H20 Deprived

Hey guys!

I'm am trying my best to drink at least 8 cups of water a day. If I weren't measuring I would assume I have been doing it right for years, but so far I haven't been able to reach the goal. I am determined today. I don't drink enough water....and I thought I was.

How do ya'll get in the adequate amount in a daily basis?

H20 deprived,

Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    I carry my "reminder bottle" with me everywhere. It holds 24oz (3 cups) so if I drink 3 then I've reached and exceeded my goal. Also remember water is in fruits and vegetables which do contribute to your water intake (although difficult to measure). Black coffee and unsweetened tea count as well.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    Are you only counting water or also coffee, tea, herbal tea, soda, juice, electrolyte beverages, etc?

    Between water and herbal tea (the only 2 things I drink), I get 64-80 oz daily.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I guess I do it intuitively unless I am sick or under some other form of duress. My urine runs mostly clear from mid morning on so I am definitely properly hydrated. I am a high volume eater so I get a little extra from food. The rest is coffee, tea, and water.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    You do not necessarily *have* to drink 8 cups of water a day. Your body may need less or more water than that, plus there is water in your food and other drinks. Instead, I would recommend gauging your hydration by your urine color. If it’s dark other than first thing in the morning, drink more.
  • bighoopattitude
    bighoopattitude Posts: 37 Member
    Try different brands! Treat yourself to some fancy water now and then, too. Like Voss. I love water. I love trying all types and from all different taps. Just gotta find some fun in plain old H2O 😺
  • poisonesse
    poisonesse Posts: 573 Member
    I used to always run dehydrated. Probably why I have so many kidney stones today! To keep myself hydrated now, I keep a bottle of water at my side all day and night, and I make sure I log it every time I refill or grab a new bottle. But as others have said, foods also contribute to your hydration levels. Fruit has a lot of fluid in it, especially watermelon, melons, oranges/citrus. So trying to add those to your daily line up does double duty, not only do you get the natural vitamins, you also get an extra portion of water. Of course, you can't log it, as each piece of fruit will be different, but still, it helps your body stay healthy. :)
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    cathipa wrote: »
    I carry my "reminder bottle" with me everywhere. It holds 24oz (3 cups) so if I drink 3 then I've reached and exceeded my goal. Also remember water is in fruits and vegetables which do contribute to your water intake (although difficult to measure). Black coffee and unsweetened tea count as well.

    Thank a nice water bottle does help. I have 16.9 oz water bottles I take for work...so if I drink 4 a day I have reached my water goal.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    Are you only counting water or also coffee, tea, herbal tea, soda, juice, electrolyte beverages, etc?

    Between water and herbal tea (the only 2 things I drink), I get 64-80 oz daily.

    Hey, I am only counting water because that is currently all I am drinking. On the weekend I am probably going to do a coffee (as a treat), but I only have consumed water.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I guess I do it intuitively unless I am sick or under some other form of duress. My urine runs mostly clear from mid morning on so I am definitely properly hydrated. I am a high volume eater so I get a little extra from food. The rest is coffee, tea, and water.

    Thanks a bunch. I have never urinated so much in my life...well except pregnancy. This water is NO JOKE! LOL
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    You do not necessarily *have* to drink 8 cups of water a day. Your body may need less or more water than that, plus there is water in your food and other drinks. Instead, I would recommend gauging your hydration by your urine color. If it’s dark other than first thing in the morning, drink more.

    Hey thanks my urine color is GREAT NOW! Amazing how I have been doing it so wrong for so long.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    Try different brands! Treat yourself to some fancy water now and then, too. Like Voss. I love water. I love trying all types and from all different taps. Just gotta find some fun in plain old H2O 😺

    Thanks I may try that... a nice alkaline water from Whole Foods or something as a treat....ha water as a treat!
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    poisonesse wrote: »
    I used to always run dehydrated. Probably why I have so many kidney stones today! To keep myself hydrated now, I keep a bottle of water at my side all day and night, and I make sure I log it every time I refill or grab a new bottle. But as others have said, foods also contribute to your hydration levels. Fruit has a lot of fluid in it, especially watermelon, melons, oranges/citrus. So trying to add those to your daily line up does double duty, not only do you get the natural vitamins, you also get an extra portion of water. Of course, you can't log it, as each piece of fruit will be different, but still, it helps your body stay healthy. :)

    Thanks fruit is one of the things I can't really indulge in on keto.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    Hey guys!

