How much is enough? We all know that we should be drinking more water in order to remain hydrated, but how much is enough? The CHEK Institute guidlines recommend that for normal hydration, determine your body weight in pounds, divide it by two and drink that many ounces of water each day. (Body weight in kilos x 0.033 = how much to drink in litres). So for example, a 200 pound man would need to drink 100 ounces of water to remain in a normal state of hydration. This would obviously be more if that person was exercising or living in a hot climate. If you are still unsure as to how much water is enough, or are unsure as to how your training affects consumption, about.com has a simple test here, which take less than a minute to complete and will give an exact amount. The Benefits of good hydration Water and good hydration has many health benefits including being a natural skin moisturiser and aids proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin. This is what leads to that healthy glow. Water is the delivery system for nutrients around the body and many vitimins and minerals are only soluble in water. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. Good hydration can prevent headaches, increase metabolism and regulate appetite. That dip that many of us have after lunch can often be due to dehydration, so a glass of water with breakfast and that mid-morning snack should become a habit. How do you know if you are dehydrated? Signs can include thirst, lethargy, joint and muscle pain, headaches and even constipation, dry skin and nausea, A strong odour and colouration in your urine is also a strong indicator. Note though that some b vitimins can colour the urine. Bottled water All about water.org reports the following: - Bottled water, because it is defined as a “food” under federal regulations, is under the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—under much stricter standards—regulates tap water. Thus, bottled water, depending upon the brand, may actually be less clean and safe than tap water. The EPA mandates that local water treatment plants provide city residents with a detailed account of tap water’s source and the results of any testing, including contaminant level violations. Bottled water companies are under no such directives. Paul Chek recommends not drinking water from smokey or blue containers as they can leak chemicals (plasticides) into the water. He also recommends storing water in glass containers. if you must drink from plastic containers make sure they are clear and kept out of direct sunlight. Bottled water is more expensive in the UK than petrol and appears to not be a better alternative to tap water, however there are worries about the chlorine which is added to tap water, as well as other contaminants. Inline water fliters offer the healthiest solution, as they remove more contaminats than other methods and they are more economically viable. Water filters by removing chlorine and other contaminants make the water smell and taste better.
Fantastic artcle, Simon. I read somewhere/was told once (something like that) that if you feel properly thirsty you're already on your way to dehydration. In other words you shouldn't wait until you feel thirsty to have a drink!
Thank you. I really should follow my own advice, I'm nearly always dehyrated and my hands feel of if they have no natural oil in them at all. I don't really like the tatse of water unless it is cold, so on training day I mix an orange sport drink 50/50 with water. Not sweet and sickly and replaces the fluids and salts. If you are dehydrated I was told not to hydrate too fast, as you can effectively flush salts and minerals from your body.
I really like this article, I find a lot people lacking what i call "proper hydration" when it comes to such physical activities as Martial Arts and other competitive sports. Never leave drinking till you feel like "oh man i need a drink" because it's too late at that point. Stay properly hydrated the whole time you plan on working out.
Good article, I need to get on top of my plain water intake rather than squashes. Something bothering me though is using that formula I'm meant to drink 3 pints a day to stay hydrated so where's this "8 glasses a day thing come from?
Does this calculation for recommended daily allowance of water take into account H2O content in food? For example, vegetables like cucumber have a very high water content value.
Great article. By your formula I should be drinking 3 litres a day. Which sounds about right. For ease I just shoot for a gallon. For a sports drink I mix 1 part OJ to 1.5-2 part cool boiled water add a dash of lemon juice and bottle.
Good question. I found this answer on about.com. At least twenty percent of the water you need will come from the foods you eat. The rest will come from the beverages you drink.
Thanks for the article. The clorine comment made me wonder, does England put floride in the tap water?
Easy Tool for Checking, if its not clear/pale straw coloured drink untill it is then drink some more!
That color chart is the same method taught to US Marines. At least it was in the 90's. It has worked well for me but some things can fool you. Vitamins are a big one as stated but also caffine or even drinking a large amoutn at once will make the urine clear for a bit.
Yes I originaly was shown that colour chart by a gunny in the USMC, he saw me competing in a log race while I was in the signals and was impressed that the British Army made even REMFs do stuff like that.
Training in a tropical country like The Philippines means you sweat more. That is why I always bring water and Poweraide. Actually I prefer Gatorade by since my wife works for Coca Cola, she refuse me to buy it.
Another good article! Simon, if you don't particularly like drinking water have you thought about making your own flavored water with mint leaves, raspberries, oranges, etc? I do this routinely. I make a big pitcher of it, chill it, stick it into a few filtered water bottles then take it with me. You can purchase these filtered water bottles anywhere. I think ASDA sells them for £8 or £9.
Excellent tip. Thank you. I have done this with oranges, but will definitely give the mint leaves a go this weekend. I have recently started to make a conscious effort to improve my hydration and freeze bottles of water for work the next day. I can drink cold water without too much of an issue.