How Much Water Should I Drink?

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Water is essential for survival. That much you know already! But aside from keeping your organs functioning properly, how much water should you drink per day to fuel you for tough workouts? It's an important question to ask, especially since research has shown that roughly 46 percent of regular gym goers are not adequately hydrated for their workouts.

This calculator will tell you how many ounces of water you need each day, depending on how much you exercise.

Water Intake Calculator

Weight

Pounds Kilograms

Total Daily Workout Time

Drinking this amount of water each day should be sufficient to meet your normal requirements and should cover your needs during exercise. Spread your water intake throughout the day, but make sure you are adequately hydrated before and during exercise.

Here are your next steps.

1. Pick a Workout Plan

Like to break a serious sweat? Then you need to try some of our most popular workout programs from BodyFit.

10-Minute Meltdown

intermediate | 6 Weeks

FYR 2.0

intermediate | 8 Weeks

Home Body

beginner | 8 Weeks

Garage Gains

intermediate | 6 Weeks

2. Calculate Your Calories and Macros

No matter your goals, tracking your calories and macronutrients is a great way to take control of your nutrition and craft it to your goals. The Bodybuilding.com Macronutrient Calculator will give you a daily target for calories, but also the three macronutrients of protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fats.

3. Learn About the Best Hydration Supplements

Struggling to down all that water? Hydration supplements can help you drink more and put it to better use in your training! Our community share their recommendations in the article, "Hydration Supplements to Super-Charge Your Summer Workouts."

4. Join a Fitness Community

For over 10 years, members of BodySpace have been helping each other build their best bodies while still living life to the fullest. Join the world's strongest fitness community!

How Did We Calculate Your Water Intake?

Our fluid calculator uses the common recommendation of 2/3 of your body weight in ounces. For most people, this will create a number slightly below the Institute of Medicine dietary reference guideline intake of 131 ounces for men and 95 ounces for women.

Then, we multiply that number by 0.80. Why lower it? About 20 percent of your water intake should come from the food you eat. Our calculator then increases to the intake based on how much you exercise: another 8 ounces for every 15 minutes of strenuous exercise.

If you are a 130-pound female who works out for 45 minutes, here is how the calculator determines your recommended water intake:

((Weight in pounds x 2/3) x 0.80) + (8 oz x (total minutes of exercise/15))

69 + 24 = 93 ounces

If you find this amount of water to be far too much for your specific circumstances, or far too little, you can customize it based on your needs. Water needs can be very specific based on your climate, diet, and personal biology.

How do I know if I'm drinking enough?

The easiest way to tell is if you're thirsty! But you don't have to let it get to that point—and if you're focused on optimizing your training, you probably shouldn't.

The effects of dehydration can be seen when you've lost just 2 percent of your body weight through sweating, which is easier to reach than you might expect! The body can lose up to 100 fluid ounces in an hour of strenuous exercise, but it can only absorb 30 fluid ounces in the same time period. And even slight dehydration can cause a pretty significant decrease in performance.

This discrepancy is why no matter how hard you try to stay hydrated at the gym, it never feels like enough. Taking in adequate fluids throughout the day will ensure you're already hydrated when you begin your workout.

Does drinking more water help you lose weight?

Drinking extra water can boost calorie burn slightly, helping you to lose weight. However, you'd have to drink eight extra cups of water per day to increase your calorie burn by just 100 calories, with cold water giving the best boost.

Beyond burning calories, getting rid of excessive water weight is the most noticeable weight-loss benefit of staying hydrated. Yes, you read that right: The best way to get rid of water weight is to drink more water!

Here's another weight-loss reason to keep that water bottle nearby: Several of the symptoms of dehydration, like headaches, tiredness, and distractibility, are also symptoms of hunger. So instead of automatically reaching for a snack, try drinking some water, wait a little while, and then see if you still feel hungry. Studies suggest downing a couple glasses of water before meals can also help you eat less.

Struggling to drink enough? BCAAs give your body the essential amino acids it needs to recover and make your water taste great, so you'll want to drink even more! VIEW ALL

Get Systematic About Your Results

Getting strategic about your water consumption? It's time to take the same approach to the rest of your training and nutrition. These popular calculators can help you dial in your plan!