How Much Water Should I Drink? May 25, 2011.

The answer depends on how big you are, what you are doing and what you are eating.

A simple formula to follow that should ensure proper hydration is to drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of filtered water each day.

An average sized man of about 170 pounds and performing moderate non-athletic activities requires about 80 ounces of water per day to match his water loss.

Your food contributes about 1/3 of your daily water intake. All foods consist of water and solids. Fruits, vegetables, cooked cereals and milk are 80-95 percent water. Meat, depending on how it is cooked, is 75 to 45 percent water.

An easy monitoring system of your hydration is to observe the color of your urine. If your urine is dark, resembling the color of apple juice, you need more water. Ideally, your urine should be pale yellow and no darker than the color of straw. By the way, bright yellow urine means you are taking too many B vitamins.

Water is necessary to metabolize stored fat. It also helps rid the body of toxins and waste and it acts as a natural diuretic. When you exercise, water is utilized to dissipate heat through sweat and you aspirate out higher volumes of water vapor due to your increased respiration rate.

When in doubt DRINK!