Having trouble getting in your h2o?

laurenk182004

Here are some things that I find help me when I get bored with plain old water.
For starters, I start every single day out by forcefully chugging a big 16 oz glass of water, this gets me started off with 2 cups of water b4 breakfast!
Also I like to freeze cranberry juice ice cubes, or grape juice, and actually right now pineapple juice is sounding pretty yummy too. I use the ice cubes sparingly in big 16oz glasses of water. Just 2 ice cubes will flavor the water for a pleasant fruity aftertaste, and the cranberry and grape ones give it a nice color too. I don't count the added calories, but you should if you do it.
Another thing I like is 1 tsp of lemon juice in a 16oz mug of hot water. A little sour at first, but after a few sips, I loved it.
Try drinking your water out of a child size sippy cup! lol I started doing this because I went walking and had no water bottles laying around, and I actually drank way more water than I would normally because it didn't feel like so much. I take a 1 cup measuring cup and measure to find out how much water my glass, or sippy cup will hold, that way I know exactly how much I'm getting.
I tend to force myself to drink water several times a day, to chug 8 oz of water down is nothing, and it helps keep you full. I usually do this before or after every meal or snack.
Tea has definately played a huge role for me in getting in my daily h2o. I make decaf tea, 1 tea bag to my big 16oz mug of hot water, and never add sweetener or anything to it. It seemed bland at first, but I have gotten used to it, and always have a big cup right after my morning chugging with breakfast lol



BTW- it's not even noontime yet and I've already had 8 glasses of water today...guess who will be getting lots of exercise running to the bathroom all day! lol

laurenk182004

Here are some things that I find help me when I get bored with plain old water.
For starters, I start every single day out by forcefully chugging a big 16 oz glass of water, this gets me started off with 2 cups of water b4 breakfast!
Also I like to freeze cranberry juice ice cubes, or grape juice, and actually right now pineapple juice is sounding pretty yummy too. I use the ice cubes sparingly in big 16oz glasses of water. Just 2 ice cubes will flavor the water for a pleasant fruity aftertaste, and the cranberry and grape ones give it a nice color too. I don't count the added calories, but you should if you do it.
Another thing I like is 1 tsp of lemon juice in a 16oz mug of hot water. A little sour at first, but after a few sips, I loved it.
Try drinking your water out of a child size sippy cup! lol I started doing this because I went walking and had no water bottles laying around, and I actually drank way more water than I would normally because it didn't feel like so much. I take a 1 cup measuring cup and measure to find out how much water my glass, or sippy cup will hold, that way I know exactly how much I'm getting.
I tend to force myself to drink water several times a day, to chug 8 oz of water down is nothing, and it helps keep you full. I usually do this before or after every meal or snack.
Tea has definately played a huge role for me in getting in my daily h2o. I make decaf tea, 1 tea bag to my big 16oz mug of hot water, and never add sweetener or anything to it. It seemed bland at first, but I have gotten used to it, and always have a big cup right after my morning chugging with breakfast lol



BTW- it's not even noontime yet and I've already had 8 glasses of water today...guess who will be getting lots of exercise running to the bathroom all day! lol

TamTastic

Good Post Lauren! Go Lauren go Lauren!!! :flowerforyou:

I am a water addict myself. I rarely drink soda or anything else. I even make myself earn my morning cup of coffee by first drinking 24 ounces of water as soon as I get up in the morning. It actually starts to wake up me before I have my first sip of the coffee. And that sets the tone for the day. I am constantly refilling my glass during the course of the day (especially in warmer weather), so I know I am getting plenty. It is also very helpful in keeping you feeling fuller.

laurenk182004

Wow 24 ouces first thing? You're my hero! lol That is TamTastically hardcore :bigsmile:

maverickyanda

Over 100 oz day/easy.

pavang82

For some reason i just like my water as it is. I'm never a big fan of "flavored" water or any kind of sports drink.

pavang82

By the way, congrats on your weight lost.

sgtinvincible

Good post LLLLAAAAAUUUURRRREEEEENNNNN!!!!

*I'm feeling slightly thirsty now for some reason....* :huh:

KrisKabob

Thanks for the info... Ms. Lauren! You're the best!!! :flowerforyou:

KB

laurenk182004

Thanks guys, you're the greatest!!!!

GravyGurl

I have come to love water! :laugh: I never thought of putting juice cubes in it. I will definately have to try that! Thanks for the hint :flowerforyou:

beep

I did read something lately that drinking too much water is bad for your kidneys..... but how much is too much??? I think Banks wrote something on that awhile back??

maverickyanda

If all you did was drink water, well, you could have a problem because you could flush out nutrients.

I doubt any of us will.

Water intox is when you drink too much at a TIME.

laurenk182004

I think it's something like 2 gallons is too much..I'm not sure, I believe what was said is "after 1 gallon just say no" lol

beep

Here's what I found from the Mayo Clinic website: (reprinted with permission)

How much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

Several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.
Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
Even apart from the above approaches, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.

Factors that influence water needs
You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, the duration of your exercise and the type of activity you're engaged in.

During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.

Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.
Illnesses or health conditions. Signs of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.
Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.