What is it about water that has us struggling to drink enough? I’ve heard it all from “I hate the taste”  to “ water just doesn’t agree with me” to “Drinking water is contaminated, plastic water bottles leach plastic so I am better off drinking soda.”

Interestingly, one of the biggest complaints I face when working with my clients is constipation, low energy, and weight management.  All of which can benefit greatly by increasing your intake of water.

Water is vital for maintaining proper hydration in the body, but it also helps to cushion and lubricate your joints, it transports oxygen to your cells, flushes out toxins, helps to maintain your skin elasticity, assists in the breakdown and absorption of food, boosts mental clarity and even acts as a antioxidant to protect your cells from free radical damage.

So how much water should you be drinking in a day? The rule of thumb is 8 x 8 oz glasses.

What does 8 oz of water look like? Half a small plastic bottle of water- 250 ml.

But one might argue that our water consumption should depend on our weight,  and that would be correct – because size matters right ? ;).

The formula is 0.5 x your weight in lbs= ______oz per day.

If you weigh 160 lbs then you should be drinking 80 oz of water a day, that equals 10 glasses of water.

The best way to do this is to start drinking water as soon as you get up. Skip the race to the coffee machine and pour yourself a nice 16 oz (500 ml) glass of water, then schedule in an 8 oz glass every hour.

Although we do get water when we eat lots of fresh fruits , vegetables and coffee or tea, it’s still important to do your best to drink as much quality water as you can. Bonus if you’re trying to lose weight, replacing empty calories with water makes for a great start on your weight loss journey. Give it a try and see how you feel.