Water: sip, don't chug

Water matters. Water is also not magic. Both are true.

How much?

The NHS Eatwell Guide suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk, tea, coffee and sugar-free drinks all count. Fruit juice and smoothies count too, but keep them to 150ml a day in total because of the sugar.¹

You'll need more on hot days and when you sweat. A simple check: drink enough that your pee is a pale colour. Dark yellow, strong-smelling pee is a sign you need more.²

Sip, don't chug

You'll see people in gyms downing a litre in one go like they've just crossed the Sahara on foot. You don't need to. Sipping through the day and drinking when you're thirsty is what experts recommend.³ Chugging mostly gets you a long walk to the loo, and a queue when you get there.

Too much is a thing

It's rare, but people can drink so much during long exercise that the salt in their blood gets dangerously diluted. It's called hyponatraemia (hy-po-nat-REE-mee-uh), and it's mostly seen in marathons and long endurance events, where people drink far more than they sweat out. The expert advice is to drink to thirst rather than forcing fluids down.³

What about sports drinks?

For a walk or a 30-minute home session, water is plenty. Sports drinks are made for long, hard, sweaty efforts, and many come with a fair amount of sugar. Check the label.

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