How Much Water in Perimenopause?

What we usually start with is about 2 litres of water a day, and your coach adjusts it from there. Keep it simple: a clear glass you can see going down, and a little lemon or lime if plain water bores you. Electrolytes are optional. Some women use them in the first low-carb weeks or after hard workouts.

Here's the thing.

Most women don't need a fancy plan.

They need a way to remember.

First, when should you talk to your doctor?

Before you change how much water, salt or electrolytes you take in, check with your doctor if:

You have a kidney, heart or blood-pressure condition. Past or present.
You take medication for one of those.
Your doctor has ever given you a fluid or salt limit.

If any of these is you, follow your doctor. Your coach will build your plan around what they tell you.

How much water do I actually need?

"Is it still eight glasses a day, or is it different now?"

I hear this one a lot.

What we usually start with is about 2 litres a day. Then your coach adjusts it to you. A few things that change it:

How much you sweat. Hot flashes, hot yoga, a hot summer.
How hard you train. A tough strength day is different from a rest day.
Where you live. Dry winters and hot summers both count.
How you feel. Your coach asks, and you tell her.

Sip it through the day. One giant bottle at 4 p.m. doesn't do the same job as steady glasses from morning on.

Why is drinking water so hard?

Can we please stop pretending it's about willpower?

It isn't. A lot of the women we talk to tell us they actually like water once they get going. They just forget.

Here's what usually gets in the way:

Coffee takes its place. The mug is always in your hand, so the glass never is. Here's how to keep your coffee and still fuel your day.
Busy days. Back-to-back meetings, school pickup, dinner. Suddenly it's 8 p.m.
Plain water is boring. Fair enough.

Every one of these is a habit.

And habits can be built.

How do I make it a habit?

Small and boring wins here.

Chris puts it this way: "The rinky-dink stuff matters."

Here's what our coaches suggest:

Use a clear glass or bottle. You can see it going down, so you know where you are.
Flavour it. Lemon, lime, a few slices of cucumber, lots of ice.
Tie it to things you already do. A glass when you wake up, one with each meal, one after your workout.
Keep it in sight. On your desk, in the car, beside the stove while you cook.
Tell your coach. If it's still a struggle, she helps you find what works for your day.

Did you know? Hydration is one of the four basics our coaches come back to most, alongside protein, sleep and movement.

Do I need electrolytes?

Not necessarily. They're optional.

Food comes first. In the first 14 days, when the plan is lower carb and higher protein, our coaches often start with food: salting your meals, plenty of green vegetables, and bone broth if you enjoy it.

Some women also use an electrolyte mix at certain times:

The first low-carb weeks. When the way you eat changes the most. More on why the first 14 days are lower carb, and what comes back after.
After a hard or sweaty workout.

If you want to try one, here's what to look for:

No added sugar.
A flavour you can live with. If it tastes too salty, mix it with more water.
Sweeteners that agree with you. Some women find certain ones bother their stomach, so check the label.

Your coach helps you choose. And if anything in the doctor section above applies to you, ask your doctor first.

Will drinking more water help me lose fat?

Here's the honest answer.

Water is one of the basics. Drinking enough won't change your body composition on its own.

Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat. And water can move the scale up and down from one day to the next, even when your fat hasn't changed. That's why we never let the scale be the only judge.

What changes your body composition is strength training that progresses, protein at every meal, eating enough, and sleep. Water helps you show up for all of it.

We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks, and every one of those plans had water in it.

Marianne talks about staying hydrated

I sat down with Marianne, a mom of three, to talk about why so many women over 40 feel constantly drained, and three fixes that help: strength training, more protein and staying hydrated.

Ready for a plan that covers the basics for you?

You don't have to figure out the small stuff on your own.

Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.

If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.

He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll look at your day as it really is and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.

A clear glass.

A little lemon.

And someone in your corner checking in.

Frequently asked questions

How much water should I drink a day to lose weight in perimenopause?

What we usually start with is about 2 litres a day, and your coach adjusts it to your training, your sweat and how you feel. Water supports the basics; strength training, protein, enough food and sleep are what change your body composition.

Is eight glasses a day still the rule?

We keep it simple: about 2 litres a day is where we usually start, sipped through the day, and your coach adjusts it from there.

Do I need electrolytes every day?

Not necessarily. They're optional, and some women use an electrolyte mix without added sugar in the first low-carb weeks or after a hard workout. Your coach helps you choose, and anyone with a kidney, heart or blood-pressure condition should ask her doctor first.

Does coffee count toward my water?

Keep your coffee, and drink water as well. A lot of women find coffee takes the place of water during the day, so a glass with each meal helps.

How do I remember to drink more water?

Use a clear glass so you can see it going down, flavour it with lemon or lime, and tie it to things you already do, like waking up and sitting down to eat.

How much water should I drink in perimenopause, and do I need electrolytes?