"How do you drink so much water?"...

eeeekie

I don't know how many times I've been asked how I drink so much water. Honestly, when I first started this journey I would just buy giant water bottles from 7-Eleven every Saturday and carry them with me for a week (refilling them...ew I know.)

When my family started noticing me and how serious I was about this my Step-Father came home one day from Target. He gave me this big 56oz. I keep it with me at all times. When I don't I'm completely lost without it! Generally, if I don't have it with me my water intake defiantly suffers and you can tell just by looking at my food diary when the bottle is with me or when I've accidentally left it at home.

On a VERY good day I can intake up to 21 cups of water (168oz). I think the most I've taken in is 24 cups but I didn't try for that it just happened. I try to fill my bottle 2-3 times a day to ensure I'm drinking between 14-21 cups a day.

The bottle is by Cool Gear Inc
http://www.coolgearinc.com/

This is my bottle/baby - It was $8 at Target. It has a center piece that can be frozen to keep your water cold but I find that annoying and would rather just use ice IF I want cold water. I keep the bottle with me at all times...even sitting here it's under my chin and I'm sipping from it as I type. That is how I'm able to have a good water intake.


http://www.coolgearinc.com/8276bottle.html

kartunes

People ask me that as well. It's quite easy to make a habit of it. I rarely even realize that I am drinking so much.
The only downside is that I can't get through one hour lectures at school without having the feeling of needing to go the washroom!

eeeekie

People ask me that as well. It's quite easy to make a habit of it. I rarely even realize that I am drinking so much.
The only downside is that I can't get through one hour lectures at school without having the feeling of needing to go the washroom!

LMFAO! I feel your pain! I go to night school. I sit on the opposite end of the bathroom and I'm up every 10 minutes(ish). I feel bad for my classmates because they have to move their chairs in so I can get by and that must get annoying every 10 minutes lol.

I don't however have problems at night while I'm sleeping. I think IF I get up at night it's once if at all.

hotpickles

I just feel so much better when I'm drinking lots of water, compared to feeling sluggish when I'm not!

FaeFae

I get all my water in by drinking from a 2 litre bottle!! If I do not have the bottle I am lost and I dont drink nearly enough water!!

p_cakes

I don't drink NEARLY that much water. I've not gone over 8. I try to get my 8 in some how. It just for some reason doesn't work for me. Even though I have a water bottle with me at all times! Actually it's sitting right next to me and I've reached for it twice already. lol. I can go through the bottles and I feel like I've drank so much, but then after I count it up, it's BARELY 8.

now tomorrow I will probably get a lot. Im going hiking.

I try to drink only water. You can usually tell the days I've had a soda or juice or something.

tcsteeves

That's a nice water bottle. I might get one of those. :-) As for drinking enough water, someone once told me that in order to know how much water you should be drinking take your weight and divide that by 2. The number you get is the number of ounces you should be drinking. I don't know if that is true because I also hear from others (MFP included) that it's recommended that you drink (8) 8 ounce cups a day.

eeeekie

I just feel so much better when I'm drinking lots of water, compared to feeling sluggish when I'm not!

I can sympathize with you there. When I forget my bottle and drink less than 14 cups I'm so tired and sluggish it's crazy. Most of the time it's accompanied by a headache.

I get all my water in by drinking from a 2 litre bottle!! If I do not have the bottle I am lost and I dont drink nearly enough water!!

Good going girl!! That's still good amount of water above what you need for the day

debbiequack

LOL By the end of morning meeting (1 hour) I'm crossing my legs and can hardly stand it. I think I'm drinking a lot to get 6 cups in!

