Drinking water is always a topic for conversation when you are talking about health and nutrition, as it should be. Usually it begins with everyone being told they aren’t drinking enough water, sometimes that is true but not all the time. The exact amount of water you need is going to vary from person to person depending on so many factors, like your weight, activity level, your age, or if you're pregnant. The list can really go on. So what counts towards your water intake and how much should you be drinking?

Well we could go on and on about every little factor that may affect you but honestly there is just too much lol. There are apps that calculate it but in my experience they have you drink way more water than needed and don’t count in factors, like your diet, for bringing in water. On average you need about 100 ounces of water a day BUT if you are eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables then you are most likely getting a third of that from your food! Yes, water intake from food counts as water intake. Many times that gets overlooked but it shouldn’t.

From there it really depends on a few major factors, like if you’re pregnant, active, or over 65 years old. If those are the cases you need a bit more water daily. I like to try and aim for half my body weight in ounces of water, capped at 80 ounces.

A big question I am asked is does it have to be just plain water or can I get water in other things. Well we already talked about the water consumption coming from our food which is great. Definitely eat more fruits and veggies! If seltzer is your thing I say drink it in moderation! You can add some fresh fruit to your water to help enhance the flavor. Be careful buying flavored water, they love to add sugar to it and it is honestly not needed! Plain tea and coffee counts in your water consumption. Yep I know some of you are already thinking this is crazy but hear me out. Recent studies have shown it does not cause dehydration as previously thought. That does not mean you should have 80 ounces of coffee everyday but when you are drinking coffee it is made with water and still counts towards water in your system! So coffee drinkers rejoice!

For most people it is reasonable to just drink water when you’re thirsty. If you find yourself not really thirsty, like me, try and remember to drink water with meals as that will help you make sure you’re getting some in. A good way to see how your body is doing is to check your pee. I know, strange but accurate. If you notice your urine is pretty yellow then you need to drink some more. If it is closer to clear, still having some color, you’re good to go and should continue doing as you are.

I attached a free bonus for you all! I am inviting you to join the 100 day water challenge! Use this tracker to try and make drinking water a new habit. We are going for 100 days here ! I know you can do it!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xjqfg9XMRJKO0-Kf2OplZHQHIkVqi7N6/view?usp=sharing