    I'm am trying my best to drink at least 8 cups of water a day. If I weren't measuring I would assume I have been doing it right for years, but so far I haven't been able to reach the goal. I am determined today. I don't drink enough water....and I thought I was.

    How do ya'll get in the adequate amount in a daily basis?

    H20 deprived,

    I carry a reusable water bottle with me pretty much everywhere I go. I don't strive for any particular amount of water, only to be hydrated which can be monitored by the color of your urine. I typically drink more water in the summer when it's hotter and I'm more active and less in the winter when it's cold and my exercise and general activity dips. Hydration needs will vary based on numerous factors.

    I don't have too much trouble drinking water though...I live in the desert at over a mile high, so it's dry and high altitude which generally equals thirsty.
  • panda4153
    panda4153 Posts: 418 Member
    I will echo what others have said that its not about the quantity of water you drink specifically but about staying hydrated. It sounds like you are in a good spot with the amount you have been drinking with your urine color. Dont try to force yourself to drink more water then you actually need. You also get hydration from any veggies you eat. I know you said no fruit due to being on a Keto Diet. If you like drinking only water then by all means keep doing that, but I thought I would also mention that you can drink other things on Keto to stay hydrated as well. Tea, coffee, Flavored Sparking Water, and even Diet Soda. The easiest way to stay hydrated is by drinking what you like to drink.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.
  • kzboncak
    kzboncak Posts: 11 Member
    I prep lemon water the night before and drink that first thing before eating or coffee. I feel like that has set up me up for success. Plus a water tumbler with a straw!! I’m much more inclined to sip throughout the day if I have the straw with me instead of a dealer water bottle.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    panda4153 wrote: »
    I will echo what others have said that its not about the quantity of water you drink specifically but about staying hydrated. It sounds like you are in a good spot with the amount you have been drinking with your urine color. Dont try to force yourself to drink more water then you actually need. You also get hydration from any veggies you eat. I know you said no fruit due to being on a Keto Diet. If you like drinking only water then by all means keep doing that, but I thought I would also mention that you can drink other things on Keto to stay hydrated as well. Tea, coffee, Flavored Sparking Water, and even Diet Soda. The easiest way to stay hydrated is by drinking what you like to drink.

    Wow, thanks I may look into the flavored sparking water, I am having coffee Saturday and can not wait. I just bought some Monkfruit and I can not wait to try it, also tea would be refreshing. Thanks a bunch!
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.

    A lot of people mentioned tea...I may have to become a lover of tea....what's your favorite?
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    kzboncak wrote: »
    I prep lemon water the night before and drink that first thing before eating or coffee. I feel like that has set up me up for success. Plus a water tumbler with a straw!! I’m much more inclined to sip throughout the day if I have the straw with me instead of a dealer water bottle.

    Yes, I do love the straw too. Maybe I will try to find a large cup I can sip through a straw I loved that years ago when I was trying to drink adequate water during pregnancy. Thanks
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.

    A lot of people mentioned tea...I may have to become a lover of tea....what's your favorite?

    Oh no. You have opened the can of worms :)

    If you like black tea, the first two I always recommend are Paris and Earl Grey Supreme, both by Harney and Sons. These are the teas I make for people who think they don't like tea. My husband loves their Hot Cinnamon Spice tea, which tastes like a liquid cinnamon candy. I'm not a big green tea drinker, but I do like their Genmaicha.

    As far as things that didn't come from Harney and Sons, I like strong British style black teas; Yorkshire Gold is my favorite. For things that are probably easier to find in US supermarkets, I like Tazo aged earl grey and their glazed lemon loaf (herbal).

    I got a gift card to Adagio for Christmas, so I'm currently working my way through several of their teas. The honeybush chocolate was lovely with a sugar free vanilla syrup.

    I am also currently drinking Ikea peppermint cocoa tea. Don't judge.

    I usually go with Celestial Seasonings for iced teas. This is for a few reasons. Mostly, I can't have caffeine later in the day, so I switch to herbal iced tea. Celestial Seasonings has a lot of caffeine free options and isn't very expensive as teas go. I like many of their Zinger teas.
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    Hey guys!

    I'm am trying my best to drink at least 8 cups of water a day. If I weren't measuring I would assume I have been doing it right for years, but so far I haven't been able to reach the goal. I am determined today. I don't drink enough water....and I thought I was.

    How do ya'll get in the adequate amount in a daily basis?