Debbie

BigBoneSista

I have a 2QT bottle I found at Walmart by rubbermaid. Its my best friend. I normally drink 2 a day but recently I've cut back to 1 and a half a day. I run to the bathroom to much. My kids have to take a number lol

eeeekie

I don't drink NEARLY that much water. I've not gone over 8. I try to get my 8 in some how. It just for some reason doesn't work for me. Even though I have a water bottle with me at all times! Actually it's sitting right next to me and I've reached for it twice already. lol. I can go through the bottles and I feel like I've drank so much, but then after I count it up, it's BARELY 8.

now tomorrow I will probably get a lot. Im going hiking.

I try to drink only water. You can usually tell the days I've had a soda or juice or something.

8 is still an amazing amount of water. Most people don't get that much water in a day so you're above the game. Hell, even less than 8 is still good. I remember when Soda was my favorite liquid lol I could drink a 24oz bottle in 1 day.

eeeekie

That's a nice water bottle. I might get one of those. :-) As for drinking enough water, someone once told me that in order to know how much water you should be drinking take your weight and divide that by 2. The number you get is the number of ounces you should be drinking. I don't know if that is true because I also hear from others (MFP included) that it's recommended that you drink (8) 8 ounce cups a day.

wow! I don't think I'm drinking enough if that's the case lol...but I defiantly don't think I need to drink that much lol. I don't exactly know what the right amount is for me. I just drink because it helps me stay fuller longer and it hydrates me and makes me feel better when I get it.

TourThePast

Just to throw something into this discussion...

The research did not recommend that you "drink" 8 glasses of water a day, it recommended that the average person consumes that much water a day.

A specialist on an interesting Radio 4 programme that was examining this question pointed out that the vast majority of foods contribute greatly to your water intake. For instance chicken, which you would think of as being a fairly dry meat, is approximately 65% water. Soup or casseroles are obvously far higher. Your body does not differentiate between water taken as a component of food, and water taken "plain".

eeeekie

LOL By the end of morning meeting (1 hour) I'm crossing my legs and can hardly stand it. I think I'm drinking a lot to get 6 cups in!

Debbie

HA! I would excuse myself if I was you! lol

I have a 2QT bottle I found at Walmart by rubbermaid. Its my best friend. I normally drink 2 a day but recently I've cut back to 1 and a half a day. I run to the bathroom to much. My kids have to take a number lol

Very nice! lmfao @ the kids taking a number

sheilamo

I was wondering the same thing.

Every morning I fill up a 42 oz cup with iced tea. That's my treat right in the morning (I'm no coffee drinker) and then I know that I have to fill that same cup up 2 times during the rest of the day. So, I'm taking in 84 oz a day of water. Who knows if it's too much or not?

Yes, I'm too am always in the ladies room :drinker:

BigBoneSista

I was wondering the same thing.

Every morning I fill up a 42 oz cup with iced tea. That's my treat right in the morning (I'm no coffee drinker) and then I know that I have to fill that same cup up 2 times during the rest of the day. So, I'm taking in 84 oz a day of water. Who knows if it's too much or not?

Yes, I'm too am always in the ladies room :drinker:

You minimum water intake in ounces is your weight divided by 2.

eeeekie

Just to throw something into this discussion...

The research did not recommend that you "drink" 8 glasses of water a day, it recommended that the average person consumes that much water a day.

A specialist on an interesting Radio 4 programme that was examining this question pointed out that the vast majority of foods contribute greatly to your water intake. For instance chicken, which you would think of as being a fairly dry meat, is approximately 65% water. Soup or casseroles are obvously far higher. Your body does not differentiate between water taken as a component of food, and water taken "plain".

Good point but...I could very well drink 8 cups of soda and get a pretty good amount of water. Doesn't mean it's good for me lol....very good point though. Food and other drinks do have a large amount of water in them. I just wouldn't count that as my intake (personally for myself)

eeeekie

I was wondering the same thing.

Every morning I fill up a 42 oz cup with iced tea. That's my treat right in the morning (I'm no coffee drinker) and then I know that I have to fill that same cup up 2 times during the rest of the day. So, I'm taking in 84 oz a day of water. Who knows if it's too much or not?

