I hate water. How do I increase my water intake?
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I started out doing what many have said: Just doing it. It wasn't that I was drinking a ton of bad stuff, I just honestly wasn't drinking much of anything. So initially, I just did it. I chugged, I'd set alarms to make sure I got a glass of water every x hours to equal my goal for the day. As it got easier and better and I felt confident that I was conditioned to do it, and that it was no longer a struggle, that's when I started having fun with it. I use a 32oz water bottle, and I live and breathe by Crystal Light. I only use 1 packet per 32oz cup (honestly, those things are EXPENSIVE! It goes further this way) and for most flavors it is diluted, but not too terrible. Enough to just add a litle flavor. But really, overtime, because I did just do it and make my body adjust, my body tells me constantly to give it more water! Most of the time now I'll just have a big old glass of ice water, and I couldn't be happier about it! Don't sweat it, you'll get there, you just have to keep working at it
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Ugh, so much here that isn't relevant to anything and just flat out lies. Your colon absorbs water regularly, that's one of it's jobs. 20% of all fluids you eat and drink are absorbed by your colon. It has nothing to do with hydration levels.A few cents from my side on the topic ...
- 70% of your body weight (just like the earth) is made up of water.
- If you do not replenish it with fresh water everyday, then the body reabsorbs the water present in the large intestine (which at the time lies mixed in your faeces) and sends it to the liver (through the portal vein).
- The liver works extra to clean the dirty water and then it recirculates this water back in the body
- Remember that it's still the water from your poo that is going in your brain. It's like taking the water flushed from your toilet, putting it in a water filter and drinking it. Would you like to do that?
- Over long periods of this situation being repeated, the liver gets overworked and slacks in the quality of its functions.
- One interesting function of the liver is to produce bile juice, which is also responsible for digesting the fat you eat. An overworked liver will not produce adequate bile - leading to unexpected weight gain / or / difficulties weight loss.
- So by not drinking enough water (which ideally should be 2-3 litres daily; or the intake amount which leads to clear urine - with no trace of yellow) you are simply inviting trouble in the latter part of your life. Remember the MFP diary says drink 'at least' 8 cups of water.
- If your not drinking enough water then your body is a living leaking sewage with high chances of weight issues. The taxation on the liver and kidneys over long periods is likely to cause hypertension as well.
The above may motivate you to drink water
P.S. Cold water is not recommended. Room temperature or luke-warm water is ideal.
Lemon is acidic, but when it enters the body it becomes alkaline.
You can test it yourself.
- Take some litmus paper and drop a few drops of your urine on it. It will most likely be acidic.
- Then have a 10-15+ teaspoons of lemon juice (can dilute it if you like)
- When you go to pee next do the litmus test again.
- The pee will be alkaline
- The benefits of having an alkaline body are enormous which you'd already be aware of
- Lemon causing teeth decay is a laughable gimmick
Hope the above helps! Cheers!
Reference:
Also, clear urine, with no trace of yellow is actually a sign of over hydration, and is equally dangerous to being dehydrated. Not to mention, if your urine is completely clear, that means your body is excreting water, no waste, just water. In other words, you're drinking way too much and wasting it, because your body isn't absorbing or making use of it. In fact, forcing yourself to drink to that point, all you're doing is "overloading your liver and kidneys," as they have to filter out all of that excess water in order to maintain proper electrolyte concentrations in your body, to prevent hyponatremia.0 -
I don't really enjoy water, but sometimes I pretend it's sexy to drink water 0.o something bout the word sexy...is motivating0
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It seems like I have the hardest time drinking water too! I got a 24 oz water jug that comes with a straw. For some reason I noticed that the water is easier to drink through a straw...I know its crazy :noway: Anyways...I started barely being able to choke one down in a workday...a few months later I'm refilling it 7-8 times during my 9 hours work day. That's over 168 oz of water a day! drinking water has now moved over into my regular "at home" habits now...its become my prefered drink in just a matter of months...unless...of course...there is a beer available :drinker:0
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Add flavor, you can get packets that are sugar free, but add 5 calories to the water. The upside is there are a ton of flavors to make it taste good. The box of 8 packets is like 99cents. I add one to a liter bottle and drink that.
