Water Intake
MamaNessa228
Posts: 29 Member
How much water should we be drinking everyday? I've read half your body weight. I read 100 oz. I need some guidance here
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Replies
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For most people, drinking to thirst is fine. There's no specific universal number. Think about i: Does the person who lives in a hot, dry climate, trains outdoors for triathlons, works outdoors doing heavy manual labor need the same amount of water as a couch surfer in a moderate and humid climate? I'd be surprised.
It's personal: A function of your climate, workout practices, personal sweatiness or lack thereof (because there are individual genetic variations), job, fluid content of your typical food intake, and much more.
If your urine is pale yellow, around straw color, you're in a good zone. It can be bright (like neon) yellow if you're getting more of certain water-soluble vitamins that you strictly require, but it should not be dark yellow or brownish.
Like I said, thirst works for most people. Personally, I find my thirst signals a little iffy. I have an amount of water I've learned to target (in addition to other beverages, plus fluids in food), and I keep an eye on my workout weight loss in hot weather (i.e., weight right before workout and right after) to gauge sweating (I'm a heavy sweater genetically). There's no point in telling you my personal targets, because it's pretty indiividual.
The idea of some specific number we should all get is poorly reasoned, IMO.7 -
For most people, drinking to thirst is fine. There's no specific universal number. Think about i: Does the person who lives in a hot, dry climate, trains outdoors for triathlons, works outdoors doing heavy manual labor need the same amount of water as a couch surfer in a moderate and humid climate? I'd be surprised.
It's personal: A function of your climate, workout practices, personal sweatiness or lack thereof (because there are individual genetic variations), job, fluid content of your typical food intake, and much more.
If your urine is pale yellow, around straw color, you're in a good zone. It can be bright (like neon) yellow if you're getting more of certain water-soluble vitamins that you strictly require, but it should not be dark yellow or brownish.
Like I said, thirst works for most people. Personally, I find my thirst signals a little iffy. I have an amount of water I've learned to target (in addition to other beverages, plus fluids in food), and I keep an eye on my workout weight loss in hot weather (i.e., weight right before workout and right after) to gauge sweating (I'm a heavy sweater genetically). There's no point in telling you my personal targets, because it's pretty indiividual.
The idea of some specific number we should all get is poorly reasoned, IMO.3 -
Learn your body's thirst signals and drink when you are thirsty.
The only people who need to worry about drinking more water are those people who have trained themselves out of liking water somehow. Otherwise, don't fall for the weird hype about drinking a certain amount of water.
Are you thirsty and is your pee not clear are the only two indicators that should prompt you to drink more water.1 -
Half my bodyweight would be about 85 pints a day.
No a relationship to your bodyweight or a set number is of no use outside of a hospital setting.
Would the same amount be appropriate when I cycle 100 miles in summer or when I'm sitting on the sofa in winter?
Why do you think you need guidance?
Do you have a history of getting dehydrated perhaps?2 -
MamaNessa228 wrote: »How much water should we be drinking everyday? I've read half your body weight. I read 100 oz. I need some guidance here
There is no universal amount of water to be consumed. You should stay hydrated which you can tell by the color of your urine. Hydration needs are going to vary by individual. For example, as a very active person living in the desert with high summer temperatures and over a mile high in elevation, I'm going to need more fluids to keep hydrated than someone who is sedentary and living in a temperate climate at sea level.
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I drink about 5 litres per day without counting the coffee and tea I also consume. In reality I would probably be getting 6.5 litres of fluid on an average day. I tend to go the the toilet about every hour.0
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yeah like for me, im a small person lol only 5'2 and sometimes like i barely get all my water.. but my pee is really pale yellow... and i dont think it makes much difference drinking more.. but its good for you.. you should drink more water because feels good.. but its up to you.. just check your pee that should be good enough.0
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I drink about 5 litres per day without counting the coffee and tea I also consume. In reality I would probably be getting 6.5 litres of fluid on an average day. I tend to go the the toilet about every hour.
Why are you drinking so much? Are you working outside in a hot environment? There's really no need to drink too much, and actually it can also be harmful.3 -
yeah like for me, im a small person lol only 5'2 and sometimes like i barely get all my water.. but my pee is really pale yellow... and i dont think it makes much difference drinking more.. but its good for you.. you should drink more water because feels good.. but its up to you.. just check your pee that should be good enough.
If you're hydrated, you're fine...being hydrated is good for you...there isn't any benefit to more water if you're hydrated. Overhydration is also a thing and leads to electrolyte imbalances.3 -
Well well well0
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I drink about 5 litres per day without counting the coffee and tea I also consume. In reality I would probably be getting 6.5 litres of fluid on an average day. I tend to go the the toilet about every hour.
Why are you drinking so much? Are you working outside in a hot environment? There's really no need to drink too much, and actually it can also be harmful.
It's hard to know what's right for each person. I do live in a hot climate. I haven't researched it heavily but, in the main, the human body (if it's functioning correctly) just excretes excess water:
https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/water-balance/overhydration
In the MSD Manual source above they say that "a young adult with normal kidney function would have to drink more than 6 gallons of water a day on a regular basis" in order for it to be an issue. That's what about 20 odd litres? I'm 47 but in good health overall (touch wood). I also do have a salty palate so there's no shortage of sodium in my body at any time either.
I have been doing what I'm doing for 12+ months or so. I feel fine. I just go to the toilet a lot. On days where I only have 2 or 3 litres of liquid such as some weekend days I tend to end up being pretty thristy in the evenings. Having a lot of water has also contributed to me eating less, eating better and losing a lot of wieght (about 20kgs over a 12 month period). Gone from 105kgs down to 85kgs.2 -
Drinking water is associated with weight loss in overweight dieting women independent of diet and activity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18787524/
Effect of 'water induced thermogenesis' on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24179891/1 -
Drinking water is associated with weight loss in overweight dieting women independent of diet and activity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18787524/
Effect of 'water induced thermogenesis' on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24179891/
Based on a quick read of full text, and assuming I did the math right (always chancy):
Study 1: Methodology was 3 24-hour unannounced recall self-reports over the course of a study in which participants were randomized to 4 different weight-loss diets, 3 of which encouraged drinking more water. Average increase in weight loss from drinking more than 1 liter (about 33.8 fl. oz., 4.2 US cups) of water per day was 2.3kg (5.06 pounds) at 12 months, so average of just under 0.1 pounds per week, which equates to around 47 calories per day. Actual rate may've been different because of the way the time points were reported, i.e., don't distinguish loss that happened quickly and was maintained vs. loss spread over the whole time interval between reports. (I feel like my summary of this one is particularly chancy - there's a lot going on there.)
Study 2: Theoretical 47 calories per day; weight loss a bit over 1/3 of a pound a week in the study, so seems observed result > theoretical calories (plausible for other reasons, to me); no control group. (For 1.5 liters (50.7 fl. oz, 6.3 US cups) of water extra above their usual routine, 500ml before each meal.)
I'm not going to argue that that's not worthwhile: It's an easy intervention, so why not? Those look like small result numbers, and relatively moderate amounts of water.
Would more be better for more weight loss? Maybe, based on the presumed mechanisms of action, but not tested. And certainly not to the point of water toxemia (which does take quite a lot, but it's situational - timing and context matter).
Please do correct me if this seems wrong. It's interesting. Thanks, @whmscll!1 -
MamaNessa228 wrote: »How much water should we be drinking everyday? I've read half your body weight. I read 100 oz. I need some guidance here
I drink a gallon a day.0
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