Water Intake

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keyaniab
keyaniab Posts: 56
in Food and Nutrition
I have found it really hard to reach my daily water intake goal and really not even reach but to just simply drink water everyday. Its like the hardest thing EVER!.... I have never been a fan of water but I am really trying to increase my water intake while on this journey to my goal weight and even after. Any suggestions, as to ways to increase my water intake????
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Replies

  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Try drinking X amount of water before every meal/snack (maybe 12-16 oz) ...just do it. Chug it if you have to until you get used to drinking water.

    You can also pour 1/4 cup of juice into 20oz of water to make it taste a bit sweeter...only about 30 calories for "flavored water" and it still counts toward your goal.
  • babebree
    babebree Posts: 26 Member
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    I have gotten better at just drinking water. My trick I have been using is to drink 1 bottle at breakfast, that will take care of almost 2 cups for me. I try to drink most of my water before the middle of the day. Yes it is hard especially when you work in a doctors ofice. I just take it one day at time. You can do it just take small steps. What do you drink now if you dont drink water?
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
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    I can't see your diary, so I don't know how much you are drinking. But are you sure you are NOT drinking enough? some people need less, some need more. A better guideline is to look at your urine. (ya, gross.) in the toilet bowl, is it pale yellow? Then you are drinking enough. If it is not pale yellow, you need to drink more.

    ***that's not just my opinion, this is what I am being told by doctors and nutritionists at my clinics**
  • Enginette
    Enginette Posts: 123 Member
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    Great question...I have the same problem! I just don't drink enough water!
  • Splinkysgirl2
    Splinkysgirl2 Posts: 66
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    Drinking water has become my specialty. :smile: If you need a jumpstart to get going, you can either add the flavored powder packets (e.g. Crystal Light, 4C Totally Light Teas, etc.) or you can buy flavored water such as Fruit2O. Once you get the hang of drinking water, you are going to want it instead of juices, sodas, etc. I personally have a 25 ounce (3 cups and 1 ounce) container that I challenge myself to fill up 3 - 5 times a day with filtered water. On days that I exercise, I get the first one in during the exercise to stay hydrated. Then I drink a can with each major meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Before I know it, I may actually be able to get a 5th one in before bedtime. Although the rule of thumb is 64 ounces a day, the target is really half your weight in ounces. You can do it.
  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
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    Try drinking X amount of water before every meal/snack (maybe 12-16 oz) ...just do it. Chug it if you have to until you get used to drinking water.

    You can also pour 1/4 cup of juice into 20oz of water to make it taste a bit sweeter...only about 30 calories for "flavored water" and it still counts toward your goal.
    'i agree with this. i try to drink a 16 oz glass before a meal/snack then another 16oz glass with the meal. i usually have about 10-16 (8oz) glasses a day on average now :)
  • aochoa123
    aochoa123 Posts: 299 Member
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    When I first began drinking water I used the water flavors. Now that I am used to it I like the taste of plain ol water. You might want to try some water flavors if flavor is what your missing.
  • fakeplastictree
    fakeplastictree Posts: 836 Member
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    I drink a ton of water while at work. I just keep a giant cup next to me and sip on it throughout the day while doing stuff. Before I know it I've drank 90 oz of water.
  • newmercies7
    newmercies7 Posts: 23
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    I can easily drink 2- 8 ounces of water by just drinking water when I exercise. I actually can't do my exercise without drinking water and when I work,; I'm a housekeeper, so it's physical work. Also, when I use to do weight watchers, they said that you can include the water when you drink coffee or tea; so I do that too.
  • ChristinaLConway
    ChristinaLConway Posts: 115 Member
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    It took me about 4 or 5 days (and many many trips to the bathroom) to get used to drinking 8 glasses of water. I decided to start numbering the lids of my water bottles (provided by work) and each time I take a drink I know how many more I have left for the day. I also try to drink them all before I get home so I don't need to get up in the middle of the night.

    I previously was a Gatorade drinker and would have a hard time getting through one bottle of Gatorade and one bottle of water each day. Now that I forced my body to drink water its like my body suddenly remembered what its like to be thirsty and it reminds me to drink if I start getting off track.

