Most people know that water makes up 50 to 70 percent of an adults total body weight and that all of the major organs and structures in the body such as the brain, muscles, tissues, lungs and blood contain water in them yet people constantly fail to take in the right amount of fluids each day which stops us performing at our best, regardless of what we’re doing.
Failure to take on board enough water each day can also lead to headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration, all of which prevent us from maximising our potential.
So, how much water do we need and how can we make sure we’re getting enough?
The average adult needs between 1 1/2 to 3 litres of water per day to ensure we’re fully hydrated and performing at our best (this will obviously need to be increased during excercise.)
Our body gets its fluid from 2 main sources:
- Drinks – this can be consumed in many varieties from water to tea, coffee or squash
- Solid foods high in water content such as fruit and vegetables
Staying hydrated
The easiest way to ensure we’re taking on board enough water each day and staying hydrated is to have a regular measure of intake.
This can be done in many ways.
- Have a 500ml or 1ltr bottle of water with you at all times, be it on your desk, in your bag or in your car and count the number of times your refilling it throughout the day (aim to take on board at least 1 1/2 litres a day.)
- Have a glass on your desk and count the number of times you’re refilling it throughout the day (for a medium sized glass you should be aiming to have 8 cups per day.)
- Count the number of cups of tea or coffee you are having each day and try and take on board 1 cup of water for every tea or coffee you consume throughout the day.
How do we know if we’re hydrated?
The easiest way to tell whether we’re hydrated or not is by the colour of our urine. If it’s clear or pale yellow we’re usually hydrated properly but if it’s dark yellow we’re dehydrated and need to get some water on board.
The benefits
- Increased energy
- Increased levels of alertness
- Hydrates the body
- Aids weight loss
- Regulates body processes
- Flushes body toxins