The most chill, science-backed formula comes from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. They say about 125 ounces for men and 91 ounces for women per day from all sources (water, other drinks, and food). That sounds like a lot, right?
But wait—food contributes about 20% of that total. So if you eat watermelon, soup, or even coffee (yes, coffee counts!), you’re already partway there. That means you actually need to drink around 100 ounces for men and 73 ounces for women from plain water or other beverages.
Fun Comparison Time!
Imagine a standard Nalgene bottle holds 32 ounces. For the average guy, that’s about three full bottles per day. For a woman, it’s more like two and a quarter. That’s not impossible—it’s just a couple of refills during your day, like topping off your gas tank.
Or picture this: one large soda from a fast-food joint is 32 ounces. So you’d need to drink just over two of those in water—except without the sugar crash. Fun, right?
