Some people say 8 glasses, others say 2 litres. How much water should you actually be drinking per day? Well, the truth is that it varies for each individual. One way to figure out how much water you should be drinking is to use this easy formula to know how much water to drink in a day in India. This water intake calculator can help you balance your meals too.
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Step 1: Check your weight in kilograms.
This formula calculates your water requirement based on your weight, simply because a 45 kilo person doesn't require the same amount of water as an 85 kilo person.
Step 2: Divide the figure by 30.
Divide your weight by 30. The answer is the number of litres you should be drinking per day. So, if you weigh 60 kilos for example, you should drink 2 litres of water a day, whereas if you weigh 80 kilos, you should drink 2.6 litres (2 litres and 600 ml) of water per day.
Step 3: Add more water for physical activity.
If you exercise, you probably lose a lot of water through sweat. Add 0.35 litres (350 ml) to the figure for every half an hour that you exercise. So, if you exercise for an hour every day, add 0.7 litres (700 ml) of water to your daily requirement.
The number you are left with is the number of litres of water your body requires every day.
Step 4: Remember that food has water in it too.
Luckily, you don’t have to drink all of that water in liquid form, because your food has water in it too. In fact, approximately 20 - 25% of your water intake comes from the food you eat. This chart shows you how much water each of the common fruits and vegetables have. The column you need to look at is the water weight column, where 1 gram of water = 1 ml of water. So, if you eat an apple for example, it has 116 grams of water, so you can drink 116 ml (0.116 litre) less water that day. You probably won’t be able to sit and add up the amount of water in the fruits and vegetables you eat every day, but this is just to give you a general idea.
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Headaches, muscle aches, dry mouth, constipation and dizziness all have something in common, they can all be signs of dehydration. Men are 60% water and women are approximately 55% and require replenishment to operate at optimal levels. Figuring out just how much water we need to consume each day and if food can factor into that equation, is often confusing. A general rule of thumb is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day although that number could be tweaked for your individual needs.
While the benefits of drinking water are endless, "traditional recommendations about water intake aren't so cookie cutter anymore," says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, NYC-based registered dietitian, author of Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science-Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less and Feel Great About Your Bodyand host of the podcast On the Side with Jackie London, RD. "Typically, I'd recommend drinking around 8 cups of H2O per day — but I use that metric as a very general place to start, since many of us will need more or less depending on where we live, how physically active we are, medications we're taking and our current activities of daily living," London says.
How much water should you drink every day?
The amount of water a person needs varies much like calories, you can make a guesstimate based on a few different factors. Read on to calculate how much water you should be drinking each day based on your individual needs.
Adults
Women should generally drink approximately 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day, while men should aim for 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) according to The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. While that number may seem daunting to some, there are many ways to meet your requirements.
“The good news is that you don’t have to drink only water to meet your hydration needs. Coffee, tea, sparkling water and soup can all count towards meeting your daily goals. Fruits and vegetables that have a high-water content, such as watermelon, cucumber and spinach, can also contribute to your overall water intake,” according to Amy Fischer, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N, a registered dietitian at the GH Institute. Fruits and veggies can contribute approximately 20% of your daily water needs and “They contain naturally occurring electrolytes such as potassium which can help rapidly rehydrate,” according to Fischer.
Keep in mind that while fruit has a lot of benefits, overdoing it can contribute unnecessary sugar to your diet, the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommends that adults should consume, 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day.
Pregnancy
According to the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnant women should consume 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water per day. Adequate hydration helps with digestion and to prevent constipation, among other things.
The
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics recommend nursing mothers consume even more and recommends 16 cups per day to help with milk production.
Children
The water needs of children vary depending on age. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Hydration campaign, created to encourage water consumption, water helps keep all body systems healthy and helps with concentration and focus. It’s also calorie free with no added sugars and good for teeth and joints. Children 6-8 months should consume 4-8 ounces per day, 12-24 months 8-32 ounces per day and 2-5 years 8-40 ounces.
How much water should you drink based on your activity level?
Anyone who works out on a regular basis should drink more water than someone who's sedentary. Not upping your fluid intake to match your exercise schedule can lead to some unpleasant consequences, too.
