Tricks To Drink Enough Water

gabbymom2

I have such an easy way...I drink to and from work. Its 20 miles each way, and I can easily get a bottle (16.9 oz) down...that four cups right there!

DataBased

At work, I keep two 1L water bottles. I fill them as soon as I step in. Target is to se them empty before I leave for home. If they are empty before my day is over, I refill, and drink as much I can before EOD.

Oh, thank you! I love this idea for work.

I've started a new habit at home that is really working for me because it's kind of like a perpetual motion machine. Whenever I go to the bathroom, I pass the water dispenser. I drink 4 oz. of water before going into the tiny room. It guarantees that I'll have to go again, which guarantees that I'll drink more water, which guarantees that I'll go again... et al ad infinitum.

I don't stop till about 10 p.m. That makes me get up in the middle of the night, which I'm viewing as a bonus because I look at the clock and feel thankful that I have a couple more hours to sleep before I have to get up and get ready for work. :-D

Goosiesnougs

The new MIO squirt things are a little pricy, but you can add as much or as little as you like. They do last a long time and are worth it to me because I have trouble making sure I drink all day. Walmart has come out with their own version (IMO they're not as good, but cheaper)

Maybe try to drink the H2O ICE COLD? or really hot? (Tea) I have a really big mug that I drink green tea out of all night, every night because it keeps me from eating junk! I don't really like the taste of green tea plain and stevia gives it a weird taste, so I have been using liquid vanilla (sugar free) Torani flavoring syrup. Comes in a bunch of flavors--make sure it's the sugar free versiion---the other ones have calories!
You can get Torani at Walmart in the coffee aisle and Target has their own brand too!

lizard053

Keep sipping, all day long. Drink from a cup or bottle you know the volume of and only fill it again once it is empty. Just keep it with you where ever you go.

Dehydration can happen really easy, especially in dry, hot regions. This is why it is so imperative to drink, even if you're not feeling thirsty. By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. If you eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, it's not as important, but this is why the suggestion of 8 8-ounce glasses a day exists. Most people don't drink enough, and don't get enough from their food.

A standard I use for water is 1/2 my body weight in pounds as ounces of water. So, for my 186 pounds I drink a minimum of 93 ounces of water every day. However up to half of this could be from non-water sources low in sodium and caffeine free.

samrockrocks

i have to put in my two cents and say that if you have to go to the bathroom, regardless of how many "breaks" you have, your employer has to let you go. it's completely bull**** for anyone to say you cannot urinate! if it were to ever become that big of a problem, i would have a doctor write a note for you saying you must go when you have to go. when i was a kid i had kidney stones and if i waited to go to the bathroom, i would get stabbing pain in my back. one of my teachers never let me go to the bathroom during class and the principal ended up yelling at him. i know school and your full time job is a bit different, but still. if you gotta go, you gotta go.

also, the doctor that said water with anything in it isn't water is full of ****. now, koolaid or lemonade with tons of sugar in it isn't exactly "water" but water with 5 extra calories in it for flavoring is freaking water! by his reasoning, water with a lemon slice in it isn't water! ha!

i've found that drinking out of a straw makes me drink more water.. i have no idea why, but it works for me! i use a reusable, dishwasher safe, bpa-free water bottle with a screw on lid and a straw. love it!

wurgin

any thoughts on the impact of herbal non-caffinated teas? I tend to reach my water goals by including unsweetened/plain licorice spice tea, floral tea, or cinnamon chai (no actual tea in it). Do these count as water or tea?

HealthyHappy120

I carry a 24 oz water bottle with me all day long. It has a ring on the top that you can use to count how many times you've refilled throughout the day.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/178-2321585-2913304?asin=B002VJX4C4&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|B002VJX4C4&CPNG=sports&ci_gpa=pla&ci_sku=B002VJX4C4&ci_kw={keyword}&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

This is a great idea, thanks!!

I actually have this bottle! It does help a lot . i especially like how it has different increments on the side so i know I HAVE to drink at least 3 bottles a day

WildFlower7

I ALWAYS carry a 36oz water bottle around EVERYWHERE. When you have access to it non-stop, you tend to just drink it. I also every hour fill an 8oz glass and just chug as much of it as I can.

stefkhan

Break it down during the day...you need to drink 4 bottles of water per day. Perhaps aim to drink each by a certain time of the day. 1 before 11am, 1 before 3pm, 1 before 6pm, and 1 before 9pm...or something around those lines.

I try to get in 8 bottles of water per day..and it can be difficult if I don't pace myself. I guarantee once you get it started it will be easier and easier. Good luck!

messyinthekitchen

I chug a plain glass of water before every meal and snack. Then with the meal I have a flavored water. Crystal light only 5 calories and it makes 16 ounces.

rdunlap81

I like the propel zero water and it comes in great flavors. I am the same way about not being a thirsty person. I can drink anywhere from 2-6 cups a day but don't seem to drink more. I am not thirsty and when I try to drink the water anyways I feel bloated and miserable. Any tips for that?

wiggleroom

I totally count my herbal tea. I don't count coffee, even though Denise Austin does on her plan, I think.

