Water Intake Calculator
Benefits of Water
Why drink water when there are so many other great drinks out there? To start with water is calorie free. Its natural and it will hydrate your body quickly. It's free to drink and readily available. Our bodies are made up of 60% water and so you are not introducing a foreign fluid into your body, making it much easier a quicker to process and absorb.
Men should be drinking about 13 glasses and women 10 glasses of water each day
How Much Water do I Need?
Traditionally it's been recommended that everyone should drink eight, eight ounce glasses of water each day. A more specific rule would be to look at the gender of the person and allocated their water intake; men should be drinking about 3.1 liters of water (13 glasses) and women about 2.2 liters of water (10 glasses) . Of course this is a general rule and doesn't take into account any difference in body shape and size.
What Factors Influence How Much Water I Need to Drink?
It's important to note that in actual fact, we all need different amounts of water. The every day things that influence how much water we need include;
- Daily temperature – if it's a hot day, you're more likely to need more water.
- Exercise – if you've exercised or intend to exercise, you should increase your daily water intake.
- Motherhood – if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you need to significantly increase your water intake to help to grow and nourish your child.
Furthermore long term factors that influence the amount of water you should consume include; your age, a change in your weight, the change of season seasons, and with changes in your level of physical activity.
Drinking Water to Lose Weight
While it's extremely common for a weight loss program to state that you need to drink a lot of water in order to lose weight, a study at the University of Birmingham showed that drinking water before a meal can help you shed the pounds.
Drinking a large glass of water right before their meal, helped the participants to feel fuller more quickly and control their portion sizes better.
How Do I Know If I’m Dehydrated?
It's really important to try and stay hydrated, however, once you start to feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. Here are some signs to look out for throughout the day to make sure you're staying on track with your water consumption.
- Dark, strong smelling urine
- Feeling dizzy, or lightheaded
- Feeling tired
- Having a dry mouth
What Counts As Water?
While nothing is quite like pure water, some people just can’t stomach eight to ten glasses of water a day. Don’t worry, studies have shown that all fluid counts towards your water intake. This includes coffee, tea, beer, milk, juice, wine and soda. While they may be included, don’t forget they also will have a much higher cost both financially and calorie wise, hence they should be used sparingly in your weight loss journey.
You should also note that some foods will also contain a significant water content that you can count towards your daily water intake.
Fruits with over ninety percent water content includes; Cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries and watermelon
Vegetables with over ninety percent water content includes; Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, peppers (sweet), radish, spinach, zucchini and tomato.
Regardless of how you get your water, it's very important to remember to space it out across the day. Drinking it all at once can actually be dangerous to your health. It also means that your body potentially becomes dehydrated. By the time you feel thirsty, it's too late, you're already at least mildly dehydrated and you need to catch up.