counting fluids as 'water'

CraigIW

Just wondering, does anyone else count fluids as 'water' when adding to their diary? I count tea & juice as well as plain water as part of my 'water' intake. I'm also wondering if I should start counting soups.

Any thoughts?

minburke

I only count water as water. Any other fluids I log under their proper thing as then the calories are right.

alison2429

I only count water as water. Any other fluids I log under their proper thing as then the calories are right.

Same here!

CraigIW

I only count water as water. Any other fluids I log under their proper thing as then the calories are right.

I do that too, so the calories are correct, but these are still significant volumes of water and so I count them as such as well.

lacroyx

water is water.
soups is not water
juice is not water
milk is not water
water is water

I log anything that isn't water in my food diary, especially if it has calories.

wenders123

I count fluids made with water as water - tea, squash, herbal tea, etc. Basically no calorie, or negligible calorie fluids. I take milk with normal tea, but I log the milk.

But I would not count fruit juice, and I certainly would not count Soup - I would regard that as food. And these things have quite alot of cals to just be counted as water.

I rarely drink plain water as I don't like it. I'll probably get ebashed for saying that, but I don't care really. I think you have to find what works for you and I cannot stand all the "rules" some people have on here. I eat healthily, and have lost 33.5 lbs since beginning of Jan, so can't be that wrong :bigsmile:

CraigIW

water is water.
soups is not water
juice is not water
milk is not water
water is water

I log anything that isn't water in my food diary, especially if it has calories.

soup is water plus veg
juice is water plus pulp
milk is water plus fats

why does having a little extra in the water make it suddenly not water? Maybe soup is an extreme, but if you take concentrated juice and use it to flavour water, then count that as water, then why not milk or fresh juice?

minburke

I guess you can count it in both if you really want to but I'd increase the 8 cups to more as it refers to 8 glasses of pure water.. which then once you try to calculate that is a whole lot of bother when you can just not count other fluids as water in the first place..

TaushasJourney

I count tea as water in addition to plain water. While I don't count other fluids, I certainly don't think there is anything wrong with doing so, as long as you count them as foods too for the calories involved and whatnot. It is definitely treated by your body the same as water when it gets down to the point! I drink so much water as it is, I guess I don't feel any need to count my other fluids as well.

lacroyx

water is water.
soups is not water
juice is not water
milk is not water
water is water

I log anything that isn't water in my food diary, especially if it has calories.

soup is water plus veg
juice is water plus pulp
milk is water plus fats

why does having a little extra in the water make it suddenly not water? Maybe soup is an extreme, but if you take concentrated juice and use it to flavour water, then count that as water, then why not milk or fresh juice?

everyone has their own views. to me water is water. if it has other stuff like sugar, fat, calcium, etc etc then it's no longer water.
look I'm not trying to argue, call it what you want and log it as you see fit. but to me water is water unless it has other things then it's no longer water.

CraigIW

I guess you can count it in both if you really want to but I'd increase the 8 cups to more as it refers to 8 glasses of pure water.. which then once you try to calculate that is a whole lot of bother when you can just not count other fluids as water in the first place..

I just came across this after a quick google:
http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=38641&sc=808

I don't do any Weight Watchers stuff, but at the end it explicitly states:
"The Weight Watchers plan recommends drinking six glasses of fluid a day. All fluids, except alcohol containing beverages, count towards meeting this guideline."

If you read the article, this goes as far as to say "broths" (i.e, soups) as well. It sounds like I have been doing what I thought made sense and counting any significant amounts of water as water. This certainly helps towards getting the right intake!

debbiequack

I just realized that there's a 0 cal Sobe drink that calls itself vitamin water that I count as water. I would hesitate to count caffeinated drinks such as tea since they have the opposite effect as water. I don't count high sugar drinks as water, either.

Best,

Debbie

Sezmo83

As far as I'm concerned if I drink it then it counts towards my water. I wouldn't count soup as I consider that a food but juice and tea I count when I drink them. If it's not water unless it's plain then I don't drink ANY water because I can't stand the taste of it.

jenfunfur

I only count water on my diary, all my herbal teas etc get logged seperately under 'drinks'. I normally aim for 5-6 glasses of pkain water & 2-3 cups of green tea for my fluid intake. Everything else is extras

minburke

I wouldn't count caffeine containing drinks either as they dehydrate but I guess each to their own. I like only logging water on mine and anything else I log separate. Some days I meet the water intake other days I don't.. Usually if I'm doing a big exercise I'll drink more water to help my muscles recover.

jessie580

water = water
water + 1 packet of crystal light = 10 calories (I add this to water intake AND calorie tracker)
unsweetened ice tea = water
hot tea w/nothing in it = water

everything else I don't count as water - example: diet coke, I put it in my tracker as just diet coke - 0 cals

The calories add up if you're using crystal light, which I do often, I track every single packet
I sometimes drink up to 4 32oz glasses a day with 1 pack of crystal light each so that is 40 calories total!
gotta watch them calories and make sure to track them!

wheelieblade

I only count plain water but I guess I could count herbal tea as I drink a fair few also like lemon tea but I don't count that

Mayor_West

The reason I don't include teas, coffees, juice, etc. as my water intake is because not only do each of them have in increased calorie count, but they also have added ingredients which may decrease your blood sugar, or worse, dehydrate you.

The caffeine in tea and coffee also serves as a diuretic, meaning that even though it contains water, it will still dehydrate you. Think about that- the liquids you're counting as a source of your daily hydration is in fact having the opposite effect.

As for broth, that's also loaded with calories and salt, which will also cause dehydration and water retention.

ChrisR0128

I have to agree with Mayor West on this one

AllyS7

I only count water as water! Tea and coffee goes in my food diary.