water? 8 cups-- really?

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barbiex3
barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
in Food and Nutrition
so today I tried for the 1st time ever to drink the full 8 cups of water. I've probably went pee every 20 min around 30 times today. I don't really understand the point? Does flavored water count? I had 32 oz of crystal light, but I didn't count that as water...

How do you people drink that much and not go to the bathroom every 5 seconds?
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Replies

  • brittg7
    brittg7 Posts: 146 Member
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    i do because i sweat a lot when i workout and need the water to feel hydrated...i am actually trying for 10 glasses or 80oz a day :)
  • JellyPrz619
    JellyPrz619 Posts: 172
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    I started drinking 8 cups about a month ago.. and the first week or so was horrible .. went pee every 30mins... then it kindda went back to normal.. I've alos heard to drink half ur body weight in oz... it flushes ur system out... hmmm also interested in others responses
  • AnnaValek
    AnnaValek Posts: 129 Member
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    It all depends on how much you exercise daily. The main thing is that you are trying to flush out the impurities in your body. 8 Cups is the average of what's needed to maintain a good balance. I know it's gross, but a good indicator is that if your urine is anything far from clear, say, a dark yellow/orange colour, then you are not drinking enough water. Water helps keep you hydrating and alert and prevents headaches, cramps, and pollutant buildup. (Which can be seen from dark coloured urine.)
  • clrrrr
    clrrrr Posts: 261 Member
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    If you havent already, measure a cup (8 ounces) of water in a liquid measuring cup and pour it into your drinking glass. It is probably less than you have been pouring out. But in general, unless you are trying to curb cravings, I dont think you need to drink water more often than you are thirsty. But for me that means replacing almost every beverage (soda--diet or reg, lemonade, sweetened anything, gatorade, vitamin water) with pure water. I actually love and crave the taste of water--sugary drinks are pretty overwhelming.
  • BeautyFromWithin
    BeautyFromWithin Posts: 290 Member
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    Bwahaha! Your body gets used to it I guess. I still go pee like ALL the time. But I drink an average of 12-14 glasses a day.

    I count Crystal Light as water. It is.. just a little flavoring in it! I wouldn't be able to drink all the water I do without that stuff. It seriously is a lifesaver!
  • campi_mama
    campi_mama Posts: 350 Member
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    I say I drink about an average of 8-10 bottles of water a day (that's 16-20 cups). Yes I hit the bathroom often but I don't feel right if I'm not well hydrated.
  • AnnaValek
    AnnaValek Posts: 129 Member
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    Bwahaha! Your body gets used to it I guess. I still go pee like ALL the time. But I drink an average of 12-14 glasses a day.

    I count Crystal Light as water. It is.. just a little flavoring in it! I wouldn't be able to drink all the water I do without that stuff. It seriously is a lifesaver!
    I know families that have children with conditions that make their body weights fluctuate horribly, and they have to monitor their diets so strictly that it hardly allows for anything. An additional symptom is that they dislike the taste of plain water, so crystal light can be a healthy, low-cal lifesaver to them too!!
  • clrrrr
    clrrrr Posts: 261 Member
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    I still drink coffee and tea (both black or green or whatever, no sugar or dairy unless its a latte), coconut water, and very rarely milk. If it doesnt have caffeine, chemicals, calories, or sugar, Id say go ahead and add it into your total.
  • Aileen46
    Aileen46 Posts: 176 Member
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    Drinking lots of water helps with water retention issues, which I have. Also good for making you feel more full. I always drink about 16 oz before I eat dinner so that I feel full faster.

    I generally drink 12 cups per day. Sometimes more with exercising or if it's hot out.
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    It all depends on how much you exercise daily. The main thing is that you are trying to flush out the impurities in your body. 8 Cups is the average of what's needed to maintain a good balance. I know it's gross, but a good indicator is that if your urine is anything far from clear, say, a dark yellow/orange colour, then you are not drinking enough water. Water helps keep you hydrating and alert and prevents headaches, cramps, and pollutant buildup. (Which can be seen from dark coloured urine.)

    I work out 2 hours a day...
    I usually drink 3 cups of ACTUAL pure water (without flavoring)
    AND MY PEE IS NEVER DARK ALWAYS CLEAR?!

    what gives?
  • davidrt
    davidrt Posts: 162
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    if it adds calories which i think that does id say no, if i drank 8 cups of water a day id have to set my camp up in the bathroom
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Your body really does get used to it. Took me about 3 months to get used to it! I used to have to pee every 35 minutes like clockwork. BAM 35 minutes on the dot! Freaked me out to say the least. But I got 100+ ounces in every single day for months in a row. I have slacked off a bit in the summer here, which is terrible because in summertime I need MORE water than in winter. I live at high elevation and in a desert climate - so I get dehydrated quickly. My goal is 10 cups a day at least, and I hope for 16 on good days! I can really do it if I start right away in the morning. It is not hard at all once you are aware of it.

