It’s a good thing that we live in America because "count your milliliters" does not rhyme!
We all know we should be drinking more water. In my arena of true health care, I help people with issues that curtail enjoyment in life. It all boils down to health. I coach people to be healthier. Here are the specific things that you should notice when getting the recommended water:
•Less joint pain
•Improved flexibility
•Improved digestion and elimination
•Stronger immune system
•Better mood
•More patience with difficult people
•Clearer thinking
•Clearer skin
•More energy, less fatigue
I'm sure there is much more, but you get the gist.
Here's the math:
Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces every day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces per day. So, you may ask, how does one get 75 ounces?
Here is your answer: Count your ounces.
Before we get to that, let's talk about the type of bottle you'll be using.
For myself, I use glass or aluminum. None of my daily water bottles are plastic. That is by choice. I am aware that plastic bottles have different grades of safety depending upon their composition. I continue to avoid the plastic. It's just a matter of years before they discover something bad about it. Polycarbonate plastic bottles are known to leach petroleum byproducts into the water. This is especially true with distilled water. Non-distilled water can also leach these particles if the bottle is heated, as in a hot car. Petroleum by-products are a xenoestrogen. This means that the particles mimic estrogen in your body and trick the cells to respond as if estrogen was there. This can lead to certain cancers. So avoid plastic bottles. Glass and aluminum for cold or room temperature water are best.
(I also am aware that the water in my personal water bottle was previously held in some kind of plastic receptacle. I still prefer to use glass or aluminum to drink out of. )
Back to 'Count your Ounces'.
In this scenario of needing 75 ounces in a day, approximately, you need to drink 40 ounces before noon, and 40 ounces after noon. I use these round numbers because my personal water bottles holds 20 ounces.
Upon waking, drink 10 ounces. All at once. That just happens to be the size of the glass I have on my sink top. And, yes, I do drink room temperature water. For me, it is difficult to drink 10-20 ounces of water at a time if it's cold. That's just me. You can do what you want regarding temperature.
Go about your morning routine. Just prior to leaving your house, or starting your morning agenda, drink another 10 ounces.
You've already got 20 ounces in and it's barely 9 am.
Midmorning I'll drink 10 ounces as I start to feel that I'm thirsty or my mental acuity is waning.
As I prepare to eat lunch, I'll drink another 10 ounces.
Boom. I've got my 40 ounces before noon.
After noon, I get busier with my hands because I am with patients. Many times we are so busy that I don't feel that I have a moment to reach for my water bottle. However, it is my routine to have my water bottle filled and close by. There comes a point in the afternoon when my patience is running thin or I feel a bit flustered. This is my indication that my hydration is waning. I stop and drink 10 ounces. That fixes my mental clarity.
Typically by the end of a shift, I have drank at least 20 ounces. Before I leave my office, I fill my water bottle with 20 ounces and drink it all. I'm done with my 75 ounces for the day. Anything that I drink after that is a bonus.
Another habit of mine is to have a 20 ounce aluminum bottle full of water in the car. The outside temperature plays a factor in this. If it's going to freeze, I don't leave it in there. If it's hot and my water will be 100 degrees when I get to it, I'd prefer not to leave it in the car. With that said, your time driving is a great time to get in some ounces for the day.
How many ounces will you be counting? Remember, take your body weight, divide in half. That's your ounces. If you weigh 300 pounds, that’s 150 ounces per day. You'll need to double up the outline from above. But if you need to get that much liquid in you, I wouldn't be surprised if you started to cut back on the carbonated beverages, and I wouldn't be surprised if you started to eat smaller portions. Because quite literally you won't have room in your stomach.
Here is one more tip regarding carbonated beverages. If you imbibe any beverage with caffeine or alcohol, you will need to replace those ounces. Caffeine and alcohol rob your body of hydration.