drink juice spritzers but my blood sugar was high so I am just drinking water. I'm definitely more hydrated now. I also sleep with a cup of ice water on my night table, I do get thirsty during the night. I try to drink as much as I can.