If you're committed to getting fitter around work, then you'll need to factor in adequate hydration alongside your nutrition and exercise. Water is the foundation upon which all of our health is built - and whilst the human body can survive for quite a long time without food, you’ll find yourself severely dehydrated after just three days without water. Not only do we need water to survive - we need it to thrive, and that is particularly the case when we factor in physical exercise. How much do you need? Even in sedentary jobs and at rest, our bodies need around 1.5 litres of water a day, alongside food. This increases drastically in physical occupations or when exercising. You'll know when you need water, because you'll feel your energy level drop slightly and feel thirst. This is usually a sign that you are already slightly dehydrated, so avoid getting to this point by filling up on cooler water from the office or gym water coolers. What about water for sports training? Sports drinks are not necessary unless you are training for a marathon or for endurance sports, such as the triathlon - and even then, you can make you own with some basic filtered water, a touch of fruit juice for sugar and a pinch of salt to keep your electrolyte balance in check. Commercial sports drinks quite often provide excess calories in the form of sugar - so you'll need to burn off your drink before you start burning off the fat! Caffeine is another interesting ingredient for exercise which some sports people use effectively to aid performance, and fat metabolisation before high-intensity exercise. But you should use it rarely and for performance gain only, rather than as an energy crutch. High caffeine drinks can lead to dehydration because they have diuretic qualities. Latest news from Angel Springs, leading UK supplier of office water dispensers, bottled and mains-fed water coolers and eco boilers.