Other than that, I have a huge water bottle that I carry around all day. I feel so much better when I am good about it, it's self-motivating.

lbordner1

Hey I sometimes find it hard too, try when you wake up to drink a large drink of water. I used the tervis tumblers the 24oz on and get in 3 glasses right away. Once I start drinking it, its easier to keep drinking it.
Lindsey

eashelton53

I use a squirt bottle and drink it ice cold. I can fill my 24oz bottle up and start squirting and it's empty in no time. I'll drink 60oz's in about an hour.

hkmamma

I too use crystal light (walmart alternative) but only put in part of a packet in my 20 oz water bottle. makes it taste great, but stretches it out.

kdelost630

I keep a glass by my bed so that I have to drink 8 oz of water before I even get up in the morning. Then I make myself drink at least 1 L after my workout. After that, I get another litre by mixing in crystal light. Then I usually drink a glass with my pills before bed. Easy peasy! It does take some getting used to though. You just gotta make yourself do it for a while and soon enough, you'll be drinking pretty consistently throughout the day.

LolaGotThin

For me it was just a matter of training myself. I fill up my bottle and drink it all and make sure I drink from it frequently. It's been a challenge but I'm drinking a little over 64 ounces a day now. I just worked my way up.

Bostonstacey

I drink out of a large cup with a straw at work (it's 20 oz. or so.)
I find that even at home, I drink more water when I'm drinking through a straw. It's totally silly, but it works for me.

Mom0fTwo

I have a 2 cup glass with every meal, and one after I workout and then I have one in the evening, I don't leave the table till I drink it all.

deniseselah

seconding the idea of keeping water by the bed ... I have a 24-oz cup at home (one of those starbucks reusable cups) - I fill it up when I go to bed, take a few sips as I'm reading in bed or whatever. When I get up in the morning I chug whatever's left - that's 2+ cups there.

I keep a refillable in the car too. And yes I am headed to the bathroom as SOON as I get to work!

I have a refillable 16oz cup that stays on my desk at work - I fill it as soon as I get in and sip sip sip all day. I keep it right by my mousepad so I always see it. My goal is to drink 2 of those a day. If I have any left before leaving, I chug it. If I take a walk during the day I have NO trouble getting in those 32oz.

At home in the evening it's back to the sbux cup - at least one of those throughout the evening, then I fill it up on the way to bed and start all over again! So when I can do that it's easy to get 7-9 glasses in a day ... and I NEVER thought I would drink that much water! But when I have coffee in the morning, it throws off my system. Some people count coffee or tea but I don't.

ETA: whoops forgot to mention that I used to see a personal trainer who said I should be drinking 100+ oz of water a day. That may be because of my size. I haven't gotten there yet but I know people who do about a gallon a day. I've heard it said that the more water you drink, the easier it is on your liver and kidneys b/c the more water you drink, the easier it is for your liver to detoxify your blood.

PositivelyFlawed

To me, water is water, whether it's flavoured or not. The only exception for ME personally, is caffeinated beverages, so I don't count coffee or diet pepsi, when I have it. I do count tea and crystal light, but also do get in just plain old water. About 1/2 my intake is plain water and the other half is tea/crystal light type drinks.

I find drinking from a sports bottle makes it a lot easier than drinking glasses of water. I can easily down 1 24oz bottle with my vitamins and another after breakfast. If i have water in a cup at home I just take one or 2 sips and then forget about. I always have the bottle with me and drink water or the equivalent with every meal.

hesn92

I went and bought a couple water bottles... one has 24 oz and the other has 28. I just carry it around with me all day and drink it. I only have to drink 3 or 4 of them and I have enough water for the day. But I usually drink much more. I love water...

MeowserKitty

Fill a glass with H20, put it to your mouth, sip.
Haha, but seriously, just carry around a water bottle.

3shirts

The whole '8 glasses of 8oz' thing is a myth. It all stems from a misquote of a piece of research that said we need that much but went on to add that we gain most of that from general intake of food and other liquids.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

If you want a rule of thumb, just follow the usual one: Listen to your body. If you are thirsty, have a drink. Err on the side of too much since you can't really drink too much water (assuming you don't down two gallons at once of course) and if you do drink more than you need, you'll just pee it out anyway.

Oh and anything with water in counts. Tea, coffee, coke, lager. Obviously water is the best option but all of those hydrate you to a degree.
There is a lot of misinformation about fluid intake and this thread really goes to show how deep it has become in the public conciousness.

ksomerfeld

I keep a giant bottle of lemon juice in the refrigerator at work and add a generous splash every time I fill up my water glass. There's something about the bitterness of the lemon that makes me want to drink more and more, and I have no trouble hitting 8-9 glasses each day!

Swissmiss

I keep a giant bottle of lemon juice in the refrigerator at work and add a generous splash every time I fill up my water glass. There's something about the bitterness of the lemon that makes me want to drink more and more, and I have no trouble hitting 8-9 glasses each day!

Thanks for posting this. Sounds like a wonderful idea.

ATT949

"tricks" - you're doing it. You're drinking when you're thirsty.

It's that simple.

Drinking plain water helps folks cut back on hunger pangs so, if you need water to stop putting food in your mouth, drink up (iced tea, perhaps?). Other than that, from a medical perspective, there is no value in drinking a lot of water.

Yes, I know MFP recommends 8 glasses a day. Many sites recommend 8 glasses a day. My GF, who runs the largest of 40+ weight loss clinics in a chain of clinics here in SoCal, recommends it. And they all do so for a variety of reasons, one reason is that it helps with food cravings.

Other than that…nada thing. All you're doing is spending more $$ on water, water bottles, etc. and as well as spending more time urinating (and inconveniencing everyone else 'cause you have to stop the car to urinate).

This information might be of value:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2002/aug/080802.html

http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/283/5/R993.full