To determine how much water you need a day you need to take into account a few factors, namely your weight, your activity and your climate. First take your weight (in pounds) divide it by two and you will get the number of ounces of water you need each day. That gives you a basic intake. You will need to increase the amount if you are very active or if the weather is very warm. That will compensate for the amount lost through perspiration. If you are a coffee drinker please remember that coffee dehydrates the body. You lose a cup of water for every cup of coffee you drink so you need to add an extra glass of water to make up for that loss.
So if you weigh 160 lbs you need to drink 80 ounces of water per day. That is ten 8 ounce glasses (roughly 10 cups). If you normally drink a cup of coffee you will need 11 glasses.
If you are not used to drinking that much water it may seem like you spend most of the day in the bathroom. The trick is to start slowly and don’t chug all your water in one go (especially in the evening). That way your body can slowly adjust to the increase in fluids.
Also if you don’t like the taste of water you have options. Adding lemon, lime or oranges to the water will flavour it. Some people also like the addition of cucumbers. Herbal teas that do not contain caffeine also count as water.
Remember drinking enough water is just a habit – once you get started your body will get thirsty when you haven’t had enough. Use a visual cue like a glass or water bottle to remind you to drink or set your alarm on your work computer to remind you to refill your glass.