stop drinking 8 cups of water (because it's "good"), and get

BaconMD

Medium-to-dark yellow urine is a very obvious sign of being underhydrated

My pee is red, so I'm good, right?

StarvingDiva

I strictly drink water. Occasionally I will have a soda and occasionally I will have some alcohol. But primarily I just drink water. I drink about 12 cups a day.

Not only does it keep you feeling full especially when trying to lose weight, it also makes your skin look beautiful. So I do it for my overall health.

crystalyncosta

definitely, I drink alot of water-like almost a gallon every day and it helps me feel great!

Gemnildy

Well, I have heard both sides of this statement but frankly, I cannot get myself to drink that much PLAIN water! I do not drink sodas and limit my coffee intake but there are PLENTY of other things to drink which DO count towards my fluid intake and I can enjoy much more than plain tap water and cost much less that tons of bottled water per week.

amanda8o

I will say that many times when I felt hungry and it really wasn't time to eat, didn't have the calories left, I found that if I drank a glass of water, the feeling went completely away and if it DIDN'T, THEN I ate something......sometimes we really are thirsty and we've lost the ability to recognize it and start eating instead......I drink about 8 glasses of liquid whether I am eating healthy or not....I'm just thirsty

I do the same thing,if I start feeling hungry and don't want to snack I will drink some water and it fills me up pretty quick and I have been doing pretty good with losing the weight in the last week,and I'm going from drinking Iced Tea and soda to nothing but milk and water and have no complaints at all,if nothing it's made my complexion better and I have loads more energy.

Krisgren

I drink over a gallon a day and LOVE water. Honestly, I can't get enough of the stuff I grew up on it (instead of soda, juice, etc.) and I absolutely love the stuff. Never had a problem. And I know that not everyone is the same, but I find it hard to believe 8 cups of water a day could hurt someone. Oh well

Me too, I was brought up on it and drink well over the 8 glasses a day for sure. I feel good for it, there are waaaaaaaay worse liquids we could be putting into our bodies

unmitigatedbadassery

I know it has been beaten down so many times but I can't help but get in on the "too much water" posts - they're awesome!

As so many people have stated, you may not NEED 8 cups a day but drinking 8 cups (or much more) is certainly not going to hurt. It makes me giggle how people turn health into a religion and following the gospel of what this scientist says or what that doctor claims instead of just making smart, common sense decisions for themselves.

When it comes to getting healthy I've found there are very few rules:

1 - Replace junk (processed) food with real food.
2 - Move more than you did last week.
3 - Be happy with yourself because no one else is going to.

DataBased

Please don't flame me - I'm trying to learn... but is it true that drinking plenty of water makes sure the internal organs are properly hydrated so they can function at optimal levels, which in turn increases the body's metabolism? I read that the other day and it sounded plausible, so I'm just asking.

Personally, I have never ever drank enough water, nor has my Hubs. I am setting a new lifestyle, so part of that effort includes increasing my water intake to improve my health and fitness. I don't hate it, I've just never been good at remembering to drink it. It's time for me to set good patterns for the rest of my life.

Half your lbs in oz seems an easy way to remember how much to drink. 122 oz. is just under a gallon of water - which sounds like a lot. But using my 22 oz tumblers, that's only 6 and a half tumblers a day. Easily do-able, and not enough to make me hate drinking water.

Gemnildy

Medium-to-dark yellow urine is a very obvious sign of being underhydrated

My pee is red, so I'm good, right?

LMAO!!!! :flowerforyou:

flimflamfloz

I use dehydrated water. This way I don't risk being too hydrated, and it keeps the thirst at bay since it's water.

hedgiie

No one will ever get me to believe that drinking plenty of plain water is not good for you. And in order to drink too much, you have to drink a LOT or drink quite a bit in a short amount of time.

If we drank more than the kidneys can handle over a day's time then we wouldn't eat. There is nothing wrong with drinking 10 or 12 cups of water.

I disagree with coffee, tea, soda, etc being counted as water also as it is not plain water.

Most people that increase their water intake find they have more energy, better moods, clearer skin and better digestion and elimination.