    I do not use artificial sweeteners, therefore I don't add anything to my water. I am caffeine sensitive (it makes me pass out :sad:) so I can't have coffee or soda or red bulls </3. Only thing I am left with is water and fruit drinks.. and I have too few calories to be spending them on fruit drinks!

    Disclaimer: I sneak in a soda now and then. It makes me feel like crap but it is so tasty!
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Oh wow, this is a SOOOOO important subject.

    Water is the basic building block of life. You're body can't do jack without water, and plenty of it.

    Drinking water does quite a few things for people trying to lose weight:

    Helps keeps you "regular". Trust me on this, not enough water on a low carb/higher protein diet = Backed up like a mofo.
    Helps you not be too sore after a workout.
    Helps you to keep your energy flowing during a workout. Hydrated muscles work better, plain and simple.
    Helps you to build muscle. You can't build muscle without ample supply of water.
    Helps you with hunger cravings. Many times when you think you are hungry - You are thirsty.
    Helps flush out any extra "toxins" you accumulate.
    Helps keep your immune system functioning well. This is important when you think about all the nasty shiit all over the gym...
    Helps your liver repair after a binge drink night. (That might be just me....)

    I drink upwards of 1.25 GALLONS of water a day. Nothing better for you. DRINK.
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    Your body really does get used to it. Took me about 3 months to get used to it! I used to have to pee every 35 minutes like clockwork. BAM 35 minutes on the dot! Freaked me out to say the least. But I got 100+ ounces in every single day for months in a row. I have slacked off a bit in the summer here, which is terrible because in summertime I need MORE water than in winter. I live at high elevation and in a desert climate - so I get dehydrated quickly. My goal is 10 cups a day at least, and I hope for 16 on good days! I can really do it if I start right away in the morning. It is not hard at all once you are aware of it.

    I do not use artificial sweeteners, therefore I don't add anything to my water. I am caffeine sensitive (it makes me pass out :sad:) so I can't have coffee or soda or red bulls </3. Only thing I am left with is water and fruit drinks.. and I have too few calories to be spending them on fruit drinks!

    Disclaimer: I sneak in a soda now and then. It makes me feel like crap but it is so tasty!


    lol that sucks!!! I love pop. you should cry caffenine free =] !!!
  • Roszepoo
    Roszepoo Posts: 46
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    I discovered that a "glass" of water is actually about 2 cups (my glasses are normal sized-I am sure there are smaller ones.) So I was drinking 8 cups, but switched to 8 glasses. I peed a lot at first. It settles down. My skin feels great, my hair too. Best of all I sleep much better! Who knew? I thought I would pee all night-but I do not-I sleep very deeply.
  • DanaKinzer
    DanaKinzer Posts: 72
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    I drink nearly a gallon of water a day. That is, plain water, nothing added in. I do have other drinks as well, but if it has anything added to it, it's not water. I do still need to use the bathroom very often. It's supposed to calm down but I think my body is still trying to adjust to all of the changes.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    lol that sucks!!! I love pop. you should cry caffenine free =] !!!

    It's been almost 10 years since I got the news of it (wow that long already??) so I'm quite used to the limited soda by now. I have tried some of the caffeine free pepsis and they are fabulous. Just rather hard to find for me, gotta go to the major supermarkets to buy them.. can't get them at local gas stops and such. That is fine with me, less soda the better!
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
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    Crystal light would count. I drink coffee and sometimes a soda, but over and above that I will drink between 12 and 16 cups a day of water. I love watwer, so its never been an issue for me.
  • TheTeeWhy
    TheTeeWhy Posts: 186
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    I pretty much drink 4 bottles of water a day,the 500ml ones (damn the metric system to hell)

    I pee alot, my brother gives me looks, hell he thinks its weird that I dont have a big snack before bed anymore, change.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    AND MY PEE IS NEVER DARK ALWAYS CLEAR?!

    what gives?

    I find that if I take my vitamins, it makes my pee florescent yellow, no matter how much water I drink that day. BUT without them, I can achieve the ultimate goal.. clear pee! It takes a lot more water than 3 cups. Like I said earlier, I aim for 10 cups a day. The first 2 or 3 days I still had darker pee. Then it got clear and stayed that way as I avoided sugar drinks and sodas. The more clear the pee is the better! It is just about the best gauge of where you are at in your water-level that you can use. Colored pee = drink more water!

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