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How Much Water Should I Drink A Day?

by JJ Virgin on June 29, 2017

Water: the most important nutrient for your body, yet often the most neglected in your day-to-day routine! (How many times have you said, “I know I should drink more water, but…”?)

Staying hydrated is key for healthy cells, affecting everything from your skin to your ability to fight off infection. What’s more, drinking plenty of water helps you feel great – not only curbing hunger and fatigue, but also boosting your memory and mood.  

How Much to Drink?

Although longstanding advice has been to drink 8 glasses a day, the truth is that your daily water intake should be based on your weight, not an arbitrary number. We don't always get enough water simply because many folks aren’t sure how much water they actually need.

Here’s the answer! The water widget below is a handy tool that uses your weight to calculate how much H2O is right for you.

To find out, just enter your weight below and click the big orange button. (Enter the actual number from the scale, not the one on your driver’s license…)

Weight: lbs

More Important H2O Help

Remember, this is the minimum that you need to drink daily and doesn’t take into account the weather, your activity levels, or medications that might be dehydrating. When exercising, you should be drinking at least 4 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of your workout.

And even though other drinks count toward your daily intake of fluids, caffeine causes your body to dehydrate faster – that means caffeinated tea and coffee don’t help you meet the amount calculated above.   

Now that you know how much water you should be drinking each day, here’s a closer look at 3 main benefits of this amazing nutrient…

1. Water stops hunger. Thirst can come disguised as hunger. Remarkably, research shows drinking eight ounces of water halts hunger pangs 100% of the time and can help with weight loss to boot!1,2 The next time cravings kick in, pour yourself a glass of water instead.

2. Water improves your energy and mood. Feeling grumpy or tired? Numerous studies show mild dehydration leads to fatigue, headaches, and trouble with mood and focus.3,4 If you’re nodding off in your morning meeting or having a hard time focusing, chances are you need some H2O!

3. Water is crucial for healthy skin. Dehydrated skin cells look rough and dry, even just minutes after applying lotion. Water not only hydrates your skin and keeps your complexion smooth, it also flushes toxins away, so you’re less likely to experience breakouts.5 Reach for your water bottle, and you’ll be on your way to glowing skin! (Remember to use a water filter, of course…)

Are you excited to reap the rewards of water and wondering how you can add flavor without all the sugar and calories? Here’s 10 tasty recipes for low-sugar impact infused water that will leave you thirsty for more.

One final tip: While I recommend consuming water throughout the day, the one time I don’t want you drinking a large quantity of water is during meals. That’s because it can dilute your digestive enzymes and cause problems. But before and after your meals, be sure to drink up!  

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Article Sources
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17228036
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18589036
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22190027
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21736786
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/