Everyone's been told from a young age to drink lots of water, but it is one of those healthy habits like eating veggies which can easily go missing. A reduction as little as 2% in body water can trigger signs of dehydration and cause your body not to function optimally. Continue reading to find out how much water you need, benefits to drinking water and potential side effects to not drinking enough as well as some strategies to help you consume more throughout the day!
Benefits of water:
Regulates body temperature
Eliminating waste and helping out the digestive system
Provides a medium for most chemical reactions in the body to occur
Carries nutrients and oxygens to cells
Lubricates joints
Lessens burden on the kidney and liver by flushing out waste products
Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
How much water do you need:
Aim to consume 30ml - 35ml of water per kg of bodyweight.
See below for some rough guides for different weights:
50kg: 1.5 - 1.75 litres
60kg: 1.8 - 2.1 litres
70kg: 2.1 - 2.45 litres
80kg: 2.4 - 2.8 litres
90kg: 2.7 - 3.15 litres
100kg: 3.0 - 3.5 litres
Note that this is before exercising and if you are someone who sweats a lot or lives in a hotter climate, you may want to drink to the higher end and consume a little more to replace the fluid you lose!
Consuming low amounts of water can lead to:
Headaches
Increased body temperature
Decreased blood pressure
Nausea
Dizziness
Excessive thirst
Lethargy
Deterioration in concentration/ cognitive function
It can also be confused for hunger, which can lead to overeating!
Strategies to help you drink more water:
Carry a water bottle with you - This makes water more accessible so when you are thirsty, instead of waiting until you can finally grab a drink, you have water there and then that you can consume.
Consume a glass of water at the start and end of your meal. Not only can this help you prevent overeating, it is a great way to get an easy two glasses in. Do this for 3 meals a day and you already have 6 glasses of water right there.
Set a reminder in your phone. If drinking water is not a habit of yours right now, setting 2-3 reminders in your phone to pop up during the day can help prompt you to consume water.
Replace other drinks with water. Not only can this be a good way to get water in, it can be a way to reduce excess calories and your consumption of added sugars if those calories are coming from fruit juices or soft drinks.
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