    BTW my guy told me that he can tell by the feel of my skin that I am drinking more water :) That was an encouragement to keep it up for sure
  • BlessedandBeautifulBrown
    BlessedandBeautifulBrown Posts: 464 Member
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    i agreed i even buy the wal mart brand.. but the first thing after brushing my teeth in chug at least 16oz down...
  • NashvilleShelley
    NashvilleShelley Posts: 238
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    I bought two 32oz water bottles and fill them both in the morning. Then I know how much I have to drink. I kept losing track if I did it any other way. I have never been a big water person. But, since I have started this, most days I refill one of the bottles. I get really thirsty now that I am on water!!! That is what has worked for me. Good luck finding what will work for you! : )
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
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    Drinking water has become my specialty. :smile: If you need a jumpstart to get going, you can either add the flavored powder packets (e.g. Crystal Light, 4C Totally Light Teas, etc.) or you can buy flavored water such as Fruit2O. Once you get the hang of drinking water, you are going to want it instead of juices, sodas, etc. I personally have a 25 ounce (3 cups and 1 ounce) container that I challenge myself to fill up 3 - 5 times a day with filtered water. On days that I exercise, I get the first one in during the exercise to stay hydrated. Then I drink a can with each major meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Before I know it, I may actually be able to get a 5th one in before bedtime. Although the rule of thumb is 64 ounces a day, the target is really half your weight in ounces. You can do it.

    YIKES! that rule of thumb wouldn't work for me, 13 cups of water a day is too much. my kidneys would croak! lol it would work for someone who weighed about 150 pounds tho.
  • demure_poetic
    demure_poetic Posts: 73
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    it takes a lot of practice to get me to drink water... I have to force myself to drink it whenever i can and then i eventually am fine with drinking it (after a few days) but when i stop its hard to get back to drinking it again... this happened to me recently... its funny i have 2 bottles of water infront of me now and i seen this post without even looking for it! i finished 1 bottle now working on my second.. i know if i dont actually try to drink i can literly go the whole day without having it maybe a cup or half a cup... I find i have to be REALLY dehydrated from not drinking all day or from exercise to drink it (with exercise i can easily drink it compared to other time) ...i can eat food, even spicy food and still not drink anything after...not even juice or pop, its weird :S but i hope i can get back into the water drinking because i know how much it can benefit my health and weight loss! ry starting out with crystal light then try the regular plain water... goodluck!
  • CarrieJ85
    CarrieJ85 Posts: 106 Member
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    I have the same problem!! I just don't like drinking plain water and I'm not drinking nearly as much as I should. The Crystal Light packets do help and are only 10 calories but I'm still not getting enough!
  • keyaniab
    keyaniab Posts: 56
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    Awesome advice from all of you. I drink a lot of tea (as I work in a specialty tea shop) and even on days I say I am going to just drink water at work, it never really work out that way. Im going to see how it goes today while Im at work. Thanks for all of the tips.
  • Valjhs
    Valjhs Posts: 23 Member
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    water intake is a grey area ....most ppl tell you 8-9 glasses a day ...what what measurement is a glass ? glass size vary from place to place ...country to country ....so i enquired about this at my gym

    my instructors say ....between 1.5 - 2 litres of water daily is a must ....to hydrate and if u are on an eating plan ......

    :)
  • keyaniab
    keyaniab Posts: 56
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    I have tried the flavoring for my water which helps sometimes but then I fall off again.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Are you worried about not consuming enough liquid, or just worried because you don't like to drink plain water? Pure water is a good hydration drink because you don't get a lot of crap with it, but even if you get a lot of crap (artificial ingredients, sugar, coffee, tea, whatever) with it doesn't mean you aren't also getting water.
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Every week, make it a goal to increase it by 1 cup. I started out drinking 4-5 cups a day, eventually 8-10, and now I drink 16 cups a day religiously. You can do it, but it takes time and gradual increasing. Drink up!:drinker:

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