Water is important to the human body.

this..
just to add, i try it myself. I was a non believer of health benefit of drinking water but I just tried drinking 3 liters(estimate) of water for 1 week. It turns out that my complexion is clearer, blotting is gone, and I feel fantastic. If It's giving a negative result then i don't care and will just stick to drinking lots of water.

Also, i think this is a white coat syndrome, not all old people wearing white coat are correct, in fact many of studies by these people turn out to be wrong anyway.

StarvingDiva

I would also serious contest that drinking more water makes your skin, hair, mood or digestion noticeably better. You have to be pretty dehydrated for those things to be compromised.

So true Nature Made...one night out drinking alcohol you can see the affects of dehydration immediately in your skin the next morning...
Actually it doesn't take much for these basic body functions to be compromised. The body has a delicate balance and when it gets out of balance things go ary very easily.

doublezizzle

nevermind what color your pee is...how about #2?? no water = dry hard stool! lol......

sportyskylar

i like drinking water

tanigrrrrr

Just personal experience...

I notice a HUGE difference in weight loss from when im smashing water to when im busy at work and forget to sip my bottle of water constantly. Like litterally you can see on my weight lost chart from where it is just a slight slope going down, to a huge drop consistanty , exactly when i decided to try the whole water saga.

ALSO - it stops my food cravings, I eat so much less when Im constantly drinking water.
It makes me feel fuller after a meal and stops my evening snacks if I am drinking water water water.

I find it hard to believe that water, is harmful to your body, and even if it was, i cant imagine itd be doing anymore damage than im already doing being obese and my years of eating like crap.

Im not a doctor, im not a scientist, and you may be either one of those, or both. But im just saying from experience.

ATT949

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

Per the links above, there is nothing in medical science that justifies consuming "extra" water. However, that doesn't mean that it's harmful nor does it mean that it's not beneficial in some cases.

My sense that the angst expressed by folks here on MFP is part of the "atonement" process that many folks go though, myself included. In my case, I stopped drinking Coke Zero when I was losing weight. It was a sacrifice that I made to, perhaps, reassure myself that I was "doing the right thing". It was, of course, pointless from a diet perspective but dieting is an emotional and educational issue that manifests itself by weight loss.

Drinking extra water does have a direct impact on the amount of food ingested — knock back 2 cups before a meal and you'll eat less.

There's also "being a member of the flock", which I think most folks would agree aids in weight loss.

In short, while there's no medical evidence that constantly drinking water is of any value, it does, through a variety of mechanisms, help people lose weight.

frugalmomsrock

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/behar12.htm

http://www.builtfit.com/nutrition/the-importance-of-water-for-building-muscle.htm

http://www.musclemonthly.com/importance-of-drinking-water.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/438279-the-importance-of-hydration/


I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: I was eating well (lots of fruits, veggies), drinking lots of coffee, and a few cups of water a day. Sounds good enough, right? Well, I kept craving more and more water, and I am now up to usually at least a gallon a day (I've slacked off a little the past week or so :-/ ). Anyway... I used to have such horrible skin on my hands, ankles, knees, and elbows, that it would literally cut people to rub them with my hands or elbows (never tried it with my knees or ankles lol). I now have given up my prescription lotion for pure water!!! Much cheaper, and it's helped my face, my veins aren't hard to find anymore (for a phlebotomist), etc.


Coffee and food sure didn't do it for me....

ccnjc4e

Haven't you guys heard of that radio station that held a water drinking contest? The women that drank the most died....I can't remember how much she drank..maybe a few gallons

ProjectTina

I've done a lot of searches on the forum just to educate myself on this issue, and I feel like there's a lot of prejudice against people who question the 8 cup rule and even those who count other fluids. I drink whenever I'm thirsty and 6 cups is about as thirsty as I get. Whenever I drink 8 or more cups I feel bloated, my urine turns colourless, and I end up having to pee all the time... lol! So I am not guilty about drinking less than 8 cups, and I'm confident that I'm staying hydrated because of the other fluids I'm getting in in me throughout the day such as milk, fruits and other food. If you drink 16 cups and your body can handle it, then good for you!

