3 Times a Day is the Easy Way

  Dehydration is when your body loses more water than it takes in

• Your body is constantly losing water during the day. You lose 2 quarts of water a day which is 8 cups. You lose 1 cup breathing, 2 cups sweating, and 5 cups peeing and pooping.
• So your body continually needs water to replace the water lost through out the day
• The easiest way to do this is to drink water 3 times a day
• You can think of it as a prescription for water that needs to be taken 3 times a day

WHEN TO DRINK WATER
You may want to do Morning, Noon and Night

  Drinking a glass of water as the first thing you do when you get up gives your body what it needs to start the day and gets that first glass out of the way.

• Drink your second glass of water around noon and third glass of water in the late afternoon or evening.
• When you drink a glass of water in the morning you may feel a strong urge for a bowel movement (the need to take a crap) about 10 minutes after.
• Don’t drink your water right before going out the door or you may be in your car needing the bathroom urgently.

You may want to do Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  It is easy to get busy and forget to drink water. An easy way to remember is to drink a glass of water with each meal.

Natural Appetite Suppressant

  Water is a natural appetite suppressant which will help you eat less and drinking a glass of water before a meal can help you feel fuller as well.

• You may want to drink a glass of water before a meal or a cup before your meal and a cup during the meal.

Hunger or Thirst?

  Your body can’t tell the difference between hunger and thirst.

• Sometimes when you feel hungry you are actually thirsty and dehydration can make your crave sugar.
• Try drinking water as a snack to see if it curbs your hunger.
• You can set a timer, your cell phone or computer to alert you to drink water for the 3 times a day that work for you
• You can also drink a cup of water mid morning and mid afternoon or sip water during the day.

HOW MUCH WATER TO DRINK

  So how much water should you drink a day?

• I was talking with a woman who told me her uncle had died a few months ago and I told her I was sorry.
• She said that two years ago he was told if he drank water he would survive but he refused.
• I can kind of understand that. The idea of drinking a glass of water every hour for 8 hours every day can seem like too much.
• I have talked with people who say you must drink this much to drink the perfect amount.
• For me one of the most important things is for people to realize the wonderful benefits of drinking water and to get started drinking water 3 times a day.
• I know there have been times in my past where I probably didn’t drink even a cup of water in a day.
• A study revealed that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
• Getting in the habit of drinking water three times a day and paying attention to your water intake will help you live a healthier, happier life.

Lower Causes More Damage

  If a cars engine needs 5 quarts of oil running it with 4 quart of oil low isn’t the best but won’t do too much damage.

• Running your engine on 1 quart of oil will damage it and it may seize up and stop working.
• If you are a little dehydrated it isn’t the best but isn’t doing too much damage.
• If you are very dehydrated it can damage your organs and over time can lead to disease.

Longer Causes More Damage

  The longer you run your cars engine low on oil the more damage it does. The longer you run your body low on water the more damage it does.

Basic Recommendation

  So what is a basic recommendation for how much water should you drink a day?

• I am going to suggest drinking a 16 ounce glass of water three times a day as a basic recommendation that you can adjust for your body’s needs.
• Every body is different, some people may need more water and some may need less.
• Talking to your doctor before starting a hydration program is a good idea especially if you have underlying health conditions.

8 Cups or 4 Glasses

  Many people have heard of the eight 8 ounce glasses of water rule which was actually 8 cups of water.

• 8 ounces of water = 1 cup which is about half the size of an average glass.
• So eight 8 ounce cups of water = four 16 ounce glasses of water which seems a lot easier to do.
• We recommend three 16 ounce glasses of water a day with the 4^th glass coming from the food you eat or liquids you drink.
• Here you can see four 16 ounce glasses and eight 8 ounce Styrofoam cups. A 16 ounce glass = 2 cups.

  So you can drink eight 8 ounce cups of water or four 16 ounce glasses of water to get the same amount of water. You can also do a mixture of cups and glasses.

Adding One More Glass or 2 More Cups

  4 glasses of water a day is recommended so if you can add 1 more glass of water a day either sipping on it during the day or in the evening before you go to bed it is even better.

• You may want to add a cup of water as a snack mid morning and mid afternoon.
• This will add up to a glass of water.
• If you are drinking a glass of water in the morning, at noon and in the late afternoon adding 2 more cups will give you 4 glasses for the day.

  You can also get your 4^th glass of water from the fluids in the foods you eat or other beverages that you drink like coffee, tea, juice and milk.

Measuring Your Cups and Glasses

  One cup = 8 ounces is a measurement. Cups that you drink from come in different sizes. Some cups hold 8 ounces, some cups hold 16 ounces. There are different size glasses as well.

• You can use a measuring cup to measure out 1 cup of water which is 8 ounces or 2 cups which is 16 ounces and pour it into the cup or glass you will be drinking from to see how full it gets with that amount of water.

Bottled Water and Water Bottle

  If you drink bottled water an average bottle of water is 16.9 ounces so 3 of those a day and one at night will give you your 4 glasses of water a day.

• Bottled water is in one time use bottles and are not made for reuse.
• You may want to use a reusable water bottle or glass with a straw.

Sipping Soda Dangers

  Avoid sipping soda, sugary drinks or juice. A friend of mine would sip on a soft drink during the day which kept his mouth in a sugar state and ended up needing over $10,000. of dental work. It is better to sip on water.

Flavor Water and Electrolytes 

  Some people like to flavor their water. You can lose electrolytes drinking too much water. You may also want to add electrolytes if you feel you are getting low on them.

• Generally it is recommended to not drink over a glass and a half an hour.
• If you ever become extremely dehydrated you want to re-hydrate slowly.

Hydration Variables

  You want to find the hydration level that is right for your body and lifestyle. Talk to your doctor and listen to your body.

• EXERCISE: Exercising you may need more water. Generally a cup of water before working out, a cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes and a cup of water after your workout is suggested.
• AGE: Younger children may need less water depending on their age.
• HEALTH CONDITIONS: If you have underlying health conditions, are older, or on medications it can change how much water you need.
• HEAT: In hot weather you may need to drink more water to replace water lost from sweating.
• WEIGHT: There are charts that recommend that increased body weight increases the need for water.
• MAN OR WOMAN: Some studies show that men may need more water than women.

Basic Hydration Test
The most basic hydration test is the color of your pee.

• If it is clear or light yellow you are probably good.
• If it is deep yellow or darker or smells you probably need to be drinking more water.
• You also should be peeing 5 to 8 times a day which flushes out toxins from the body and helps keep the kidneys healthy.
• Sitting all day is not good for you so getting up to pee gives you a break from sitting.