Finding it hard to drink water
BBee5064
Posts: 1,020 Member
Is it just me or is it hard to just drink water on it’s own?
I know I need to drink 8 glasses a day. I can hardly manage one.
What’s the secret?
What helps you?
I know I need to drink 8 glasses a day. I can hardly manage one.
What’s the secret?
What helps you?
1
Replies
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Your body needs a certain amount of liquid each day to be healthy. For a woman that is approximately 11.5 cups. That liquid can come in any form - much of it comes in food. Drinking plain water is not necessary, although it is a easy way. You can satisfy your liquid requirement with coffee, tea, soda, juice, milk, etc. As long as it fits within your calorie goal.1
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I've heard different things about counting coffee and tea as liquid intake due to the diuretic nature of these beverages. Also sodas, not the healthiest choice for a variety of reasons. Juice can have a really high calorie load to account for, and milk is not an option for those of us with lactose intolerance (there are now many lactose-free options to be sure so call milk a maybe).
Let me come at this subject from a different direction. I just passed (like, last Tuesday) my third kidney stone in twenty years (averaging ten years between stones). This latest stone was near the limit of what is considered to be an unassisted passable stone at just under 5 mm (0.2 inch) so the subject of stone prevention is forefront in my mind. The first prevention technique is... drink more water.
From a kidney stone point of view, we look at fluid output rather than input. Urologists say that an average person needs to produce 2 Liter (8.5 cups) of output to maintain normal kidney health, and the 11.5 cups (2.7 L) of liquid input mentioned above should do just that. Most people fall short of that volume of output, many by half.
As a stone producer, I need to up my game, 2.5 - 3 Liters of output (10.5 - 12.75 cups). And another thing to keep in mind is one's physical activity and the ambient weather. Losses of fluid due to sweat does not contribute to normal kidney output. So even more fluid to drink.
I drink coffee, black. One travel mug every day, two in colder weather.
I drink soda, even though it is "bad" for kidney stones. I choose a diet citrus flavor as it is less "bad" than the colas.
I drink water. During the summer, as much as 4 to 6 liters.
During the summer I also drink 1 liter of Gatorade to help replace the electrolytes I lose in sweating.
A recent addition that I am trying to cultivate is lemonade. Specifically Crystal Light. Artificially sweetened so not a heavy calorie load, and the citrates are suppose to help prevent the formation of the calcium oxalate type of kidney stone I produce.
And I still fall short of even the "average" output goal.
So, how does one know their actual output? As this can be considered a rather gritty (gross) subject, I've wrapped it in a spoiler. Open it at your own risk.The average bladder capacity is in the 400-600 mL range. However, that is swimming up to your eyeballs, get out of my way I NEED TO PEE, full. Age, sex, build, state of health, can all affect this output capacity. Best to guess on the low side, say 200 - 300 mL, and then just count how many trips you make. Eight to ten trips a day should be close to the healthy output mark. Ten to twelve trips for stone producers.
One test routinely run for kidney stone patients is a 24 hour urine collection. Yup, pee in a large bottle, usually with graduated markings on the side. Easy enough to make one if you don't have a Urologist on speed dial. Collect all output during a 24 hour period and there you have it, no need for guessing. Dump, rinse, and repeat.1 -
Coffee and tea are diuretic compared to straight-up water but it doesn't trick your body into voiding more water than the beverages are supplying.
I used to drink juice (aka liquid calories) and when the dietitian explained how many calories etc... I moved to Crystal Lite... or generic version of such... I find unflavoured water boring so it's hard to get inspired by such.
That being said, I start my morning with two glasses of water washing down two fish-oil caps and a multivitamin.2 -
bold_rabbit wrote: »Your body needs a certain amount of liquid each day to be healthy. For a woman that is approximately 11.5 cups. That liquid can come in any form - much of it comes in food. Drinking plain water is not necessary, although it is a easy way. You can satisfy your liquid requirement with coffee, tea, soda, juice, milk, etc. As long as it fits within your calorie goal.[/
Thank you some great tips to help me with my water crisis 👍0 -
It’s difficult to know what’s right & wrong in the water front.
I’m going to try & drink fresh water & see how I get on.
12.5 cups is an awful lot
I think I will aim for 4/5 cups first2 -
Don't think of it as the water you need to drink but your intake of fluid. You need to take in 2500 mls/day and also need to put out the same as you take in.
You will know if you are getting enough by the color of your pee. Should be straw yellow color. If its darker, you're not getting enough lighter is too much. Most healthy adults can handle too much, but some can't.
