Let’s chat about a very debated topic in the industry… water and more specifically how much is enough, and can you count tea, coffee, or food towards your water goals?

How much water should you be drinking?

My first rule of thumb I tell people is to aim for HALF their bodyweight in ounces. From there take a look at your pee.

Your pee will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about whether or not you are hydrating yourself properly.

Dark brown, or orange urine means you are dehydrated. You need water STAT.

Clear, with very little colour, means you are drinking too much water. Yes, too much of a good thing is not healthy either.

Where on the rainbow do you want your pee? Yellow to amber (noting that certain medications, and medical conditions, can change the colour of your urine).

There’s an actual pee colour chart, you can check it out here.

As for foods, and other beverages being counted towards your water intake… hell yeah you can add those if they are things like:

• Green vegetables (especially cucumbers! They are 96% water)
• Tomatoes, carrots
• Fruits (especially watermelon… go figure, and strawberries, peaches, oranges, pineapple, apples, cantaloupes and melons)
• Herbal teas
• Kombucha
• Sparkling water
• Milk & milk subs

What we don’t count towards our water goals is anything caffeinated, and alcohol.

Sorry to be a buzzkill, but these will actually dehydrate you in the long run.

Try these 4 tips to adding more water into your day:

1. Start your day with water. Try warm water with lemon for an added health boost to your AM.
2. Sip while working out. Replace the sweat and sip throughout your workout. You can also add electrolytes to replace the minerals being lost too. I love this brand because it also contains collagen.
3. Enjoy BCAAs with your water. Branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) help repair muscle and reduce muscle soreness. Click here to learn more.
4. Have a glass of water 15-20 minutes before a meal. This will help prime the digestive system, while might help you eat less.