You are adding extra stuff to the water, but if it gets you to drink all of your water it is worth it.0 -
I love water but my husband does not! He orders this stuff called BLAST it's only 8 calories per 8 oz of water! There are different flavors It's from his AMWAY person, comes in a big bottle! Looks like a bottle of alcohol because it has the measuring spout on the end!0
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have you tried warm water with a weebit of honey in it?0
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Learn to like it.0
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I hate water as well (always have) but have done so well once I stopped drinking diet drinks. Right now I'm loving Perrier (because of the large bubbles) which has lemon and lime natural flavor from the rind not juice.
I agree with the others. Water at room temperature is easier to drink in large quantities.0 -
I drink water all day...but I would suggest to have lots of tea's and 0 calorie crystal light mix in's
I have a collection of loose leaf tea at my desk, and it's like I have a little tea shop ready for me at any time. 0 -
MIO!0
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For you, that's great.
This is what I do too!Just guzzle it. If sipping on it sucks, pour yourself a huge glass of barely cool or room temp water and then just down it all at once.
Do this several times a day and you've hit your water intake! Sip on other stuff throughout the day.
The "pain" is temporary, the benefits are worthwhile!
There are no benefits to drinking plain water over other fluids for the purposes of hydration. Drink what you enjoy.
Why endure the "pain:?
Personally I don't want to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of artificial sweeteners, or sugar, or any other thing that seems to be in most other beverages. It's actually not painful for me anymore. I love my water now, it just took some time. Now that water is my primary beverage, my skin looks healthier, my stomach hurts less and I generally feel better.
But the OP has stated she doesn't like it.
By the way, things like soup have things in them that have nutrients. Coffee has antioxidants and has been shown to prevent Type II diabetes so as well as the hydration factor it has benefits that plain water doesn't have.
She has stated that she doesn't like it, but she is also asking how she can get her 8 cups a day in. Clearly she wants to drink more water, just wants suggestions for how she can get herself to do it. From what I've seen, nobody here is arguing that things like coffee don't have benefits. But she isn't asking about coffee, she's asking about water.
My point is that she can get water in by drinking coffee or any other liquid that contains water. Doesn't have to be "plain water" So I'm answering her question by saying you can get water in by drinking things that taste good to you.
There are a more than a few comments here suggesting that she should just get used to it; I say why should she?
My remark about the coffee was to demonstrate that although many people believe "plain water" is the best, that actually other fluids contain benefits that water doesn't have on top of hydration. Also to point out that adding artificial or real sweetners aren't the only things you can add to water.0 -
I drink bottles sparkling water that has been lightly flavored. Trader Joes has a mixed berry one that I love and At the grocery store calistoga has a number of different flavors. It gives me the sensation of drinking soda with none of the negative stuff that comes with soda. No calories, no sugar.0
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For you, that's great.
This is what I do too!Just guzzle it. If sipping on it sucks, pour yourself a huge glass of barely cool or room temp water and then just down it all at once.
Do this several times a day and you've hit your water intake! Sip on other stuff throughout the day.
The "pain" is temporary, the benefits are worthwhile!
There are no benefits to drinking plain water over other fluids for the purposes of hydration. Drink what you enjoy.
Why endure the "pain:?
Personally I don't want to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of artificial sweeteners, or sugar, or any other thing that seems to be in most other beverages. It's actually not painful for me anymore. I love my water now, it just took some time. Now that water is my primary beverage, my skin looks healthier, my stomach hurts less and I generally feel better.
But the OP has stated she doesn't like it.
By the way, things like soup have things in them that have nutrients. Coffee has antioxidants and has been shown to prevent Type II diabetes so as well as the hydration factor it has benefits that plain water doesn't have.
She has stated that she doesn't like it, but she is also asking how she can get her 8 cups a day in. Clearly she wants to drink more water, just wants suggestions for how she can get herself to do it. From what I've seen, nobody here is arguing that things like coffee don't have benefits. But she isn't asking about coffee, she's asking about water.
My point is that she can get water in by drinking coffee or any other liquid that contains water. Doesn't have to be "plain water" So I'm answering her question by saying you can get water in by drinking things that taste good to you.
There are a more than a few comments here suggesting that she she should just get used to it; I say why should she?
My remark about the coffee was to demonstrate that although many people believe "plain water" is the best, that actually other fluids contain benefits that water doesn't have on top of hydration. Also to point out that adding artificial or real sweetners aren't the only things you can add to water.