Here are some interesting quotes taken from the Mayo Clinic website:

Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total.

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.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

cel81xtreme

so the gallon of water i have down for my daily goal is to high? id prolly die if i drank 8 cups this is madness.

Florawanda

All I know is that I have always drunk water with my lunch and dinner, and even on the Saturday night we usually have wine, I'll sip water too. I was brought up long before cokes came on the scene, so fizzy drinks were an occasional luxury - water or milk was the standard drink with a meal. Our children were brought up with fizzy drinks but they were a Sunday treat or when we went out for a meal.

The weight loss programme I followed in the 70s when we lived in Connecticut, recommended having a 'water helper' of a glass before each meal and part of the reason for this was to help fill up your stomach so you didn't eat too much!

So I don't see any harm in drinking the 8 cups, and some people report a positive effect!

lookpretty

idk about any of this stuff posted online but if I dont drink at least 8 I get headaches from dehydration, right now I am pushing for a gallon a day which Im not suggesting is necessary but I feel a lot better, much more energy

sunnyday789

I don't remember where I read, or saw it, but no, you do not need 8 glasses, we don't all require the same amount. The article or show mentioned drinking half your body weight in ounces, meaning if you weigh 150 lbs, you drink 75 oz of water.

I don't have a magic number, other than my morning coffee I drink water, and it makes me fee better.

This is the guideline I go buy. The 64 oz is based on a 130 pound individual, so of course many people should be more, some less and some right about that amount.

The key is that plenty of water is important and drinking water, tea, juice, coffee, etc thinking you are hydrating your body correctly is very incorrect, which is what the OP is implying.

Babies drink primarily breast milk and formula and if they get enough of either they do not become dehydrated even though they don't drink plain water. And they have a more delicate balance than adults.

fteale

I don't remember where I read, or saw it, but no, you do not need 8 glasses, we don't all require the same amount. The article or show mentioned drinking half your body weight in ounces, meaning if you weigh 150 lbs, you drink 75 oz of water.

I don't have a magic number, other than my morning coffee I drink water, and it makes me fee better.

This is the guideline I go buy. The 64 oz is based on a 130 pound individual, so of course many people should be more, some less and some right about that amount.

The key is that plenty of water is important and drinking water, tea, juice, coffee, etc thinking you are hydrating your body correctly is very incorrect, which is what the OP is implying.

Babies drink primarily breast milk and formula and if they get enough of either they do not become dehydrated even though they don't drink plain water. And they have a more delicate balance than adults.

Exactly. The only incorrect "fact" here is that tea doesn't hydrate you. It does. There really isn't any clearer way to say it.

sunnyday789

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IvoryParchment

The OP is right. If you like drinking 8 glasses a day, great. If you're forcing yourself to drink water when you find it unpleasant, it could be your body trying to tell you that you're making yourself sick. Especially if you are on certain blood pressure medicines that cause your body to lose sodium. You should drink what you are thirsty for. Drinking water is great, but unless you're eating ashes, you're getting plenty of water from everything you eat and drink.

sassylilmama

Haven't you guys heard of that radio station that held a water drinking contest? The women that drank the most died....I can't remember how much she drank..maybe a few gallons

Yes but she drank gallons within minutes. When spread out over an entire day it is safe.

JacksMom12

I lean toward the OP's side (who stipulated, by the way, that this was not an attack on you hyper water-guzzlers). I hardly ever drink water. I drink water during and after workouts-- almost exclusively. It gives me heartburn quicker-- and worse-- than pizza. I drink a lot of coffee and tea, and a few Diet Cokes a week. I am never dehydrated (yes, my pee is always a very light yellow).

Water is just another thing some people cling to as their weight loss miracle. There's nothing wrong with that. When it comes to weight loss and being healthy, at the end of the day what's right is what works for you. Let's all just chill out, maybe?

Exactly! :-)

lauralaurafish

Ever since I started drinking AT LEAST 8 cups of water per day, my facial skin has been SO healthy! It's smooth and not as oily, and it looks amazing. I'm not stopping this any time soon.

Blessedmommy_2x

To each his own....