Drinking enough?

yasemasuyo

I know that I really don't drink enough, never have done, and it has taken a concerted effort from me to get 8 glasses inside me today. I'm just wondering, as I've read conflicting reports, if tea and coffee count? I'm not sure I will be able to keep up the pace if not! ;-)

ambie35

herbal tea should be okay to count but definitely not coffee or regular tea. These have caffeine,which is a dehydrator ,so it does the opposite of what you put water in your system for.

Angelabec

Hi, not sure where in the world you are, so don't know if you will be able to get this, but in the UK there is a type of tea called Redbush, which is caffeine free and specifically states it can be counted as part of your water intake.

Caperfae

Agreed!
Nothing with caffeine counts as water intake. The only thing I count as water is actual water. That way I know for sure what I need and what I have consumed.

ash1976

Most of what i have read recently says that tea can certainly be included; it has caffeine, but not that much. This is an interesting article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

nickiw68

what about decaffeinated tea and coffee?

Iceskatefanrn

No doubt getting enough water in can be a struggle. I know a lot of people say they don't bother with it, their body would tell them if they needed more than the 1-2 glasses a day that they drink. Everyone has their own opinion on the water thing... I'll just say that, for me personally, I notice my weight loss stall completely if I slack off on the water. It's gotta be 8-10 glasses a day - when I achieve that, I'm telling you, it's like I"m peeing off the pounds! :drinker:

I'm doing the 17 Day Diet and it requires 8 glasses of water per day. Throughout the day I can usually get in about 5 glasses (8 oz each) of "plain water". For the rest, here's what I do...

Fill a PRETTY cup or glass with ice. I usually use a tall, 16 oz glass, but sometimes I drink this beverage out of a wine goblet - makes me feel so special, lol!

Sprinkle 1 packet Stevia-In-The-Raw over the ice.

Squirt juice of half a lime over the ice.

CAREFULLY pour plain Selzer water over the ice. (The Stevia makes it fizzle and foam a bit so be careful!)

It tastes nearly like a soda, like Sprite, but it's just water and so yummy! Sometimes I do a quarter EACH of a lemon AND a lime. Really refreshing with this hot weather too, I can gulp down 2 tall glasses easily, and the glasses are 16 oz so count for 2 glasses of water each.

I get the Selzer water at Walmart - for a one liter bottle, their cheapest brand costs 64 cents where I live.

Good luck, and try to get that water in! Here's your 8 glasses for today...

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

Ice

Lozze

No coffee doesn't count.

AS someone who was never able to do it before, I just force myself. I make myself drink 5 bottles of water a day at work (600mL so 3L of water. I count 1 cup as 300mL even though I think it's classified as 250mL) I've had days where I've stood at the tap (LOVE my work for having ice cold water on tap!) and drunk a bottle and a half.

There are days I hate it. but it's SO worth it.

Try it with lemon, or limes. Apparently that helps people. (never worked for me)

It's been a month for me and while I'm struggling on weekends, I'm feeling tons better from it. Your body will thank you!

bcattoes

Yes, absolutely they count. It's possible to be adequately hydrated without ever drinking plain water. It's a myth that caffienated beverages dehydrate, and tea is actually healthier than plain water because it is full of cancer fighting antioxidants.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5281046.stm
Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/healthy-eating-without-the-hassle?
Because many foods contain water, most people get sufficient liquid each day without making a special effort. But it can be helpful throughout the day to drink water or another no-calorie liquid as an alternative to snacking or to wash down meals. Plus, as you increase your fiber content with whole-grain foods, water helps ferry it smoothly through your digestive tract and protects you from constipation. Drinking 4 to 6 cups of water a day is a reasonable and healthful goal.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight.

In addition, beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — such as coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is still your best bet because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

yasemasuyo

Thanks everyone! And It's just as I thought, mixed opinions even here! I suppose I will just have to do my best to drink as much as I can :-) Barley tea is popular here, caffeine-free and healthy, so I'll have to have a jug of it on hand in the fridge. I probably need to cut down on the coffee anyway.

By the way, sparkling water is fine, isn't it?