{
  "slug": "how-much-water-should-i-drink",
  "title": "How Much Water Should I Drink a Day?",
  "heading": "How Much Water Should I Drink a Day?",
  "category": "fitness-health",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-water-should-i-drink",
  "summary": "A 170 lb moderately active adult should drink about 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water a day.",
  "description": "A common evidence-based estimate is half your body weight in ounces as a baseline, adjusted upward for exercise since sweat losses need replacing. This calculator takes your body weight and daily exercise minutes to estimate total daily water intake in ounces, cups, and liters.",
  "formula": "Base Intake (oz) = Body Weight (lb) × 0.5. Exercise Add-on = 12 oz per 30 minutes of exercise. Total = Base + Add-on.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=how-much-water-should-i-drink",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "weight",
      "label": "Body weight",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 170,
      "unit": "lb",
      "min": 50,
      "max": 400
    },
    {
      "id": "exerciseMinutes",
      "label": "Daily exercise",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": "minutes",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 300
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "totalOz",
      "label": "Ounces per day",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cups",
      "label": "Cups per day",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "liters",
      "label": "Liters per day",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Body weight: 170 lb",
      "Daily exercise: 30 minutes"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Ounces per day: 97",
      "Cups per day: 12.1",
      "Liters per day: 2.87"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter body weight (lb).",
      "Enter daily exercise (minutes).",
      "Read your ounces per day on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "weight": 170,
        "exerciseMinutes": 20
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "weight": 170,
        "exerciseMinutes": 30
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "weight": 170,
        "exerciseMinutes": 50
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Population formulas describe averages; individual bodies vary, especially at the extremes of height, age, or muscle mass.",
    "Results do not account for medical conditions, medication, or pregnancy.",
    "Use this as a directional reference, not a diagnosis — talk to a clinician before acting on it."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How much water should I drink a day?",
      "a": "At 170 lb with 30 minutes of daily exercise, target about 97 ounces a day — roughly 12 cups or 2.9 liters — using the half-your-bodyweight-in-ounces baseline plus an exercise add-on."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does the 8 glasses a day rule still apply?",
      "a": "8 cups (64 oz) is a reasonable floor for a smaller, sedentary adult, but it under-shoots for larger or more active people — bodyweight-based estimates scale better across individuals."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does this include water from food and other drinks?",
      "a": "This estimate is total fluid intake from all sources; roughly 20% of daily water typically comes from food, so your literal drinking-water target may be somewhat lower in practice."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do hot climates change the number?",
      "a": "Yes — add another 16-24 oz per day in hot or high-altitude conditions where sweat losses increase even without added exercise."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-protein-do-i-need",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-sleep-do-i-need"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — How Much Water Should I Drink a Day? (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/how-much-water-should-i-drink)"
}