    H20 deprived,

    Hey @luvfit3 - I keep a tall glass of water by the bed - first thing in morning I chug it. :)
  • DollyWolf99
    DollyWolf99 Posts: 13 Member
    I have a work water bottle at my desk that I make a goal of filling it up at least 3 times during the day. Having a goal and intention at the beginning of the day helps remind me to drink and fill it up :) I also keep a water bottle in my car with the goal that I drink the whole thing while commuting.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited January 2020
    Symptoms of Dehydration

    Not sure if you're dehydrated? In addition to thirst, these are the tell-tale symptoms of dehydration:

    Dizziness
    Headache
    Fatigue
    Dry Mouth
    Irritability
    Constipation
    Dark-colored urine
    Dry skin

    "Dehydration can be illness-related, due to the vomiting and diarrhea caused by a stomach flu and food poisoning. Dehydration can also be caused by exercise, heat, or even travel. The next time you're feeling dehydrated, grab any of the above drinks to get your body back in balance!" from:
    https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/the-7-best-drinks-for-dehydration-article

    Also, one doesn't have to exclusively "drink" stuff to re-hydrate y/ourselves, eating hydrating foods is another important and fabulous way to say hydrated. Here's an article that goes into details about it:

    10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren’t Water)
    https://dailyburn.com/life/health/healthy-foods-stay-hydrated-without-water/
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,087 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.

    A lot of people mentioned tea...I may have to become a lover of tea....what's your favorite?

    Oh no. You have opened the can of worms :)

    If you like black tea, the first two I always recommend are Paris and Earl Grey Supreme, both by Harney and Sons. These are the teas I make for people who think they don't like tea. My husband loves their Hot Cinnamon Spice tea, which tastes like a liquid cinnamon candy. I'm not a big green tea drinker, but I do like their Genmaicha.

    As far as things that didn't come from Harney and Sons, I like strong British style black teas; Yorkshire Gold is my favorite. For things that are probably easier to find in US supermarkets, I like Tazo aged earl grey and their glazed lemon loaf (herbal).

    I got a gift card to Adagio for Christmas, so I'm currently working my way through several of their teas. The honeybush chocolate was lovely with a sugar free vanilla syrup.

    I am also currently drinking Ikea peppermint cocoa tea. Don't judge.

    I usually go with Celestial Seasonings for iced teas. This is for a few reasons. Mostly, I can't have caffeine later in the day, so I switch to herbal iced tea. Celestial Seasonings has a lot of caffeine free options and isn't very expensive as teas go. I like many of their Zinger teas.

    @apullum My "food" sister! If you can find it the Celestial Seasonings, Candy Cane Lane is good if you like peppermint and vanilla. Trader Joe's has a dupe of it but it may be out now, I have 4 boxes! I love Genmacha! Honeybush chocolate and Peppermint cocoa (currently using peppermint cocoa Trader Joe's almond milk in my cold brew) sound amazing! If you like unusual herbal teas I love Pukka's After Dinner with roasted fennel, chicory, and cardamon. There's another good night tea by Pukka with fennel, rose, and either lavender or chamomile that's really good too. I'm hoping they go on sale again soon at Sprouts so I can stock up, love fennel teas!!
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.

    A lot of people mentioned tea...I may have to become a lover of tea....what's your favorite?

    Oh no. You have opened the can of worms :)

    If you like black tea, the first two I always recommend are Paris and Earl Grey Supreme, both by Harney and Sons. These are the teas I make for people who think they don't like tea. My husband loves their Hot Cinnamon Spice tea, which tastes like a liquid cinnamon candy. I'm not a big green tea drinker, but I do like their Genmaicha.

    As far as things that didn't come from Harney and Sons, I like strong British style black teas; Yorkshire Gold is my favorite. For things that are probably easier to find in US supermarkets, I like Tazo aged earl grey and their glazed lemon loaf (herbal).

    I got a gift card to Adagio for Christmas, so I'm currently working my way through several of their teas. The honeybush chocolate was lovely with a sugar free vanilla syrup.

    I am also currently drinking Ikea peppermint cocoa tea. Don't judge.

    I usually go with Celestial Seasonings for iced teas. This is for a few reasons. Mostly, I can't have caffeine later in the day, so I switch to herbal iced tea. Celestial Seasonings has a lot of caffeine free options and isn't very expensive as teas go. I like many of their Zinger teas.

