How much water should I drink if I lift weights?

Nikkiey explains on Ep. 139 that when you train consistently, three to five times a week, your body pulls in more water. You need to replace what you sweat out and give your cells the hydration they need for repair and recovery. You break muscle down in the gym and rebuild it through what you eat, how much water you drink and how well you sleep. For women who are lifting hard, she says she doesn't care about the half-your-body-weight formula. Her target is 100 to 128 ounces. On Ep. 140 she puts it at around 100 to 120 ounces, depending on the person.

On that same episode, Dr. Carolyn Dean uses half your body weight in pounds, in ounces, as a baseline minimum, and says you need more if you're sweating. Her approach adds at least a quarter teaspoon of colored sea salt per liter. She says white sea salt has been refined and its minerals removed, and that people who sweat heavily without replacing minerals can end up feeling worse. That's her protocol, not a universal rule. If you have a medical condition, run added salt by your doctor.

On Ep. 138, Louise Digby offers a different view. She says there's no research-backed set amount, though people carrying more body fat need more. Her rule of thumb is light yellow urine: not dark, and not completely clear all the time. If you eat a fairly clean diet, she says your thirst will guide you. Many people mistake thirst for hunger, so try a glass of water before a between-meal snack.