While it’s vital that you’re paying close attention to how many calories and grams of proteins, carbs, and fats you’re taking in with your diet, one thing that you also must make sure you aren’t overlooking is your water intake.

Far too many people completely discount how much fluid they’re taking in daily and this really serves to hinder their results.

So how much water do you need for successful weight loss and how do you know if you’re getting enough?

Let’s give you the facts that you should know.

Why You Need Water?

The very first thing that you have to get straight is why you need water in the first place.  Not only is water going to help your body eliminate excess toxins and wastes, it’s also vital to keep your metabolism running optimally, to keep your brain functioning properly, and to keep your energy levels up.

Even slight drops in hydration can have significant impacts on how energetic you feel throughout the day so if you’re often finding you’re tired, you may want to consider a big glass of water before going in for that snack.  It might be fluid, not food that you need.

The big issue though is that many people are dehydrated and they don’t even know it.  By the time they do feel thirsty and drink a glass of water, it’s already too late and the impacts of dehydration are starting to show.

Getting in enough water is also going to help to release muscle tension in the body and keep your skin, hair, and nails looking great.

How Much Water To Take In

So how much water do you really need?  A good way to estimate this is to drink half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day.  So if you’re 150 pounds, this means you need the equivalent of 75 oz. of water, or about 10 cups.

If you’re exercising intensely, you’ll need more because you’ll some water as you sweat it out as you go about your workout session.

For every 15 minutes of exercise, aim to take in another cup of fluid or more if you’re exercising in hot temperatures.

Simple Steps For Easy Hydration

If you’re currently struggling to get in enough water, what can you do to make it go down easier?

First, consider adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet.  These contain a high percentage of water content and will help you meet your needs.  Also consider tossing in a slice of lemon for added flavour without the calories.

This is also a great way to alkalanize your water and get the added benefits.

Make sure that you also always have water on hand as it’ll make it that much easier to reach for it anytime you’re feeling thirst come on.

So there you have the need-to-know basics of your water intake.  Are you getting enough?