If I tried to replicate that feat, my tonsils would be floating! But story author Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, insists she met the ’92 oz’ water challenge, every day for a whole week. And her testimony is important, now that the weather is getting warmer…
I checked. Twice. And Manaker is right. The official US daily adult water intake recommendation is 92 fl oz. According to The Mayo Clinic, women are officially supposed to drink 92 oz / 11.5 cups / 2.7 litres of water every day. Men are sup-posed to choke down 124 oz / 15.5 cups / 3.7 litres. Harvard Medicine agrees. So does the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
HOW much?
I thought that sounded like rather a lot, frankly. But then I remembered a docu-mentary on desert warfare I saw once, in which one trainer said, “If you DO NOT have to pee, you are NOT drinking enough!”
Setting the scene…
“With the weather warming up and the threat of summer dehydration looming, my editor issued a timely challenge,” Manaker sets the scene. “The assign-ment was simple but daunting: drink the officially recommended amount of water every day for two solid weeks and document the results. I figured there was no better time than now to practice exactly what I preach.”
Expectations vs outcomes
“I went into this experiment expecting a few minor changes, but the results surprised me,” she adds, ominously…
What she did…
Manaker says, off the top, she found it hard to remember to drink water at regular intervals through the day. It wasn’t ‘part of her routine’. Another development that wasn’t part of her routine was hav-ing more-frequent bathroom calls. Which, as I can attest from my own experience ‘consciously hyd-rating’, means making sure you go before you leave the house. And knowing where the public wash-rooms are along the way when you’re out.
It’s also helpful to drink your water in small amounts at a time. You;’ll feel waterlogged for sue if you7 try to down 2 or 3 x 8 oz / 225 ml glasses one right after the other. In fact, you van drink too much water, with annoying and some potentially serious effects.
It’s called ‘water intoxication’, and it can manifest as:
- Nausea, vomiting, bloating.
- Moderate to severe headache, muscle cramps/weakness, fatigue.
- Severe confusion, seizures, coma, and fluid accumulation in lungs or legs.
- In extreme cases, water intoxication can even be fatal…
Anyway…
“By the end of the two weeks, my husband remarked that my skin looked more refreshed and vibrant, and I also noticed that my physical workouts felt easier,” manaker reports. “My muscles did not fat-igue quite as quickly during my evening walks, and recovery felt smoother.”
“While remembering to carry my water bottle everywhere was a logistical challenge, the physical and mental shifts I experienced over those fourteen days provided all the motivation I needed to keep going…”
So the verdict was a definite – if not resounding – ‘positive’.
But there’s a trick…
The key to getting the water you need to stay properly hydrated is that you DON’T need to get it all through simply dumping down pure water.
The fact is, you already get hydrated via other sources. The Cleveland Clinic was kind enough to list ways you can get your water in more interesting forms…
Here are some tips for upping your water game:
- Flavour it.
Add fruit to your water. Lemons, limes and oranges are tried and true. Cucumber, watermelon, strawberries and herbs also are delicious options. - Tie it into a routine.
Drink a glass of water every time you brush your teeth, eat a meal or use the bathroom. - Eat it.
Many fruits and vegetables have a high water content, including melon, cucumbers, lettuce and celery. - Track it.
Invest in a high-tech bottle that connects to your smartphone and records how much you drink. Or set an alarm as a reminder and track your intake in your calendar. - Challenge a friend.
Kick off a healthy competition with a friend or your kids to see who can meet their guzzling goal most often. - Take it to go.
Drinking enough water when you are the go can be challenging. Fill your water bottle before you leave home, and bring it along on your daily travels. - Alternate your drinks.
If you can’t give up soda or juice completely, try alternating with water. Each time you finish a glass of water, switch to soda or juice and vice versa.
My take
I first read Manaker’s post a few days back. And since then, I’ve been keeping track of the water I take in every day, via all the above vectors. To my surprise, I DO get the recommended 92 oz every day. And more!
I call it the magic of ‘hidden’ water. But all foods and beverages are not the same in their ability to hydrate you. First and foremost, caffeinated, acidic and alcoholic drinks are naturally dehydrating. They literally pull water out of your system. Too much booze, coffee or cola can pivot your daily hydration balance to the negative.
Colds and ‘flu’ can also dehydrate you more than your usual daily activities. That’s why the medicos tell you to ‘drink plenty of fluids’ to help alleviate the symptoms.
So… Why not take the ‘hydrating challenge’ yourself? The one I took, using all the methods the ex-perts say can help you get water without ‘drowning’ yourself in it… And see what your hydration meter is reading!
~ Maggie J.