How much Water Should I Drink Each Day?
We all know that water is important for good health and to sustain life, but do we know if we’re getting enough H20 each day?
Most of us have heard of the “8 x 8 Rule”—drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That’s a great place to start. But because we all vary in our body weights, daily activity, and live in different climates, all of those factors should be taken into account to get an accurate calculation of how much water should be consumed daily.
Factors that Influence Water Needs:
- Daily Activity: How much activity we get each day is an important factor in considering our water intake. During a good workout, we lose water through sweat and therefore need to replace the lost fluids. It’s important to drink water before, during and after exercise.
- Body weight: How much we weigh does indeed make a difference in how much water we need to consume. Hence most consumption calculators ask for that information.
- Climate: We all lose water every day through sweat and urination. But those in hot or humid climates may sweat more and require more fluids.
Although we get water in the food we eat or in various other beverages, these should account for just 20 percent of our fluid needs. The other 80 percent should simply come from water. You can use an online water consumption calculator to help get a fairly accurate idea of how much water to drink on a daily basis. And although most of us feel like we drink plenty of water, when we truly track our water consumption, we find out we don’t drink nearly enough. In fact, it’s estimated that most U.S. consumers drink less than four glasses of water per day. To keep track of how much you’re drinking, apps are available, such as Water Your Body or Waterlogged.
Why Drink Water?
Since water doesn’t contain sugar, additives, and is calorie free —water is the best drink on the planet. But in a world where billions are spent on media campaigns to promote soft drinks, teas, alcoholic beverages, sports drinks and the like, it’s easy to forget about water!
So let’s jog our memory and review a few benefits of drinking water:
- Enhance weight loss
- Build muscle
- Fight disease
- Maintain body temperature
- Increase energy level
- Burn fat
- Flush out toxins through sweat and urination
- Promote overall better health
Plain and simple, water is surely the super drink! There is nothing so simple—or essential to our health as drinking water.
If you’re in the habit of reaching for a soda or other beverage every time you feel thirsty, try getting a sturdy water bottle or tumbler that can be refilled with water each time it empties. Having your water bottle or cup in an easy-to-reach spot at work or in the car can make the difference in increasing your water intake.
Speaking of refilling water botles, if you’re looking for a way to refill water bottles with clean, great-tasting water, check out a reverse osmosis (RO) unit for your home. The average U.S. consumer spends more than $250 per year on purchasing bottled water. So if you’re currently spending money to buy bottled water, consider how quickly an RO unit can pay for itself. For about 25 cents per day, a typical family of four can have delicious, high-quality water. Learn more about reverse osmosis systems from your local WaterTech dealer.
