How Much Water Should You Actually Drink?
Skip the blanket 3-litre myth. Your real hydration need depends on body weight, climate, workouts and even how much fruit or curd you already eat. Here is a practical formula that adapts to your life.
A simple personalised formula
Take your body weight in kilograms and multiply by 30 to 35 millilitres. So a 60 kg woman needs about 1.8 to 2.1 litres of plain water on a regular day. Add 500 ml for every 30 minutes of moderate exercise. Add another 500 ml on very hot or humid days. This gives you a realistic target rather than an arbitrary one that leaves you either dehydrated or floating.
Beyond plain water
Buttermilk, coconut water, homemade nimbu paani, herbal teas, dal soups and even the water content of curd, cucumber, watermelon and other juicy fruits all count towards hydration. Plain coffee and tea are almost net neutral — they contribute liquid but mildly increase urination. Sugary drinks are not hydration; they are hidden calorie bombs.
Signs you may be dehydrated
Darker than pale-yellow urine; dry lips first thing in the morning; afternoon headaches; brain fog after long meetings; muscle cramps during workouts; and constipation. Chronic mild dehydration also amplifies sugar cravings — many women’s 3 pm biscuit habit is disguised thirst.
Electrolytes matter, not just water
Water without electrolytes can actually make hydration worse if you sweat heavily. Add a pinch of pink salt to your first glass of the day. During hot summer walks or workouts, sip coconut water or a homemade oral rehydration mix — lemon, salt, and a small amount of jaggery in water — rather than plain bottled water alone.
Frequently asked
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