Don’t leave home without it!
The week I’m talking about hydration is the short week. More accurately, it’s two days. There’s not a lot to say about hydration except, “Do it.”
Our bodies need water, and they need more than a lot of us drink. If I don’t think about it, I might drink 20 ounces of water a day. That is abysmal. Sure, I get water from tea and vegetables and fruit, but still. That is not enough.
There are many websites out there that tell you how much water you need. Some of them will tell you to get a certain number of ounces, period. Some of them will offer you a way to input a few factors and then calculate how much you need (keep in mind that the calculation in that link is for the hours that you spend exercising. Otherwise, that is sooo much water and probably not necessary). Most of them include amounts as part of a larger discussion on how to tell you are getting enough water. I like those the best.
We each have different hydration needs depending on various factors: age, weight, activity level, etc. Through trial and error, I have discovered that I operate best on about 100 ounces of water a day. If I am more active some days (or if I’m spending time out in Texas’s signature heat), I will add 10-20 ounces on those days to compensate for the extra water loss through sweat.
If you are starting to add more activity to your life, what I encourage you to do is try out different levels of fluid intake and see how it affects you. Then you can make the choice that is best for you.
M. Suzanne Terry 
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