Water Intake Calculator

How Water is Beneficial for Your Health

Water makes up an estimated 60% of your body weight. It is a critical chemical component that your body depends on to survive.

The organs, tissues, and cells that form your body require water to function. If you do not consume sufficient water, you will become dehydrated, and this will impact your body's ability to work properly. Even minor cases of dehydration can leave you feeling lethargic and lacking energy.

How Much Water Do You Need to Consume?

Your body uses water throughout the day. It is eliminated through perspiration, sweating, urine, bowel movements, and even breathing.

To ensure your body functions as it should, you should ensure that you replenish any water you lose by consuming drinks and food items that contain water.

But exactly how much water do you need?

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the required daily fluid intake for an adult is as follows:

• Females: 2.7 liters (11.5 cups)
• Males: 3.7 liters (15.5 cups)

The quantities outlined above include the water consumed via drinks and food. In the majority of cases, around 20% of the daily fluid intake is derived from food, and the remainder comes from drinks.

Factors That Determine Water Intake Needs

The amount of water that you need to intake will vary according to a number of different factors, including the following:

Environment. If the weather conditions are humid or hot, you will sweat more, and this will mean that you need to consume higher levels of water. Dehydration is also more common at high altitudes.

Activity levels. If you engage in any type of activity that makes you sweat, you need to consume additional water to replace any fluids that you lose. It is critical that you consume water in advance, throughout, and after working out.

Overall health. If you have a fever or are suffering from an illness, you may lose water from your body. Ensure that you adhere to your doctor's recommendations at all times to ensure you remain hydrated.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you will need to consume extra fluids to ensure that you remain sufficiently hydrated.

Calculating Your Water Intake Requirements

You can follow a very simple process to estimate how much water you need to consume on a daily basis.

First, you need to determine your weight. Your water intake requirements will vary according to how much you weigh; specifically, the heavier you are, the more water you need to drink.

Second, you should multiply your weight by 2/3 to calculate how much water you need to drink on a daily basis. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, the calculation will be as follows:

160 × 2/3 = 107 ounces (3.15 liters) of water per day.

Next, you will need to take into consideration how much you work out as water will leave your body through sweat when you engage in exercise. You should add an additional 12 ounces of water per day for every 30 minutes you exercise. As such, if you exercise for 75 minutes every day, the calculation is as follows:

75 / 30 × 12 = 30 ounces of additional water per day.

So, according to our example, the total amount of water you should consume if you weigh 160 pounds and exercise for 75 minutes on a daily basis is as follows:

107 ounces + 30 ounces = 137 ounces of water per day.

You should bear in mind the fact that these are not hard-and-fast numbers. You should consume water according to your thirst levels.

*Note: The calculator and information provided here are for guidance purposes only. Your water intake requirements will vary according to your health, activity levels, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.