Answering the How Much Water Should I Drink Question
A question I am frequently asked at my gym, as well as by new clients is how much water should I drink? Like everything else in fitness, as well as in health, the answer is very subjective. There are many variables when answering this kind of question, such as activity levels, diet, age, climate, etc.
The first thing to consider when wondering how much water should I drink, is what do I do with myself, and where do I do it? Are you more of a sedentary person, or are you a person on the move? Do you workout frequently, or is a workout to you vacuuming the house? As a longtime personal trainer in Austin, I’ve asked thousands of people what their activity level is and how much post regular life exercise they partake in. You would be surprised how many people report to me that they consider driving their cat to the vet, or some other random part of our existence, to be cardiovascular activity. Perhaps if they’ve smoked for 40 years, that may be the case, but the point is, you have to objectively and honestly evaluate your activity level if you want to find out the answer to how much water should I drink.
Another big consideration for ascertaining proper hydration has to be the climate you live in. As an Austin personal trainer, I’m likely to give a far different answer than my counterpart in Idaho. Heat and humidity, even if it’s cold weather humidity, will take the water out of your system and will require you to replenish more frequently as well in a greater volume.
There are 2 other rather elementary methods of deciphering if you are adequately hydrated. The first is to simply look at the color of your urine after you’ve been up and moving for a couple of hours in the day. If it is anything other than a very light shade of yellow, you are in need of replenishment. Another very simple method of checking hydration levels, is to ask yourself if you are thirsty. If so, you have missed the boat, so to speak, and need to consume more water.
There are always theories and myths that abound in the fitness world, covering everything from BMI, to maximum heart rates, and of course, how much water should I drink. The old adage was 8 glasses that were 8 ounces. That used to apply to 90 pound old ladies watching the Price is Right reruns, all the way to 240 pound lumberjacks felling trees all day.The new one is to take your body weight, and cut it in half. That’s how many ounces you should consume daily. While that is a bit more reasonable, it is far from a scientific answer. The truth lies in the fact that every person is different and will have different needs, so a simple formulaic approach will not work for everybody. If you take the latest formula of cutting your weight in half, that is at least marginally reasonable, but be no means is it complete. If you start with that, you will have to monitor yourself throughout the day, and make adjustments. There’s no 1 size fits all answer.
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Andy
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