And that's fine, for you or anyone else who believes that. But just so you know, I'm not the one who made the comments saying "just drink it". Just want to clarify that.0 -
I drink soda water. I get cheap 2-liter bottles of it at the grocery store- it's just carbonated water, lightly flavoured with lime. It took a few days to get used to it, but now I can't get enough of the stuff! So delicious and refreshing, and chemically/nutritionally it might as well be tap water!
I also chug a cup of water almost every time I go to the bathroom. I leave a glass by the sink and have some when I wash my hands. That way it's kind of like rinsing out after brushing my teeth, so the taste of it doesn't even register in my brain. It's just chug it and forget it.0 -
crystal lights of course! My favorite is sweet tea with lemon flavor) 0
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I love water but my husband does not! He orders this stuff called BLAST it's only 8 calories per 8 oz of water! There are different flavors It's from his AMWAY person, comes in a big bottle! Looks like a bottle of alcohol because it has the measuring spout on the end!
...Does your husband often slur his speech and have trouble walking?0 -
You don't have to get your daily water only from fluids, water dense foods count towards your total, too! Think about how juicy a watermelon is, or salads, etc. The link below shows the percentages:
http://www.thefruitpages.com/contents.shtml
Even think of soups and salads, smoothies...0 -
suck it up drink it anyway lol0
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lolsuck it up drink it anyway lol0 -
Water is not a magic elixir. Any fluid you drink, and all food you eat contains water, that your body is more than capable of extracting for hydration purposes.I love water, but I can't drink it room temperature or hot, it has to be ICE cold. I will drink it tepid if I HAVE to, but I don't care for it. I also don't like ice water in styrofoam cups. Bleh.
Get a pretty cup, fill it with ice, and enjoy a nice glass of ice water on a hot day. A shot of lemon, or some frozen berries isn't going to hurt you, in fact it adds just enough flavor to make it interesting. Ice tea is good - UNsweetened, but the caffeine is not, so still drink water. I have some crystal tea glasses that make me feel special drinking out of them, sometimes that helps.
Someone said that the need for water is perpetuated by the bottled water company and that is not truthful. Bottled water is no better for you than tap water, its just more convenient. Get a refillable water bottle (stainless steel is the "cleanest" for taste) and don't buy bottled water. No big. We have large refillable water bottles and a cold water dispenser and it works great for us because we don't care for our tap water and it costs way less than buying bottled waters (we do buy a lot of bottled water for family gatherings as it is easy to transport in large quantities).
No matter how much water I drink, I battle dehyrdation daily. I have to go to the ER to replenish fluids at least once a summer, sometimes more. If you don't drink water it wreaks havoc on your body. Caffeine is a DEhydrater, so please watch your caffeine intake. Basically, if it has caffeine in it is really not rehydrating you. Watermelon and pineapple are my two go to sources (besides water) to rehydrate quickly. Dehydration is a miserable experience, and when you get to the point of needing fluids it is really horrid. I get tremendous headaches, very weak, and highly confused. Typically this happens when I'm sick, or when I get too hot and can't drink enough water.
Someone else said that pale yellow urine is your indicator of hydration. This is very true. The goal is almost clear. The lighter the urine the more hydrated you are.
Someone else said that water is not a "magic elixer", I have to beg to differ. Water is the lifeblood of our bodies. We are made up of mostly water. Water lubricates our joints, keeps our organs working properly - including the brain, flushes toxins, and can even make you feel fuller faster by filling up your stomach. Water can even keep you from having a hangover while drinking alcohol (hangover is dehydration as alcohol is a DEhydrator). And best of all... you already pay for it, it comes straight out of the tap. When you pay your water bill so you can bathe, wash dishes, or water your garden... you can water your body as well. Nothing extra needed.
As for caffeine, you need extremely high doses in order for caffeine to dehydrate. To put it terms of soda (just for an easy visual) you would need to consume an entire 12 pack of soda at once in order to consume enough caffeine to actually have any kind of dehydrating effect. Of course, consuming an entire 12 pack of soda would also mean you've consumed over a gallon of water (12 oz * 12 cans = 144 oz, 1 gallon = 128 oz,) which more than makes up for any potential dehydrating effect. Couple that with the fact that regular caffeine consumption make a person immune to the diuretic effect of caffeine, and that blows the "caffeine dehydrates" myth out of the water. That's probably why controlled studies have all shown that caffeinated beverages hydrate just as well as water.
Could you please provide your source information. Thanks.0 -
Water is not a magic elixir. Any fluid you drink, and all food you eat contains water, that your body is more than capable of extracting for hydration purposes.I love water, but I can't drink it room temperature or hot, it has to be ICE cold. I will drink it tepid if I HAVE to, but I don't care for it. I also don't like ice water in styrofoam cups. Bleh.
