Maya is 38 years old, weighs 80kg, lives in a warm climate and does 30 minutes of brisk walking daily. Her daily water target is approximately 2.8 litres per day.

Maya’s hydration schedule:

• 7am — Wake up: 500ml immediately upon waking (rehydrates after 7-8 hours without water)
• 9am — Mid-morning: 300ml with breakfast
• 11am — Before walk: 300ml before exercise
• 12pm — During/after walk: 400ml during and after 30 min walk
• 1pm — Lunch: 300ml with meal
• 3pm — Afternoon: 300ml
• 6pm — Dinner: 300ml with meal
• 8pm — Evening: 400ml before bed

Maya noticed that when she consistently hit her water target her appetite reduced, her skin improved, and her energy during walks was significantly better — all within just 2 weeks of consistent hydration.

1. Start every morning with 500ml of water immediately after waking
2. Drink a glass of water before every meal — reduces appetite too
3. Carry a large water bottle (1L+) everywhere you go
4. Set hourly reminders on your phone to drink water
5. Add lemon, cucumber, or mint for flavour if plain water feels boring
6. Drink 400-600ml before and during any exercise session
7. Eat high water content foods — cucumber, watermelon, oranges, lettuce
8. Replace one coffee or sugary drink per day with water
9. Check your urine colour — aim for pale yellow throughout the day
10. Increase intake by 500ml per 30 minutes of exercise in hot weather

Research reference: The National Academies of Sciences recommends a total daily water intake of 3.7 litres for men and 2.7 litres for women from all sources including food (which provides approximately 20% of total intake). These values increase significantly with exercise, heat exposure, and certain health conditions.

Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. National Academies of Sciences. 2005. Cited in multiple NIH publications.

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