How Much Water Should We REALLY Drink?

RaViCa

I've been trying to increase my water in take lately and am wondering if I am drinking enough. The problem is I've been told several different things as to how much water I should drink. Things like 8 cups of water per day to 1oz of water per pound of body weight.
Anybody know a general rule of thumb of how water a person should consume?

Thanks in advance.

slkehl

The general rule is to drink enough so you're not thirsty during the day and your pee is light in color. Pretty straight forward, no counting needed.

aproc

I just look at it this way. If your thirsty then drink water and limit other kinds of drinks. I don't really believe in the "You must have x amount of water" or "Drink lots of water!!". XP I don't like being in the bathroom all the time. As long as your main liquid intake throughout the day is water, you'll be fine.

RaViCa

The general rule is to drink enough so you're not thirsty during the day and your pee is light in color. Pretty straight forward, no counting needed.

Thanks, that's good to know. I definitely not thirsty during the day. The whole counting thing was really beginning to confuse me. Do you think there is a such thing as drinking to much water? I know that sounds silly but sometimes I drink 12 cups a day and not because I'm thirsty, I was trying to meet my "quota".
Thanks again.

RaViCa

XP I don't like being in the bathroom all the time.

Lol, neither do I. I should get frequent flyer miles for all my multiple trips to the bathroom.
So basically I should apply some common since. Now that I can do.

During the week I have been able to drink water exclusively, on the weekends however, not so much. Guess I got to work on that.
Thanks for your input.

angiechimpanzee

I think that as long as you're thirsty, REPLACE any other drink you'd reach for with water.

And maybe as a general guideline, have a cup when you wake up, and a cup before each meal.

APBTChampion

The general rule is to drink enough so you're not thirsty during the day and your pee is light in color. Pretty straight forward, no counting needed.

Thanks, that's good to know. I definitely not thirsty during the day. The whole counting thing was really beginning to confuse me. Do you think there is a such thing as drinking to much water? I know that sounds silly but sometimes I drink 12 cups a day and not because I'm thirsty, I was trying to meet my "quota".
Thanks again.

There is such a thing as drinking too much water, but it's insanely difficult to do (but not impossible). Just drink as much as your body tells you that you need... if you're thirsty, drink. If you are never thirsty, then just make sure to try and drink the recommended 64oz (8 cups). I fill up a 32oz bottle and sip on it until it's gone, then refill and start again... sometimes I'm short, other times I need more. It just depends on the person!

Mokey41

You get a lot of liquid from the foods you eat, especially fruits and veggies. There is no science to the 8 cups a day theory and it's been proven you don't need even that much. Desert nomads survive on far less water and are healthy. Drink when you are thirsty and let your body decide what it needs instead of overworking your kidneys and bladder drinking gallons of water.

You can drink too much but it's not easy to drink to the point of water intoxication but drinking too much water can also flush out some of the vitamins and minerals that we need. There is definitely no science to the idea that drinking lots of water will cause weight loss.

RaViCa

Thanks a lot for the info. Its really helpful and pretty much seems you're all on the same page.
I've already started drinking for me and what I feel I need instead of a standard amount.

Thanks