How much water in a day?

[BlsdMama]

I welcome scientific links - it’s an ongoing discussion here. 

[Ottakee]

Total fluids...or pure water a day?   

[Grace Hopper]

I’ve been told and have followed (though it’s hardest for me when cold outside!), the recommendation for half your body weight in ounces of water. 
 

Now whether you count water used to make tea and coffee with… that's debatable. 

[Corraleno]

This is a good summary: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256

"The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:  about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men, [and] about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women."

But all water counts, including the water in coffee, tea, and even food. I log my food in Cronometer and it actually counts the water content of each food towards totally daily water intake. I rarely drink plain water but I eat a lot of salads and smoothies and I drink a lot of unsweetened herbal ice tea to get my recommend daily intake. 

 

[Katy]

Enough fluids that urine is pale yellow and not cloudy.

[Brittany1116]

I go by half your weight in ounces, but that coffee is a dehydrator and does not count. 

[Insertcreativenamehere]

2 minutes ago, Brittany1116 said:

I go by half your weight in ounces, but that coffee is a dehydrator and does not count. 

I also do this, although it is hard in winter! I don't want to drink anything cold when it's below zero outside!

In the summer, when I often run outside, I aim for my body weight in ounces. 

[Tanaqui]

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth

Takeaway: You should drink when you feel thirsty. If you're in an extremely hot environment, or suffering from an illness that causes you to vomit or poop a lot, then you should drink a little more. You should definitely not worry about it.

[Amethyst]

18 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth

Takeaway: You should drink when you feel thirsty. If you're in an extremely hot environment, or suffering from an illness that causes you to vomit or poop a lot, then you should drink a little more. You should definitely not worry about it.

This

[73349]

I think that, like how many calories in a day, water intake needs to be a function of a person's size and activity level.

I don't need as much water to sit on the couch and read a book on a winter day as I do to go hiking in the summer, and I don't have any noticeable benefit from drinking extra. In general, I drink one cup of coffee (with oat milk and sugar) each morning and then fill a quart jar with water for the day. In winter, I might not drink the whole quart. In summer, I will wind up refilling it and drinking more like 2 quarts, plus I bring a water bottle with me when I go places.

[ktgrok]

20 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth

Takeaway: You should drink when you feel thirsty. If you're in an extremely hot environment, or suffering from an illness that causes you to vomit or poop a lot, then you should drink a little more. You should definitely not worry about it.

This, although as someone with ADHD I do find I need to focus on this more than otherwise...beause I feel thirsty, then get distracted before I actually drink, lol. As in, I will think, "I'm thirsty" and get a drink. 30 minutes later I'm still thirsty, and realize the drink is inches from my hand, untouched, then get distracted again and still don't drink, lol. 

As a result I end up drinking a lot in the evening when the kids are in bed and I can focus on something for 10 whole seconds at a time, lol. My dad is the same way (and also has ADHD). 

So if you tend to ignore or not notice your thirst signals, maybe tracking is good. otherwise, yeah, not the issue people think it is. 

[Grace Hopper]

24 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth

Takeaway: You should drink when you feel thirsty. If you're in an extremely hot environment, or suffering from an illness that causes you to vomit or poop a lot, then you should drink a little more. You should definitely not worry about it.

Interesting! Good to know my kidneys can make it through winter, when I drink considerably less water (but a lot more coffee, so, yay?). 😂

Anecdotally, my aging skin feels and looks a lot better when I keep up the habit of being hydrated. I may reach a point in my life when retention is problematic, but I haven’t hit it yet  

 

[gardenmom5]

It's going to vary.   someone who eats a lot of sugar or salt should drink more because they absorb water.

[Tanaqui]

ktgrok: Yes, that's a good point. And as the post I linked to noted, elderly people often start losing their ability to feel thirsty, so it's important in that case to be on top of making sure they drink a little more or, as with cats, get moister food to eat - we get water from food too.

So I should have been a bit more clear, if you're a caregiver to somebody who has diminished sense of thirst, you need to worry a little bit, and of course if you're the one with diminished sense of thirst, same deal.

[marbel]

It also depends on any health issues you may have. I see a kidney specialist due to a past stone, and I'm to drink no less, but preferably more, than 3 liters a day, to keep stones from forming. I don't remember the details but the type of stones I create are not related to foods I eat, so lots of fluid is important for that. 

 

[mom31257]

10 hours ago, Brittany1116 said:

I go by half your weight in ounces, but that coffee is a dehydrator and does not count. 

