AYN Advice

How Much Water is Enough?

by Sherry Shaban, BSc, CAT(C), CSCS

As most of us have heard at some point or another, the recommended daily intake of water should be around 2 L (that’s 8 glasses). Most of us don’t drink anywhere near this amount. And in fact, many people actually need much more.

The problem with this very general recommendation is that it doesn’t take into account the person’s size, daily activity level, nutritional intake or even weather conditions. Clearly a small sedentary person can’t need as much water as a larger, fruit-n-veggie-chowing runner, right?

So what’s the best way to tell if you’re getting enough water? Check your urine. If you’re getting enough water, it should be a pale yellow or even clear in color. If it’s really on the bright yellow/almost orange side, that’s not a good sign.

All the metabolic processes in your body take place in water. If you’re dehydrated, your metabolism has to slow down to conserve water and energy. Not to mention, dehydration effects the osmolality of your blood and normal kidney function.

Carry around your water bottle wherever you go (like I do), taking a few sips here and there. Don’t wait to get thirsty to drink. That is actually an indication that you’re already in a dehydrated state.

Happy drinking!