Get a pretty cup, fill it with ice, and enjoy a nice glass of ice water on a hot day. A shot of lemon, or some frozen berries isn't going to hurt you, in fact it adds just enough flavor to make it interesting. Ice tea is good - UNsweetened, but the caffeine is not, so still drink water. I have some crystal tea glasses that make me feel special drinking out of them, sometimes that helps.
Someone said that the need for water is perpetuated by the bottled water company and that is not truthful. Bottled water is no better for you than tap water, its just more convenient. Get a refillable water bottle (stainless steel is the "cleanest" for taste) and don't buy bottled water. No big. We have large refillable water bottles and a cold water dispenser and it works great for us because we don't care for our tap water and it costs way less than buying bottled waters (we do buy a lot of bottled water for family gatherings as it is easy to transport in large quantities).
No matter how much water I drink, I battle dehyrdation daily. I have to go to the ER to replenish fluids at least once a summer, sometimes more. If you don't drink water it wreaks havoc on your body. Caffeine is a DEhydrater, so please watch your caffeine intake. Basically, if it has caffeine in it is really not rehydrating you. Watermelon and pineapple are my two go to sources (besides water) to rehydrate quickly. Dehydration is a miserable experience, and when you get to the point of needing fluids it is really horrid. I get tremendous headaches, very weak, and highly confused. Typically this happens when I'm sick, or when I get too hot and can't drink enough water.
Someone else said that pale yellow urine is your indicator of hydration. This is very true. The goal is almost clear. The lighter the urine the more hydrated you are.
Someone else said that water is not a "magic elixer", I have to beg to differ. Water is the lifeblood of our bodies. We are made up of mostly water. Water lubricates our joints, keeps our organs working properly - including the brain, flushes toxins, and can even make you feel fuller faster by filling up your stomach. Water can even keep you from having a hangover while drinking alcohol (hangover is dehydration as alcohol is a DEhydrator). And best of all... you already pay for it, it comes straight out of the tap. When you pay your water bill so you can bathe, wash dishes, or water your garden... you can water your body as well. Nothing extra needed.
As for caffeine, you need extremely high doses in order for caffeine to dehydrate. To put it terms of soda (just for an easy visual) you would need to consume an entire 12 pack of soda at once in order to consume enough caffeine to actually have any kind of dehydrating effect. Of course, consuming an entire 12 pack of soda would also mean you've consumed over a gallon of water (12 oz * 12 cans = 144 oz, 1 gallon = 128 oz,) which more than makes up for any potential dehydrating effect. Couple that with the fact that regular caffeine consumption make a person immune to the diuretic effect of caffeine, and that blows the "caffeine dehydrates" myth out of the water. That's probably why controlled studies have all shown that caffeinated beverages hydrate just as well as water.
Could you please provide your source information. Thanks.
[/quote
]Not sure if these are this poster's reference, but here is something from another MFP member oft posted:
As for tea/coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.
di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
adj.
Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n.
A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.
Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what
http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/
http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm
http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html
http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not
http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php
http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo0 -
I don't like water either. I only drink plain water when I exercise because that's the only time I really want water otherwise I feel dehydrated. I use the Nestea citrus tea sachets in a bottle of water. Tastes great. It's the only way I can drink water. There are others but the Nestea is made with Sucralose and not aspartame. 5 calories per sachet.0
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You must be talking about XS blast. It's an energy drink. It works well because its got 1200% of your daily intake of B12. Since b12 is water soluble the more the better.
I've been drinking water but if you want vitamins you can try xs blast or twist tubes. Contact me if you want more info.0 -
This topic comes up regularly. Saved a bunch of ideas on my blog - see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/water-2657610
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I've found that carrying a bottle of water with you everywhere all day helps your water intake. Drinking it fast doesn't do much for you but if you take small sips every couple of minutes your body will use it all up. Also before you know it you will be on your third bottle of water
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Drink water.0
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You just have to get over it and drink it.. I used to be the same way and after so long of just doing it, now all I drink is water and I like it. I used to just chug it really fast to get a cup in at different times throughout the day.0
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I make it a goal at work to refill my water bottle at the top of every hour. When I first started I used Crystal Lites a lot, and now I find I actually like plain water. It just takes some getting used to, once you get into the habit.0
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