I keep seeing these things about how people should drink 2 liters a day or 3 liters or whatever but if i had to estimate i think i drink about 0.5 to 1 liter a day, i just drink when i feel thirsty and that’s the amount i need to drink in a day to not feel thirsty…
If we only eat when we’re hungry why do we have to drink when we’re not thirsty?
In: Biology
Our bodies adapt.
Don’t eat (enough) for a while, and your hunger will subside eventually. Don’t drink (enough), and you won’t feel as thirsty anymore after a while.
I’ve notice the more water I drink, the more thirsty I am for it. I am pregnant and I need a whole gallon of water a day, according to my OB and the triage doctors at the hospital. Ever since I started drinking as much as I am supposed to, I actually find myself more thirsty. I could easily go over a gallon a day, but I am kinda scared to do that lol.
Of course, there have been days where I don’t end up drinking a gallon because I am busy or what not, and I notice those days are the days I feel less thirsty.
Your body and your activities are the biggest factor.
When I spend time out in the desert, like Utah red-rock regions, Arches, and similar, I completely finish two full gallons during the day (8 liters for the rest of the world). I usually drink even more after getting back to camp, or the motel. I insist that my family carries at least a full gallon per person, with more in the vehicle for refills.
On the opposite end of the spectrum… If your day is spent sitting in front of the computer all waking hours, in a temperature controlled, humidity controlled apartment with no notable exercise, you will need much less water.
If you get out and exercise, or do strenuous work, or even tasks like gardening, you can lose a lot of water.
Your mileage may vary.
Bodies are weird. I drink almost a gallon of water per day, my bestie drinks maybe 1 can of soda per day and that sustains him.
Every time I drink the daily recommended water I pee every 10 minutes including the night, even if I stop drinking water a few hours before bed. I just drink when I feel like I need it lol
We need approximately 30 ml per kg of body weight. For a 70 kg person, it is a little over 2 lts of water per day. But this doesn’t mean 2 liters of “pure” water.
Beverages like juice, milk, sodas, coffee, all have water. It is not the same as drinking only water, but still hidrates you. Coffee is a weak diuretic (actually a calciuric, meaning it makes you pee calcium among other minerals) but the effect is minimal so it still hydrates you. Alcohol on the other hand, it is a diuretic which can dehydrate you (and dehydration is one of the reasons you get a hangover).
Also the foods we eat have water, fruits and vegetables have lots of water and tgis hydrates you.
In some metabolic reactions in your body water is a byproduct, so this provides a small quantity of water for your body (but just water, not electrolytes).
So even if we need around 2 lts of water, we have many more resources besides a glass of water to get it, which is why your body isn’t thirsty all the time
You don’t have to drink when you are not thirsty. That’s a myth. Your body regulates it’s own water intake using thirst far better than you ever good.
It started with an estimate for the average amount needed by the average human adult. Notice I used words like average and estimate. The actual amount of water you need varies wildly from person to person and from day to day.
Drink when you are thirsty and you will get the right amount for your current needs. Only exception is when you consume a lot of something that messes with your water balance, such as alcohol.
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1) Are you getting the recommended amount of physical activity? Working up a regular sweat, getting in your 10,000 steps, are all going to take water.
2) Do you eat foods with fairly high water content? If your favourite foods are watermelon, soup, and grapes I’m betting you get a fair amount of water that way.
3) Do you live in the average climate? Perhaps you live somewhere cooler and damper where your body isn’t going to have as much water sucked out if it by the air.
Well you do. The difference is that you get a lot of water from your food. The water requirement you mention is absolute and doesn’t care if the water comes from food or the tap. That said drinking more water than you need generally isn’t bad for you assuming you don’t way over do it so if you drink that much a day you should still be fine.
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