Just how important is water really...?

bikerchick2012

I give up, I just cannot stomach water, find it boring and I know I don't drink nearly enough.
But how important is it really for ketosis?
Surely all liquids (low/non carb) are ok?
What are you experiences? Does drinking half your body weight in H2O daily help?

GrannyMayOz

So far as I am aware, sparkling mineral water (the unflavoured kind) is just as good. Can you cope with that? As to real water - I can't get room temperature water down my throat for love or money, my throat constricts! But very cold water from the fridge is no problem at all. Have you tried both temperatures?

KarlaYP

Unsweetened tea? Many here stay away from artificial sweeteners though many others don't. I'm a cold or room temp water drinker. But yes, fluids are important no matter which woe we are on.

Dragonwolf

Yeah, water is important. Try lemon, lime, cucumber, or strawberry slices in your water, or make iced tea. You can also try different temperatures of water. I prefer ice cold, tepid feels almost slimy and not all satisfying to me, for example.

GaleHawkins

If I do not drink a gallon a day my body reminds me I forgot one way or another. I grew up drinking a lot of water when working out in the tobacco fields. Sodas were rare. Today I can kill a 20 bottle without stopping. It is a matter of life and death in my case so it is a no brainer. Hope you find some of the suggestions here helpful.

nurserobin37087

Your body is 75% water, through daily activities we burn off some of that water and it needs t be replenished. Sure you can get some water through food and sodas but its not enough. Eventually you will start getting dehydrated and in the long run do damage to your kidneys. Add a little flavor to the water and just drink it down. Eventually you get used to it.

annalisbeth74

Try some of the mio flavorings. There are tons of them now, and many cheaper generic brands that are just as good. It only takes a tiny bit for me, just enough to add a splash of flavor.

nikoba

I personally get funky headaches when I don't get enough water. I second infusing water with lemon & cucumber to add flavor. Otherwise, I'm personally a fan of lacroix...I'm not sure if seltzer water is frowned upon though.

kristenlarkin

I drink chrystal light

baconslave

dehyrdration is no bueno.

kristenlarkin wrote: »

I drink chrystal light

Mio works well, too. I use it a little. Otherwise it's lemon water or plain. I hate water. I just chug a cup every time I'm in the kitchen.
Drink enough. Otherwise you will feel like crap and get sick. My mother's kidneys no longer function as well since she spent 20 years drinking nothing but 2 glasses of diet soda a day.

GSD_Mama

I drink water and coffee, and if you drink coffe you need to drink one more cup per cup of coffee as it is diuretic
My goal is 10 cups a day, I don't want water retention that would slow down my weight loss efforts. It's freaking hot here so I drink up!

bikerchick2012

Thanks guys

JPW1990

Hydration is even more important on LC than it is with carbs, so getting liquids in you at all outweighs the importance of what type of liquid, but water is still the optimal choice. Have you tried using a straw? It goes down faster/easier that way.

SazzySuze

I used to be the same way. I hated water. I had a psychosomatic reaction to it actually and would puke if I drank over about 4 oz at a time. Difficult to explain how that reaction came to be but anyway. .I started drinking it 1oz at a time and that wasn't so bad, but it had to be cold. I put it in a shot glass and just downed it like a shot of whiskey. But drinking that little at a time,I had to do it quite often throughout the day. I worked up to 4 oz a day, then 6, then 8..and so on. Finally got me a water bottle with a straw and keep it in the fridge all the time. I made my goal to finish it before the end of the day. ..a little bit at a time. The straw definitely helps! Now I've worked up to two water bottles a day (which I realize is still not enough probably but I feel like my eyes are floating by the time I finish two). I said all that to say this. . It can be done. Even if you completely detest water, you can build up to higher quantities a little at a time and the gagging reflex goes away.

nicsflyingcircus

I drink ~ 1 gallon per day (4-32oz bottles), plus 16-40oz coffee and 1-2 La Croix sparkling waters.

shai74

I read about this water drinking thing, and I'm just not sure I get it. I would drink probably 5 coffees with butter in them a day (mostly instant so not too much caffeine). In the afternoon/evening I will drink a 500ml bottle of cold water. That's it. I have never had a problem with dehydration or lack of weightloss. I've always drank when I'm thirsty. Just like all animals do. I never try and force in X amount of water a day, seems ridiculous.

Kitnthecat

Today I drank 13 x 8 oz cups of water, 3 cups of coffee, and 1 cup of warm water with my Natural Calm. That' a little more than normal since I did some gardening and it was hot outside.

feisty_bucket

bikerchick2012 wrote: »

I give up, I just cannot stomach water, find it boring and I know I don't drink nearly enough.

I agree, it is boring. That's why we've got thousands of drinks that are water + something else.

It might be helpful to think of beverages in two ways: utility drinks (water) and fun sipping drinks (ones that taste good and you're drinking for flavor).

I've got a little sequence that I've been running for a few years and it's helped me... most of my day is sitting around at home (work, etc.). I'll get up about once an hour, pee, do jumping jacks and air squats (to try and abate the sitting), and then go to the kitchen and quickly down a glass of water. OK! All set! Hydrated and exercised, ready for another hour in the pit.

Then maybe I'll fix a sipping drink and nurse that.

Keeping drinks separated into different categories in my mind has made it a lot easier to avoid some of the problems we see here.

gemberly

shai74 wrote: »

I read about this water drinking thing, and I'm just not sure I get it. I would drink probably 5 coffees with butter in them a day (mostly instant so not too much caffeine). In the afternoon/evening I will drink a 500ml bottle of cold water. That's it. I have never had a problem with dehydration or lack of weightloss. I've always drank when I'm thirsty. Just like all animals do. I never try and force in X amount of water a day, seems ridiculous.

I agree with this. I do drink artificially sweetened drinks and enough fluids of those to not be thirsty. You don't need to drink plain water. While the added chemicals probably aren't the best for you, they have nothing to do with whether or not they are hydrating.

jumanajane

Just getting fluids into your body is enough, it doesnt have to be water. I worked for years as a Continence Advisor and people always had trouble with water. Its fluids not water that you body needs, it deals with the additions! The only thing to say is dont drink fruit juices which isnt likely with this woe anyway. Yes tea, coffee and alcohol dehydrate but not as much as you think. You can drink too much as well!!!

KnitOrMiss

If I don't get enough fluids in a day, I'll either stall or retain water/gain weight. Period. It's annoying as anything. But I do count the water in my tea and anything I drink. It's still fluid. As for all the addins, be wary of the dyes and chemicals. Red Dye No. 40 is the work of the devil. My body expels it with great force if it doesn't kill me along the way. That being said, they are coming out with some great dye free Mio-type add ins now too, but I have to be super careful. One tiny drop was so sweet to me I had to cut my water bottle in thirds just to tolerate it...

DianaElena76

I just keep a 32-ounce bottle near me all day long and sip from it mindlessly. Before I know it, it's empty, and I need to go refill it. I actually like my water only slightly cooler than room temperature, so keeping it on my desk beside me for hours isn't a problem in that regard. There are days I struggle to drink even just one full bottle, but there are other days I'm so thirsty and refill it 5-6 times throughout the day. What I don't like is how often I have to pee!

Edited to add: If I drink more than 6 or so ounces at once, though, I get that gross nauseated feeling from the liquids sloshing around in my tummy. That's why my method of sit-n-sip works just fine for me.

What beverages do you like, @bikerchick2012?