You can include with your fluid intake:
Water, coffee, tea, clear soups(broth), jello, clear juice, other juice, electrolyte supplement drinks, most fruit (including apple sauce),
Milk, cream soups, protein drinks, smoothies and other liquids do count but to a bit lesser extent.
As far as coffee and tea being diuretic, this is due partly to the caffeine and it is nominal, and for many aging adults, one cup of tea or coffee per day can be beneficial.
It is not a major concern unless you are over indulging. Decaf is ok but again, in moderation. Herbal teas can be contraindicated with meds. Know what you are drinking and taking for meds and check with a pharmacist if you aren't sure.
Sodas can also count, although not a good choice. Canned and bottled do contain way to much sugar and also are often too high in sodium, which our bodies can retain all too often
Soda water is fine, but again some canned and bottled may have lots of sodium. A soda stream is a good choice.
Best way to flavor water is simply adding lemon juice or fruit. Frozen fruit instead of ice, or let fruit infuse in fridge overnight. This is a far better alternative to bottled or concentrated juice or powdered flavoring.
Sweating is considered as part of your output. Between peeing and sweating we need to replace what we lose.
Allow thirst and bathroom trips to be your guide.
Signs you may not be getting enough?
Dark colored pee. Or fewer trips to bathroom
Dry lips and/or mouth
Dryness of any mucosal linings
Dry flaky itchy skin
Pinch your skin together on the back of your hand. It should go back to its original shape immediately if it's slow or doesn't relax back, you are not getting enough fluid.
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Sweating is considered as part of your output.
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True enough, but sweating is not considered part of your normal kidney output. From a kidney stone prevention point of view, one must maintain a high level of kidney output despite any fluid losses from sweating. i.e. one must drink even more when one is sweating.
This is the key deference between the "should consume 11.5 cups of fluid" and the "should produce 2 liters of kidney output" camps....
Between peeing and sweating we need to replace what we lose.
...
No argument from me there.
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Thanks for the super advise 👍
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I like my water with dried lemon slice. I just cut thin slices of lemon and dry it in oven. It only takes one to flavor water.4
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I need to see this post every day! I know I am dehydrated but, I just can't (read that as not motivated) to consume enough liquid in any given day. Thank you for this post.1
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Signs you may not be getting enough?
Dark colored pee. Or fewer trips to bathroom
Dry lips and/or mouth
Dryness of any mucosal linings
Dry flaky itchy skin
Pinch your skin together on the back of your hand. It should go back to its original shape immediately if it's slow or doesn't relax back, you are not getting enough fluid.
Dry lips and/or mouth.. funny/odd.. I never had a problem with dry lips until I started drinking plain water.0 -
Since I saw this post back at the end of January, I have upped my water intake. I now get about 40 ounces a day. I have tried filling pretty water bottles and i never drank the, Now I am making a concentrated effort, I still have a ways to go but, baby steps. For me the trick has been using a 9 ounce wine glass.4
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Since I saw this post back at the end of January, I have upped my water intake. I now get about 40 ounces a day. I have tried filling pretty water bottles and i never drank the, Now I am making a concentrated effort, I still have a ways to go but, baby steps. For me the trick has been using a 9 ounce wine glass.
That’s great to hear this post has encouraged you to up your water intake. I love the idea of using a 9 ounce wine glass. I think I give that a go too x2 -
I found that once I started drinking more plain water, I started craving even MORE plain water!3
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Interesting. Were you dehydrated previously?libertyacres wrote: »I found that once I started drinking more plain water, I started craving even MORE plain water!0 -
Your body must have needed it.0
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A squeeze of lemon. Or I like to make iced tea, no added sugar.1
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jpFairland wrote: »
Great suggestion 👍0 -
nikkib0103 wrote: »A squeeze of lemon. Or I like to make iced tea, no added sugar.
Sounds good Nikki . I give it a try xx0 -
i was introduced to MIO...it's an all natural flavoring...It makes getting my water in so much easier. check it ou.1
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I don't know - I like water - I have a good tasting well - I do squeeze lemon into the water like the previous poster said1
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I heard as you age, your body doesn't feel thirst. I got a bottle with hash marks and that is helping me stay on track. I HATE having to carry a bottle around, but I have to do it. I like ice water with lemon.1
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My sister is type 2 diabetic and finds unflavoured water boring so she's experimenting with sugar free flavour additives. I suggested throwing lemon slices in her water jug but she didn't seem interested.MizLandryEats wrote: »I heard as you age, your body doesn't feel thirst. I got a bottle with hash marks and that is helping me stay on track. I HATE having to carry a bottle around, but I have to do it. I like ice water with lemon.0
