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It’s beneficial to get your body properly hydrated before you start exercising. Try to consume 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before you start and another eight ounces about a half hour before exercising. If you are engaging in strenuous exercise to the point where you are sweating, drink an extra 12 ounces of water for every thirty minutes of exercise. Some people can’t handle a stomach full of liquid if they are exercising strenuously, and if that’s the case, then adjust these numbers down a bit until you find the consumption level that works for you. Finally, drink another eight ounces within a half hour after you are finished. Again, this can be adjusted up or down based on your age and weight, how strenuously you are exercising and if you are exercising in hot and humid conditions.

The easiest way to know if you are properly hydrated is to look at your urine. If it’s clear or a pale-yellow color, then you are properly hydrated. Dry skin is another sign of dehydration. If your mouth is dry, you aren’t hydrated enough to keep the mucus membranes in your mouth lubricated and your body is likely not producing enough saliva. Bloodshot eyes are another clue. Over consumption of alcohol can cause bloodshot eyes, because alcohol dehydrates you. If your joints are aching, that could be a sign of dehydration. Your cartilage and spinal discs are about 80% water so by staying hydrated, you are keeping your joints lubricated. If you aren’t well-hydrated, you may feel fatigued and lethargic. When your body is dehydrated it “borrows” water from your blood causing you to feel fatigued. If you aren’t drinking enough water, you may also feel constipated or have frequent heartburn or indigestion.

Most of us don’t drink enough water every day and there are plenty of benefits to making sure you are well-hydrated. Eight glasses of water a day is the right amount for some people, but depending on your weight and age, you may need more. The medical research center at the Mayo Clinic devised a formula to help you to come up with your own optimal daily water consumption amount: divide your weight by 2.2. Multiply that number by your age. Finally, divide that sum by 28.3. For example, if you weigh 170 pound and are 50 years old, you should consume 136 ounces of water each day which equals 17 eight ounce cups. This may seem like a lot of water, but remember that coffee, juice, and the water in fruits and vegetables also count towards this amount. Coffee does not cause dehydration, but drinking alcohol will dehydrate your body.