Do you often stare at your water bottle, wondering “how many bottles of water should I drink a day”? This question is like asking “how many clothes should I wear”, there is no standard answer. After all, everyone’s body is unique – some people are born with fast metabolism and love to sweat, while others stay in air-conditioned rooms all day. Age, exercise, and even eating spicy hot pot that day will quietly change your need for water. If you have to drink according to a fixed number, you may become dehydrated or go to the toilet frequently – the key is to find your own rhythm of drinking water.
Scientific advice
- NASEM recommends: Men drink about 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) and women drink about 2.7 liters (11.5 cups). Food contributes about 20%.
- EFSA recommends: 2.5 liters/day for men and 2.0 liters/day for women. Food contributes about 20-30% and beverages contribute 70-80%.
- WHO recommends: 2.9 liters for men and 2.2 liters for women. Drink more on hot days or when exercising – for example, if you run outdoors for 1 hour, you need to drink another 500 ml (1 bottle of water).
- NHS puts it more simply: drink 6-8 glasses of liquid a day, including oatmeal, juice, and soup. Drinking a large glass of milk (250 ml) completes 1/3 of the “one cup indicator”.
In fact, it is very simple to calculate “how many bottles of water should I drink a day”: using a 500 ml water bottle, the average man drinks 5-6 bottles a day, and the average woman drinks 4-5 bottles, and then adjust according to the amount of sweating and diet.
Physiological factors
The body's own "drinking water code"
- Age: 80% of a newborn’s body is water, while the elderly may only have 50%. The thirst signal of the elderly is not so sensitive, and they are more likely to be dehydrated, so they must remember to drink water actively.
- Gender and weight: Men have more muscles (muscles contain more water than fat) and usually need more water than women; it is recommended to drink 30-40 ml of water per kilogram of body weight per day – for example, a 70 kg person needs about 2.45 liters of water per day (about 5 bottles of 500 ml of mineral water).
- Body shape: People with more muscles need more water than those with more fat, because muscles are like “water bags”, and obese people have a lower body water ratio and are more likely to be dehydrated.
Environment and activities
- Climate factors: When summer arrives, or when you encounter the sticky weather of the rainy season in the south, or when you travel to the plateau, your body is particularly prone to “secretly” losing water! At this time, you sweat more, and even breathing will take away more water. Remember to drink half as much water as usual~
- Exercise intensity: High-intensity exercise like running consumes a lot of water! You sweat 1-2 liters per hour, which is equivalent to 2-4 bottles of mineral water. Don’t just drink water after exercise, drink a sports drink to replenish sodium, potassium and electrolytes.
How to calculate the amount of water to drink under different goals?
- Daily health care: Ensure normal body metabolism and let the blood and organs “soak” in the appropriate humidity.
- Exercise and fitness: Drink 500 ml 1 hour before exercise, drink 150-200 ml every 15 minutes during exercise, and replenish water according to the weight difference after exercise (for example, if you lose 1 kg after exercise, drink 1 liter of water).
- Weight loss period: Drinking water can increase the metabolic rate and make you feel full – sometimes you think you are hungry, but your body may just be shouting “I’m thirsty”.
How many bottles of water should I drink a day?
Here are two simple calculations:
- Calculated by weight: For example, a 60 kg person needs 2100 ml of water (2.1 liters) every day, which is about 4 bottles of 500 ml water bottles. It’s like you go to the supermarket to buy water and take 4 and a half bottles home~
- Calculated by calories: If you eat 2000 kcal a day (about the calories of a hot pot meal for girls), you need to drink 2000 ml of water, which is exactly 4 bottles of 500 ml water – equivalent to replacing the milk tea you drink every day with 4 bottles of mineral water~
But these two numbers are “starting prices”!
Soup in stir-fry, watermelon/cucumber and other high-water foods can help you complete 20%-30% of the water intake (for example, eating a plate of cold cucumber is equivalent to secretly drinking half a bottle of water). If it is summer, fitness day, or a cold or fever, you need to drink 1-2 more bottles of water. The most accurate way is to ask a nutritionist. After all, everyone’s living habits are different.
How do you know if you have drunk enough water?
- Look at urine: the lighter the color, the better, a light yellow color like lemonade is just right, and dark yellow means you are dehydrated.
- Calculate weight: Weigh yourself before and after exercise. If you lose more than 2% (for example, a 50 kg person loses 1 kg), you are dehydrated.
- Based on feeling: Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink – when you feel thirsty, your body has lost 1%-2% of water, especially for the elderly and children, the thirst signal may not be obvious.
In addition to boiled water, these can also replenish water
- Food replenishment: Watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, and soup all have a lot of water, which can help you “replenish” 20%-30% of water every day.
- Drinks replenish water: Milk, juice, tea, and coffee are all counted (if you don’t drink more than 4 cups of coffee a day, water can be counted in the total amount), but alcohol will dehydrate you. When drinking, remember to drink 1 glass of water for every 1 glass of wine.
Conclusion
When you start to think seriously about “how many bottles of water should I drink a day”, you are actually one step closer to health. At this time, a good water bottle can make drinking water a habit – for example, the YEBODA glass water bottle is made of high borosilicate glass, does not contain bisphenol A, has scales on the bottle, and you know how much you have drunk every time you fill it with water. The leak-proof lid design does not worry about spilling even if you put it in your bag. Whether you are sweating in the gym, typing on the keyboard in the office, or hiking on the weekend, it allows you to drink clean water at any time, making “drinking water” simple and comfortable.
We believe that hydration should not be a task, but a way to take care of your body. When you hold a convenient water bottle and drink enough water naturally, the refreshing feeling from the inside out is the real gift of health.