    @apullum My "food" sister! If you can find it the Celestial Seasonings, Candy Cane Lane is good if you like peppermint and vanilla. Trader Joe's has a dupe of it but it may be out now, I have 4 boxes! I love Genmacha! Honeybush chocolate and Peppermint cocoa (currently using peppermint cocoa Trader Joe's almond milk in my cold brew) sound amazing! If you like unusual herbal teas I love Pukka's After Dinner with roasted fennel, chicory, and cardamon. There's another good night tea by Pukka with fennel, rose, and either lavender or chamomile that's really good too. I'm hoping they go on sale again soon at Sprouts so I can stock up, love fennel teas!!

    I wish we had a Sprouts here! The closest ones are in the San Jose area, so I always stop when we're there.

    Currently I have lemon zinger Celestial Seasonings in the fridge, but I like tangerine zinger better. There was also a restaurant where I went to college that used a mix of red zinger and wild berry zinger for their iced tea.

    Everything I've tried from Adagio so far was really good. I'll be reordering the honeybush chocolate, and I also had their Earl Grey Moonlight this morning. It was a lovely nice vanilla Earl Grey. They have sample sizes for $3-5 and shipping is reasonable.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I've been drinking a lot more herbal tea over the past few days, because I decided to limit my caffeine to a cup (or two at most) of coffee in the morning. I bought some Republic of Tea ones that looked good, and have been enjoying this orange ginger mint one, especially. I may go over to Argo later today or tomorrow to pick up some more.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    This time of year my hydration is mostly from tea, which is of course mostly water.

    The conventional wisdom used to be that caffeinated beverages don't count, but that turned out to be false.

    A lot of people mentioned tea...I may have to become a lover of tea....what's your favorite?

    Oh no. You have opened the can of worms :)

    If you like black tea, the first two I always recommend are Paris and Earl Grey Supreme, both by Harney and Sons. These are the teas I make for people who think they don't like tea. My husband loves their Hot Cinnamon Spice tea, which tastes like a liquid cinnamon candy. I'm not a big green tea drinker, but I do like their Genmaicha.

    As far as things that didn't come from Harney and Sons, I like strong British style black teas; Yorkshire Gold is my favorite. For things that are probably easier to find in US supermarkets, I like Tazo aged earl grey and their glazed lemon loaf (herbal).

    I got a gift card to Adagio for Christmas, so I'm currently working my way through several of their teas. The honeybush chocolate was lovely with a sugar free vanilla syrup.

    I am also currently drinking Ikea peppermint cocoa tea. Don't judge.

    I usually go with Celestial Seasonings for iced teas. This is for a few reasons. Mostly, I can't have caffeine later in the day, so I switch to herbal iced tea. Celestial Seasonings has a lot of caffeine free options and isn't very expensive as teas go. I like many of their Zinger teas.

    Thanks for the suggestions... I may have to try a few.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    luvfit3 wrote: »
    Hey guys!

    I'm am trying my best to drink at least 8 cups of water a day. If I weren't measuring I would assume I have been doing it right for years, but so far I haven't been able to reach the goal. I am determined today. I don't drink enough water....and I thought I was.

    How do ya'll get in the adequate amount in a daily basis?

    H20 deprived,

    Hey @luvfit3 - I keep a tall glass of water by the bed - first thing in morning I chug it. :)

    I rather keep it by the bed for the morning, then having it before bedtime. I do not want to be getting up peeing during the night like I am pregnant.
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    I have a work water bottle at my desk that I make a goal of filling it up at least 3 times during the day. Having a goal and intention at the beginning of the day helps remind me to drink and fill it up :) I also keep a water bottle in my car with the goal that I drink the whole thing while commuting.

    You are right goals are extremely great! Thanks
  • luvfit3
    luvfit3 Posts: 44 Member
    Symptoms of Dehydration

    Not sure if you're dehydrated? In addition to thirst, these are the tell-tale symptoms of dehydration:

    Dizziness
    Headache
    Fatigue
    Dry Mouth
    Irritability
    Constipation
    Dark-colored urine
    Dry skin

    "Dehydration can be illness-related, due to the vomiting and diarrhea caused by a stomach flu and food poisoning. Dehydration can also be caused by exercise, heat, or even travel. The next time you're feeling dehydrated, grab any of the above drinks to get your body back in balance!" from:
    https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/the-7-best-drinks-for-dehydration-article

    Also, one doesn't have to exclusively "drink" stuff to re-hydrate y/ourselves, eating hydrating foods is another important and fabulous way to say hydrated. Here's an article that goes into details about it:

    10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren’t Water)
    https://dailyburn.com/life/health/healthy-foods-stay-hydrated-without-water/

    Nope definitely not dehydrated, but thanks!