How Much Water Should I Drink in a Day
Do you know how much water you should drink a day?
One question which I often get when I discuss the importance of drinking enough water daily is “… But Charles, how much water should I drink a day?”. The answer is simple, “take nothing less than a gallon of water a day”. Knowing how much water you should drink a day is important to keep you hydrated and your system running optimally.
A 2009 study published on the journal Obesity, states that people who drink a couple glasses of water before a meal tend to eat up to 75 fewer calories at that particular sitting. Even though this amount might not seem impressive at first, Brenda Davy, Ph.D., observed that this amount can add up to help you lose 10 pounds or more in a year.
How to Calculate a Gallon of Water
Now let’s face the facts. If how much water you should drink a day is a gallon of water, “What does drinking a gallon of water in one-day look like?” Ounce by ounce, it’s no doubt a lot of water to gulp — and a lot of trips to the bathroom — but spread throughout the day, it’s an achievable goal.
Since how much water you should drink a day is a gallon, you should as well know that a gallon of water contains 128 ounces. This means that to drink a gallon of water in one day, you’d need to drink eight-ounce glasses. Wow! You may exclaim. It definitely seems like a terrible task, but it is achievable. In fact, not only is it feasible, it is also rewarding. A 2008 research from the journal Obesity discovered that drinking enough water every day can help fasten weight-loss efforts.
Factors That Determine How Much Water You Should Drink a Day
How much water you should drink a day depends on several factors including your health status, body mass and weight, and your activity level. While there’s no magic number of glasses of water to drink in a day, many health authorities recommend using your thirst as your guide.
A research conducted by Harvard says that if you consume plenty of fruits and vegetables and also take beverages that contain water, you’re likely getting 70 percent of your water needs satisfied through your overall diet. While the majority of that figure comes from the beverages you drink, some proportion of this also comes from the food we eat. In fact, the same study estimates that about 22 percent of our water comes from food that we eat. This is reassuring for some of us who think sipping water throughout the day is a difficult task.
If you like working based on statistics, and wish to fix a number to the volume of your water intake, then, the report by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine may be helpful as it determined what an adequate daily fluid intake is. According to their data, an adequate daily fluid intake is:
About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men
About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
Also, the Institute of Medicine advises that a healthy adult should take 78 to 100 ounces (about nine to 13 cups) of fluids per day, on average.
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Conversion Rate for Ounces to Gallons
I have told you from the beginning that how much water you should take a day is at least a gallon of water. When we measure water we measure it in ounces. This is often the case especially when we’re discussing about how much you need to drink in a day. The question one may ask is “what about when the container you’re using is in gallons?”, “How do you convert ounces to gallons of water?”. The first step in answering this question is understanding how many ounces are in a gallon. The measurement is quite different across territories. It is:
- 128 fluid ounces = 1 US gallon
- 160 ounces (UK) = 1 UK gallon
Although it may not be a good idea carrying about a one-gallon plastic container of water, but it is ideal to know how many glasses you need to drink to get to one-gallon. A typical glass of water is eight ounces. If you use the same size glass, you will need to drink 16 glasses of water (8 ounces each) to reach one gallon each day.
How Can I Drink a Gallon of Water a Day?
The last time I discussed this topic in a public lecture, one of the participant’s asked me “Charles, how do I drink a gallon a day. This is an impossible feat”. Here is a simple way to drink a gallon of water a day:
#1. Drink Water Immediately You Get Your Bed
It is normal to feel very thirsty when you get off your bed. Take 2 glasses of water right after you wake up. Ensure each glass holds about 8 ounces of water
#2. Sip Water While You Get Ready
It is also advised that you drink a glass of water while you’re setting out and getting dressed for the day. Additionally, during breakfast, drink another glass of water. This will help you digest your meal and ensure that you start the day well-hydrated.
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Kelly advised that “you should keep a designated 8-ounce glass of water that you use when at home. Also decorating it can help you remember to keep drinking while making the experience a bit more fun.”
#3. Have a Glass of Water With Lunch
Have at least 3 glasses of water before lunch. If you exercise during this part of the day, drink additional water to replenish the water reserve you expel through sweating.
Have two glasses of water with lunch. If your lunch is protein- or fiber-heavy, having this amount of water will also help digestion. Remember to keep a filled water bottle with you at all times, wherever you go, so that you can continue hydrating throughout the day.
#4. Enhance the Flavor of Your Water
enhance the flavour of your water
Enhancing the flavour of your water may give you added encouragement to drink more
Take at least 3 glasses of fresh water between lunch and dinner. Add a slice of lemon, some fresh mint or cucumber slices to give your drink a refreshing flavor and add variety, but don’t add sugar, which reduces the effectiveness of all of the hydrating you’re doing.
Remember, your total water intake can also come from other beverages.
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#5. Drink Water With Dinner
Have a glass of water while you’re preparing dinner then wash down dinner with another two glasses of water. You should have consumed nearly a gallon of water by this time. It’s important to drink the majority of your water before late evening to help reduce bathroom breaks during the night.
#6. Finish the Day by Drinking More Water
Instead of dessert or a late-night snack, have a warm glass of water, perhaps with some lemon or grated ginger, which can have a calming effect before getting ready for bed.
It’s easy to confuse the feeling of thirst with hunger, causing many people to overeat when they’re actually just thirsty. Ending your day with a drink of water will help reduce late-night munching and facilitate digestion throughout the night.
What are the Health Benefits of Drinking Sufficient Water Daily?
The following are the health benefits of drinking sufficient water daily:
- Water regulates the internal body temperature at a constant 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit through the process of respiration.
- Water is helpful for weight loss.
- It helps to flush toxins out of the body organs and also helps in waste elimination by relieving constipation.
- Water carries nutrients and oxygen to your cells.
- Water keeps all the sensitive tissues protected from attack, including the spinal cord.
Are there Side Effects of Drinking Too Much Water?
There are very little side effects of drinking too much water. Some of the side effects include:
- Drinking too much water cause over-hydration. Over-hydration can lead to hyponatremia, a condition which connotes deficiency in sodium level in the blood.
- It contributes to inadvertent weight loss.
- Drinking too much water may cause irritability, confusion, nausea, headaches and even coma where hyponatremia is contracted.
Athletes usually fall into the temptation of taking more water than they require while trying to replenish what is lost during the exercise. This should be moderated.
The safe way to stay on track, especially for endurance athletes is to weigh yourself before and after a long exercise session. This can help determine the amount of water you lost and how much you need to drink to replenish your body.”
Let’s Take This Quick Review
I got these questions from an expert and I believe they will guide our comments in the comment section. Now that you have an idea of how much water you should drink a day, kindly answer the following:
How much water do you drink each day?
Did you know about the general guidelines for water consumption?
Do you usually wait until you’re thirsty to drink water? Or do you sip constantly throughout the day?
Have you ever tried drinking a gallon of water a day?
Do you think it is feasible to drink a gallon of water a day?
Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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Originally posted 2021-03-04 23:05:23.
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