1 oz water for every pound that you weigh?

[livinghealthy]

Currently I've been reading several men's fitness magazines and I have read that one should drink 1 oz of water for every pound that he/she weighs. I have not seen this in any women's fitness magazines. Do you think this is a good idea? Is this supposed to help you lose weight?

[ChicagoChef]

Actually, I've actually heard as well as read (sorry, have no citations at the moment) that at the *minimum* you should drink HALF your bodyweight in oz.

Obviously, you need to drink more if you're working out, if it's very hot, or if your're supplementing (or a combination thereof).

[livinghealthy]

Do you know what the benefits are to drinking 1oz per pound versus drinking half of that?

[ChicagoChef]

Well, there is such a thing as overhydrating... but that usually only happens under intense circumstances, like when taking in vast amounts of water without also taking in some form of sodium/potassium to balance your electrolytes.

Really, it depends on a lot things... different people's needs require more or less water. For some people (average person, for instance), 1/2 bodyweight in oz of water is sufficient, and drinking any more than that probably won't benefit ya anymore and just make you pee like crazy.

For someone who is training, more h2o might beneficial because muscles need water to grow. And, if you're taking any supplements (creatine comes to mind), you must drink extra water because they can affect hydration.

I personally take in about a gallon plus a few cups per day, which is a little less than 1/2 my bodyweight. I've had no problems whatsover, and I don't believe that drinking any more would help me any more.

But all that is just based on my experiences and opinions. You might find a fact somewhere that might contradict that.

[precisou2004]

I would think a minimum of 2lt a day would be an average as to how much one should drink but it also depends on how one works out and how much one sweats, etc.... many more reasons.

personally I drink 4lt + a day sometimes up to 6 but thats rare I go that high. I mostly drink out of habit now and if I dont drink enough, lord my body yells at me to do so, which is also rare LOL

My body Wuvsssss me lol

[chrissydd]

Drink a Gallon a day 3.78 liters and you will be good...

the norm is 96 oz per day and the an extra 8-10 oz for every 25lbs you want to loose or are overweight...

[Amanda76]

Well, there is such a thing as overhydrating... but that usually only happens under intense circumstances, like when taking in vast amounts of water without also taking in some form of sodium/potassium to balance your electrolytes.

Really, it depends on a lot things... different people's needs require more or less water. For some people (average person, for instance), 1/2 bodyweight in oz of water is sufficient, and drinking any more than that probably won't benefit ya anymore and just make you pee like crazy.

For someone who is training, more h2o might beneficial because muscles need water to grow. And, if you're taking any supplements (creatine comes to mind), you must drink extra water because they can affect hydration.

I personally take in about a gallon plus a few cups per day, which is a little less than 1/2 my bodyweight. I've had no problems whatsover, and I don't believe that drinking any more would help me any more.

But all that is just based on my experiences and opinions. You might find a fact somewhere that might contradict that.

The above is great info.

Drinking water can help you lose weight. And it's not just about appetite suppression and keeping you from retaining water due to dehydration. Most people walk around not being as well hydrated as they could be which makes it difficult for the kidneys to function as well as they could. When that happens, the liver starts doing some of the kidney's work which keeps it from efficiently doing one of it's major functions--metabolizing stored fat.

It's not a matter of more = better, necessarily, but it is a matter of making sure you get plenty. 1/2 oz per pound of bodyweight is the guideline I run across the most, I get closer to a full ounce per pound of bodyweight...teetering on the edge of more the leaner I get (I normally drink about a gallon a day, regardless of how much I weigh).

[mutantdogbreath]

i usually drink 1 gallon a day. i eat 2200 cal with no diet spesifications, lift 4 times a week, and do light cardio about twice a week and i've never been above 15% body fat. i think that the one oz sounds a little steep if that was true i'd be drinking almost 1 1/2 gallons a day, i couldn't even imagine drinking that much if i weighed 180+. but that's just my opinion.

[livinghealthy]

Drink a Gallon a day 3.78 liters and you will be good...

the norm is 96 oz per day and the an extra 8-10 oz for every 25lbs you want to loose or are overweight...

Yeah I think I will do that... I have been increasing my water intake and am up to 3 liters/day so far.

[theyoungblood]

I know when I was overseas in a hot dusty climate we were told the maximum safe "allowed" fluid intake was "no more than" 1 quart per hour for up to 12 hours under a *heavy* workload in the desert. But this would have to be balanced with maintaining a proper electrolyte/salt/potassium level in your body. We were told to NOT consume more than 1 quart per hour due to risk of injury or death. Basically death by consuming excess amounts of liquid. Another accepted method is to use the color of your urine and the sensation of thirst. The closer to clear the urine is the better. But if you are on supplements (protein, caffeine, NO, or etcetera) your urine could appear darker than without the supplements. I have learned how much water to consume during exercise or miltary activities to prevent hydration and always repeat that amount later for the same activities. So no more than one quart per hour, rely on the sensation of thirst, and look at the color of your urine. Good luck with all your fitness goals!

[terracotta]

It's definitely going to depend on your activity level and surrounding environment. I basically sip on water all day, and I'm not especially active, so 12 glasses is plenty for me. But when I was doing heavier training, in a drier climate and on creatine, that increased to 16 or more glasses, ie 1 gallon.

[sha11]

Ditto to what Amanda76 said. Start at 0.5 oz per pound of your bodyweight and increase accordingly. Factors are - how much you currently drink, if you drink alcohol (it dehydrates you), intensity and length of exercise, climate, etc.