Yes, I'm too am always in the ladies room :drinker:

Very nice job! I feel you on the ladies room...it's become a constant companion lmao.

ukq727

You two are drinking too much water. There is a specific amount of water intake required and its based on your body. There is a such thing as being over hydrated which is why your using the rest room every 5 minutes, at that point your body is no longer flushing out toxins and in fact your body will become bloated at some point.

It's awesome that you two can drink that much water though KUDOS :-)

eeeekie

Read here

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

"The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. 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 your lost fluids."

HealthiHannah

I have a 12oz cup at my desk every day, as soon as it empties I am up for more. I do this all day, and yes, I have MANY trips to the restroom.... but I don't count how many cups I have. Then when I get home, I always have another 3 glasses of a large glass (not sure how many oz, maybe 16?) while I am working out, before, and after. I drink alot, but too busy during the day to calculate. I have noticed though, since I have been working out, that I haven't needed to have water with me in bed - I used to- which also means less night trips

eeeekie

You two are drinking too much water. There is a specific amount of water intake required and its based on your body. There is a such thing as being over hydrated which is why your using the rest room every 5 minutes, at that point your body is no longer flushing out toxins and in fact your body will become bloated at some point.

It's awesome that you two can drink that much water though KUDOS :-)

While I appreciate your comment I've checked for myself. I have a couple of medical people in my family and I was told I'm safe. You'd have to consume a lot more than myself. According to the Mayo Clinic....Drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.

eeeekie

I have a 12oz cup at my desk every day, as soon as it empties I am up for more. I do this all day, and yes, I have MANY trips to the restroom.... but I don't count how many cups I have. Then when I get home, I always have another 3 glasses of a large glass (not sure how many oz, maybe 16?) while I am working out, before, and after. I drink alot, but too busy during the day to calculate. I have noticed though, since I have been working out, that I haven't needed to have water with me in bed - I used to- which also means less night trips

I'm sure if you tipped your cup upside down you'll see either etched into the cup or on a sticker how much the cup holds.

HealthiHannah

It doesnt, I have checked... I'm sure it was on the original box when I got them... I just know its bigger than my 12oz disposable cup that I use at work.

eeeekie

It doesnt, I have checked... I'm sure it was on the original box when I got them... I just know its bigger than my 12oz disposable cup that I use at work.

0o0o0o. Do you have a food scale? You could fill it up and weigh it. Some coffee cups are 8oz you could fill those up and dump it into you cup and see how many it holds

ukq727

LOL Clearly none of us eat the average American Diet..I mean what is the "average American Diet". Thanks for the info though take a look at this article it will explain it all. After consuming so much water your body is not able to process it as it should and it is possible to "drawn" yourself for a lack of a better term.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6263029.stm

Atlantique

I have two of these bottles: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=thermos+intak+water+bottle&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=13908772299096575419&sa=X&ei=E6ufTdSmEaSJ0QHR3uidBQ&ved=0CD0Q8wIwBA# target had a sale on them last year where a pair was $10.

I love it! And it has a little dial at the top so you can keep track of how many times you've refiled it during the day, too.

HealthiHannah

Good idea on the coffee cups - I don't have a food scale... Thanks! I'll do that tonight!

MyNameIsNotBob

Good idea on the coffee cups - I don't have a food scale... Thanks! I'll do that tonight!

Or just use a measuring cup.

elliecolorado

I am lost without my Nalgene water bottle I drink a minimum of 2 bottles full (32 oz bottles) and I usually drink 3 or 4 bottles full during the day. http://nalgene.com/ those water bottles are indestructible which is great for me!

jrusso28

You should not be taking in more than 8-10 cups of water a day.
That's between 64 and 80 ounces.

The only time you should take in more is if you are losing a lot of fluids (sweating) while exercising or in a very hot climate.

There is no additional benefit to more water, if anything you may be causing more harm than good.

Be careful not to drink just to make yourself feel full as a substitute for food.