I think the following how much water to drink chart may help you to SAFELY determine how much water you need to stay properly hydrated for your activity without over consumption.
* this chart is meant to be a guide not an absolute *
This chart is courtesy of the ISSA
Recommended Water Intake:
Step 1 Select an appropriate need factor.
Need Factors
0.5 — Sedentary no sports or training
0.6 — Jogger or light fitness training
0.7 — Sports participation or moderate training 3 times a week
0.8 — Moderate daily weight training or aerobic training
0.9 — Heavy weight training daily
1.0 — Heavy weight training daily plus sports training or “2-a-day” training
Step 2 Multiply weight (in pounds) by the appropriate need factor to arrive at the recommended water intake in ounces per day.
Example 1 120 pounds x 0.6 = 72 ounces per day
Example 2 200 pounds x 0.7 =140 ounces per day
We recommend that you drink water eight to twelve times per day.
Example 1 72 ounces per day divided by 10 glasses = 7.2 ounces per glass
Example 2 140 ounces per day divided by 12 glasses = 11.7 ounces per glass
Lewis Black and Aquifina. Or as he says, “the end of water was we know it.”
Here’s Lewis Black with a little humor on the subject of how crazy water consumption is today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNGWn-aWn5g
How Much Water to Drink?
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So how much water should a 420lbs. slightly active male person drink on a daily basis? Please let me know at jtavo75@gmail.com
Joe
Wow, so this means I need 4.8 litres of water a day?!? No wonder I’m tired & sluggish…barely making 1!
As with any formula, this isn’t set in stone. If you are sedentary, you can drink less use thirst as a guide. If you are an athlete or want peak performance, it’s a very good start. If it’s hot outside, you are sweating profusely and doing an activity for 2 hours, you’ll want more. Needless to say, it’s a place to start. I easily drink around 3 liters a day myself and that’s a tad bit under what it says I need. However, that being said, based on other factors, I’m hydrated enough to do my workout at optimal levels. If you need 4.8 and you are barely getting one, try drinking water slowly during the day with a sipping protocol. No need to drink 1 liter an hour! Start slow and see if you notice any changes.
The only change I notice when I’m dehydrated is my eyes feel tired, I’m a bit sluggish mentally and my workouts are just okay. But I realize my experience is anecdotal.
Excellent info, thanks for the reply. I am mainly at a desk during the day so like you say I think 4.8 would be excessive but I do notice tired eyes etc and my workouts are sometimes hard going. I’ll be upping my intake definitely due to this advice. Thanks again!
I weight 190lbs and my need factor is 0.9. and 5 liters seems like a lot to drink. Obviously its spread out throughout the day but i am worried about over consuming water. Is there too much water? I could just Google it but Id rather ask people who know what they’re doing.
At 190 lbs.. 171 oz or ~5 liters is about right.
Personally, I like to take it down to just half my body weight in ounces and work my way up if I feel I’m not hydrated enough. Lifting heavy weights is entirely a different need factor that a heavy session where you would be doing it outside, for 2 hours on a hot day.
I was easily drinking 2 gallons a day just fine without any ill effects. However, just being hydrated is all that is necessary. Sometimes all these formulas put you way at the top of the hydration scale.
Take your body weight, use half and drink that in ounces per day. See how it goes. If you feel bloated from water, take it down.
You can drink too much water. It’s called Water Intoxication.
These formulas won’t put you into those levels but it may be more water than you actually need.