"Dehydration can produce a number of different side effects, from feeling a little lethargic to plummeting blood pressure," says London. "While everyone’s sweat rate is different, it’s safe to assume that for every 45 to 60 minutes of exercise you do, you’ll need to drink a minimum of 40 ounces of H2O — a number that will probably seem staggeringly high to some of you."
Even if you don't have symptoms, you can still tell if you're falling short of your water needs. Just check the color of your pee. "It should be a light straw color when you're staying properly hydrated!" London says.
If you calculated you need at least 72 ounces of water per day based on your weight, that number should jump to 120 ounces (15 cups) or more if you're doing an hour-long workout.
How much water should I drink a day in liters?
To convert your calculation from ounces to liters, follow this simple formula:
Number of Fluid Ounces ÷ 33.8 = Number of Liters
For example, if you're aiming to drink at least 72 ounces or 9 cups of water per day, that's the equivalent of 2.1 liters.
How much is too much water in a day?
It is also possible to drink too much water but unlikely. Drinking to much water, "may induce hyponatremia — severely low blood levels of sodium — which can have severe neurological implications, among other side effects," London explains.
Consult with your physician if you're experiencing excessive thirst (which can indicate blood-sugar abnormalities) or feeling worried you’re drinking too much. Various diseases and medications can impact your hydrations needs. That said, hyponatremia is fairly uncommon, so don't inadvertently dehydrate yourself.
"I’m more concerned that you’re not drinking enough versus overloading, so choose foods high in water content (veggies and fruits!) and drink unsweetened beverages like tea, coffee, and sparkling water regularly," London adds. "Almost everyone I know isn’t drinking enough water and is likely ever-so-slightly sub-clinically dehydrated."
How to drink more water:
Drinking enough water may sound like a challenge, but making a few small changes can help you up your count.
- Start the day with water : Start a healthy habit by beginning your day with 16 ounces of water first thing. "I give this tip because it's so easy for anyone and everyone to forget to drink throughout the day depending on where you are or what you're doing. If you can knock back two cups while you're prepping breakfast or getting ready for the day, you've already taken a step toward your hydration goal before your day has even really started, which can make you feel more energized, too" London says.
- Coffee and tea count: Unsweetened beverages such as coffee and tea "count" toward your goal. The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommends getting 300–400 mg per day — about 3–4 cups of coffee, and they're not "dehydrating" contrary to popular belief. "Caffeine may have a mild diuretic effect, but that really just means you're peeing more—not that you're dehydrating yourself," says London.
- Add some bubbles: Seltzer and club soda will help you hydrate, too! And, in case you’re worried, the bubbles won’t damage your teeth, according to the American Dental Association. Choose flavored or plain options, but skip brands with higher amounts of sodium, acesulfame-K, stevia or sucralose, as they can exacerbate bloating.
- Eat your fruits and veggies: Produce is packed with water, so add it to snacks and meals. Just one apple, for example, can provide up to 1⁄2 cup of H2O. So snack on extra veggies with salsa, add extra tomatoes to a salad, and get generous with your serving sizes of berries, citrus, melon, grapes and other fruits. "This small but powerful tip can help you feel more satisfied from your meals, provide key vitamins & minerals you need, and contribute to your overall daily fluid needs," says London.
- Add some pizzazz: A splash of juice in your seltzer? Frozen fruit in place of ice cubes? A citrus garnish on your spa water? A super fancy water bottle gifted to you for the holidays?! All these things can help encourage you to drink up. "When it comes to any personal health practice, finding what works for you can be a process," says London. "So if you find something that makes it even slightly more exciting to do something you're already doing and want to do more of...I say, go for it!"
- You should never be without your bottle: Keep a bottle in your bag, car, at your desk and when at the gym. "So many people are moving from place to place throughout the day— from their homes to their cars to an office space, to pickup their kids, etc. That's why I'd recommend keeping a bottle where you spend most of your time. This visual cue can help remind you to drink periodically throughout the day," London says. Need help finding the best one for your needs, try one of our top picks for best water bottles.
Drink up, and get ready to feel better than ever with your brand-new, properly hydrated body.
Alyssa is a senior editor for the Hearst Health Newsroom, where she has written research-backed health content for Prevention, Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day since 2017. She has more than 13 years of reporting and editing experience and previously worked as research chief at Reader’s Digest, where she was responsible for the website's health vertical as well as editing health content for the print magazine. She has also written for Chowhound, HealthiNation.com, Huffington Post and more.
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
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