Water is the essence of life and staying properly hydrated shouldn’t be like a cliche. We all know how important it is to drink the right amount of water in a day.
But you might be asking how you calculate how much water you should drink in a day. The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. Daily intake of water depends on various factors. Others disputed, and others accepted.
While there have been many points of view out there, let’s see the prescribed daily water intake amount through some recognized bodies. Likewise, expect to calculate how much water you should drink in a day.
Considerations for How Much Water You Should Drink in a Day
The body constantly loses water through various means, including sweat, urine, and regular body activities like breathing, however for hydration, we’ve listed some basic factors following the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority and the Institute of Medicine America.
These factors are:
Age
Water requirements can vary based on age. Children generally have different hydration needs compared to adults. Both the Institute of Medicine and the European Food Safety Authority provide daily water intake based on this factor. This makes it necessary to consider your age when calculating how much water you should take in a day.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes significant changes. These changes significantly affect water intake as dehydration during pregnancy can result in various complications. This means proper hydration is crucial for both you as a pregnant woman and your developing baby. The European Food Safety Authority recommends an addition of 300ml to the regular amount of your water intake before your conception. Since individual pregnancy may vary, seeking advice from your doctor is still advisable.
Breastfeeding
Similar to pregnancy, breastfeeding mothers require an increase in their daily water intake. While the Institute of Medicine advises that breastfeeding mothers take 12 cups, the European Food Safety Authority recommends that lactating women should take an additional 700 ml on top of their regular water intake. This level of water intake can be to support milk hydration, maintain their hydration levels, and even stay energized.
Gender
While both men and women need sufficient hydration, there can be slight differences in water requirements due to the tissue and body composition of both genders. The IOM suggests an average daily water intake of 13 cups (about 3 liters) for men and around 9 cups (over 2 liters) for women. However, EFSA recommends 2 liters of water for women daily and 2.5 liters of water for men daily.
Generally, the stated factors above affect your daily water intake. But, there are other factors to look out for.
1. Climate
If you live in a hot region, you will likely need to increase your water intake to compensate for the excessive sweating and potential dehydration.
2. Activities
Being physically active like engaging in regular work out, hiking, or intensive work that requires physical strength, will deplete your body’s water faster. So, adequately replenishing it is important. To do that might require an additional amount of water than the regular.
3. Illness
The Institute of Medicine advises you to speak with your doctor about your water intake if you have health issues like heart failure or kidney disease.
Considering these factors as recommended, the calculator determines how much water you should drink in a day. Let’s see how the calculator does that in the next section.
How Does the Calculator Calculate How Much Water Should You Drink in a Day
The calculator uses a number of questions to determine how much water you should take in a day. These questions surround the factors necessary in determining your water intake. The questions are based on:
- Gender- This is to choose the gender that describes you (Male or Female).
- Age- As earlier stated, your age plays a significant role in calculating how much water you should drink in a day. To select, simply use the – or + bar. Or you can enter manually by clicking on the space provided.
- As a woman, you have to answer if you are breastfeeding or not. In this part, there are three options available; No, I am pregnant and I am breastfeeding.
- Choose the recommendations you want to follow. The European Food Safety Authority or the Institute of Medicine. And it’s done!
OR
You can use your suggestion. This is the amount of water you already take daily. If that’s what you are going for, simply select that option. Also, it could be in liters, ml, oz, or in US cups. Whatever it is, the calculator gives you the results.
All results are in liters, ml, oz, and in US cups. This is to meet the needs of those that prefer any of these forms of measurement.
Good luck!
However, we know it can be hard to meet the daily intake of water. That’s why, we’ve researched a few tips you might find useful in drinking the right amount of water.
Take a look in the next section.
Tips for Consuming the Recommended Amount of Water Each Day
Some practical tips to meet your hydration goals are:
1. Carry a water bottle
Why not invest in reusable water bottles that you can take wherever you go? This makes it an intentional activity. You can easily take sips throughout your day and track the amount of water you’ve taken.
2. Set reminders
In our busy lives, it’s easy to forget to drink enough water. Set reminders on your phone or use a tracking app to prompt you to take sips or a required amount of water throughout the day.
3. Establish a routine
You can as well create a routine by drinking water at specific times of the day. For example, start by taking a glass of water in the morning, and have water before meals and after any physical activity.
4. Eat foods that have a water content
In addition to drinking water, you can also increase your water intake by consuming foods with high water content. Fruits like watermelon, oranges, and cucumbers are excellent choices.
5. Make it a habit
This can be very difficult but consistency is key. Make sure to incorporate it into your daily lives and over time, it becomes a habit you are used to.
6. Drink water before, during, and after exercises
Just as it says, drink water before, during, and after exercises. Exercises are one of the ways you lose water in your body. By doing this, you’ll always stay hydrated.
7. Drink water before every meal
There are health benefits attributed to drinking water before your meals. This could also become a healthy habit that keeps you hydrated and helps lose calories. Hurray!
8. Listen to your body
Listening to your body is also very important. Make sure you pay attention to signs of dehydration, dizziness, and even yellow urine. They could be signs that you are dehydrated. You don’t have to wait until you are extremely thirsty before you drink water.
9. Monitor your intake
Consider keeping track of the amount of water you’ve taken and the amount you need to meet up your goals. It’s okay if you don’t meet up at first. Take things gradually. You can monitor your progress by keeping a journal or using tracking apps.
10. Spice it up
Spicing it up isn’t a bad thing. If you find plain water boring, spice it up to make it more enjoyable for you. You can add a few slices of different fruits you like. That can be lime, lemons, berries, or whatever. These fruits are also healthy and can make drinking water a refreshing experience for you.
You can refer to Healthline’s 12 Simple Ways to Drink More Water for more ideas.
Done With the Calculations? Meet Up With Your Goals
It’s easier said than done right? But, we wish you all the best.
While trying to calculate ‘how much water should you drink a day’, remember that you need to listen to your body.
Do let us know if you meet up with your daily water intake in the comments section.