I'm not sure coffee is a true dehydrator. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/caffeinated-drinks/faq-20057965

[Negin]

I live in a hot and humid climate, so I drink more than half my weight in ounces.
If I were to drink half my weight in ounces, and I tried that for a few days, I start getting headaches and feeling awful. I've read quite a bit about it lately. 

It depends on your weight, activity level, and where you live. There are many articles and calculators online, and you can always google for more info. That's what I did. That, and the urine color chart below helped me. Here's one calculator. 

I've gotten used to the taste of room temperature water. Now and again, I crave cold water, but that's rare. 
I stop drinking water a few hours before leaving the house - shopping/errand days. Who wants to keep having to use gross bathrooms? I try to avoid using public bathrooms (especially in this part of the world) as often as possible. 

I also stop drinking water a few hours before sleep. 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Negin

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I've been focusing on drinking 64 oz of water a day for the past 18 months. Recently, after I went through a chai binge, I did a bit more research on hydration and where our fluids actually come from. I wanted to know if my 32 oz of daily chai counted toward my 64. This infographic is interesting. It's the only thing I found with this information. It's from the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition.

This is the associated CNN article.

 

According to this information, only the first 8 ounces of my chai count toward hydration because it is a sweetened beverage. However, if I drink unsweetened chai (I have loose leaf chai) mixed with non-sweetened almond milk, I can count up to 44 ounces (28 from the unsweetened tea and 16 from the unsweetened almond milk).

Beer and alcohol don't count toward hydration but diet sodas do (up to 32 oz). You can count 8 oz of regular soda and 4 oz of juice but not anything over those amounts. So, even though you drink a 16 oz soda, only the first 8oz count toward hydration.

It's interesting information but discounts water from food sources.

 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Granny_Weatherwax

[Scarlett]

23 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

I welcome scientific links - it’s an ongoing discussion here. 

I was just about to come on and ask this very question!  I drink about 4- 20 ounce bottles per day. I notice when I am at my MIL's they don't seem to drink as much water and I am less likely to drink my normal amount for some weird reason.

Also does the water in my coffee count?

Edited to say---I should have read before I posted.  Lots of good info and links here.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Scarlett

[theelfqueen]

21 hours ago, ktgrok said:

This, although as someone with ADHD I do find I need to focus on this more than otherwise...beause I feel thirsty, then get distracted before I actually drink, lol. As in, I will think, "I'm thirsty" and get a drink. 30 minutes later I'm still thirsty, and realize the drink is inches from my hand, untouched, then get distracted again and still don't drink, lol. 

As a result I end up drinking a lot in the evening when the kids are in bed and I can focus on something for 10 whole seconds at a time, lol. My dad is the same way (and also has ADHD). 

So if you tend to ignore or not notice your thirst signals, maybe tracking is good. otherwise, yeah, not the issue people think it is. 

One thing that helps me with the identical issue is using a straw. I bought tervis with a straw lid. I drink a lot more with a straw than with a glass I have to sip. 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

One thing that helps me with the identical issue is using a straw. I bought tervis with a straw lid. I drink a lot more with a straw than with a glass I have to sip. 

OMG yes - if I don't have a lid and a straw I don't drink really anything...unless it is a can of Coke Zero..which isn't really the point, lol. 

[Grace Hopper]

10 hours ago, Negin said:

I live in a hot and humid climate, so I drink more than half my weight in ounces.
If I were to drink half my weight in ounces, and I tried that for a few days, I start getting headaches and feeling awful. I've read quite a bit about it lately. 

It depends on your weight, activity level, and where you live. There are many articles and calculators online, and you can always google for more info. That's what I did. That, and the urine color chart below helped me. Here's one calculator. 

I've gotten used to the taste of room temperature water. Now and again, I crave cold water, but that's rare. 
I stop drinking water a few hours before leaving the house - shopping/errand days. Who wants to keep having to use gross bathrooms? I try to avoid using public bathrooms (especially in this part of the world) as often as possible. 

I also stop drinking water a few hours before sleep. 

This chart cracks me up! Thank you!

[DreamerGirl]

I went looking for how much to drink once and came upon a page where Tom Brady recommends drinking half your weight in Oz per day. Ummm....if I did that, much of my time will be spent on the throne.

@Negin's chart is what I use and what my doctor recommended. 

I hydrate more when I exercise or the weather is hot. Like more in summer and less in winter. You can also tell from your skin especially the lips if you need water. Growing up in a hot country we always used this as a measure so before it got to that point, we hydrated.