How to Determine if You Are Drinking Half Your Body Weight in Water

Water accounts for up to 60 percent of the human body, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. While we get a lot of water from the foods we eat, it's important to drink plenty of water to replenish any that gets used throughout the day.

Adults should try to drink 50 to 100 percent of their body weight in ounces of water each day, according to WebMD. This means that a 160-pound persona should try to drink 80 to 160 ounces of water a day. You'll be on the higher end if you live in a warm or dry climate or exercise vigorously for a prolonged period of time.

1. Weigh yourself in pounds to determine your weight.
2. Use that number as the upper limit, then divide your weight in pounds by half.
3. Convert this number to ounces. This is the minimum amount of water you should try to drink each day. For instance, a 200-pound person should attempt to drink between 100 and 200 ounces of water a day.

1. Fill a glass, water bottle or any other receptacle from which you frequently drink with water. Pour the water into your measuring cup to see how much water your receptacle holds.
2. Multiply the number of cups your receptacle holds by 8 to determine the number of ounces the receptacle holds.
3. Divide the number of ounces of water you should drink per day by the number of ounces your receptacle holds. For instance, if you weigh 160 pounds and have a water bottle that holds 10 ounces of water, divide 80 by 10 to arrive at 8. This means you should drink 8 full water bottles per day.

According to Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, these are the signs of dehydration you should watch out for.

• Excessively or chronic dry skin
• Sticky mouth and feeling thirsty
• Headaches and fatigue
• Constipation
• Dark yellow urine (aim for light yellow to clear)