drinking water

witchywillow

i was reading on msn news yesterday that they are now saying we dont need 8 glasses of water a day and water in coffee, tea etc all adds to our water in take, i drink loads but cannot always manage 8 glasses of water a day coz i have other drinks, so i have decided not to log water, i know i drink enough : ), i will still log my drinks that got cals just not the water.

they also said that also a lot of water we intake comes from our food we eating and still contributes, of course if ur exercising u need to up ur fluid thats common sense

i would like to hear other peoples views on water intake : )

1nsanity

water allows the body to stay full. people often time confuse thirst with hunger. i know when i drink more than 64oz of water a day, i dont get as many hunger pangs between meals and when i do, i just chug some water and give it 5 minutes and usually they go away. me personally, i think drinking water is super helpful to weight loss. but everyone is different.

koreanbro

I think too much water is bad for the body... its taking up too much spaces from your stomach to hold the food. unless your working out at the gym or outside sweating then you will need to refill the body with water!.

yarwell

8 x 8 was always fairly arbitrary, and water from all sources including food were included. 30 yrs ago if you walked around carrying a bottle of water people would have thought your had something wrong with you.

opus649

8 x 8 was always fairly arbitrary

Understatement.

jenjenn135

I say drink when you're thirsty, your body can only maintain so much liquid being consumed at a time before it will cycle it through. Obviously on warmer days I consume more water, but I am also sweating it out, colder days, it's just the opposite.

bulbadoof

I think too much water is bad for the body... its taking up too much spaces from your stomach to hold the food. unless your working out at the gym or outside sweating then you will need to refill the body with water!.

With all due respect and the exception of very large quantities of water over very short amounts of time, I don't understand how one would come to this conclusion. When you drink more water, you go to the bathroom more and more often, so it doesn't really keep your stomach occupied for very long at all.

Water helps your body function on so many levels and the body can get rid of excess water so easily. imo, it's always better to have too much of it than not enough.

FitLink

i was reading on msn news yesterday that they are now saying we dont need 8 glasses of water a day and water in coffee, tea etc all adds to our water in take, i drink loads but cannot always manage 8 glasses of water a day coz i have other drinks, so i have decided not to log water, i know i drink enough : ), i will still log my drinks that got cals just not the water.

they also said that also a lot of water we intake comes from our food we eating and still contributes, of course if ur exercising u need to up ur fluid thats common sense

i would like to hear other peoples views on water intake : )

Yes, and "they" have said this for a LONG time. The Mayo Clinic ALSO says this. Here's the scoop. Women need about 64 ounces of hydration per day and men need about 90 ounces. ALL THE WATER in your diet counts. That includes the water found in all your food. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, but no more so than water, which is ALSO a diuretic, so caffeinated beverages COUNT. Milk counts. Juice counts. Coffee and teas, soda, Gatorade, Crystal Light--all count. The water in your breakfast oatmeal counts.The water naturally in fruits and veggies counts. Almost all food contains water. If you're sweating you need to replace the water lost, but no more than that. If your urine is straw yellow or clear and you're not thirsty you are likely hydrated. It's a myth that most people are dehydrated. Most people are not. Water is not something to worry about.

Sugary beverages are hydrating, but the calories are are less likely to keep you filling full, so if you have a hard time keeping your calories in line you might want to avoid them. Water or another calorie free liquid might help you get past a hunger pang, but there is nothing magical about plain water. (Pure water isn't available to most of us.)

I do not log my beverages or my water. I see no need to.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283/NSECTIONGROUP=2
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/ds00561/dsection=prevention
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

FitLink

water allows the body to stay full. people often time confuse thirst with hunger. i know when i drink more than 64oz of water a day, i dont get as many hunger pangs between meals and when i do, i just chug some water and give it 5 minutes and usually they go away. me personally, i think drinking water is super helpful to weight loss. but everyone is different.

Cool info, bro.

There is no evidence people "confuse" thirst with hunger. Water may help you get past a hunger pang, but there is no evidence this is because of any confusion. It also may not.

FitLink

I say drink when you're thirsty, your body can only maintain so much liquid being consumed at a time before it will cycle it through. Obviously on warmer days I consume more water, but I am also sweating it out, colder days, it's just the opposite.

OMG good sense is refreshing!

Crochetluvr

I drink when I am thirsty....except when I am working out and sweating. Then I replace my fluids.

Meaganandcheese

This whole thread makes me thirsty. :drinker:

Ralphrabbit

Your body need 2 litres of water a day. Any more flushes out too much salt. Any other drinks do not count as if they have caffeine in that dehydrates you. Follow sensible health advice from recognised sources. Like http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-eating/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx.

Davidjp1982

I say listen to your body and drink when you're thirsty, hate the feeling of being bloated and full of water! Keep an eye on your own water for signs of dehydration

yapyap23

I fill a 1 gallon jug up at night and let it get cold over night. I drink it throughout the day. Now i can drink about 1.5 gallons a day. It just depends on what I'm doing that day. I always make sure to drink at least 1 gallon a day.

witchywillow

many different views and very interesting, i forgot to say water is my main drink, i treat myself to 500ml bottle of diet pepsi for a change of taste and maybe 1 or 2 cups of hot chocolate light if cals allow, i was just struggling to get the 8 glasses drunk and spending most of my time running to the loo lol

NikkiLS28

Most of the resources I've come across recommend drinking half your body weight (lbs) in water (oz). Only about 20% of your water intake comes from your food, so it's essential to maintain your fluid balance with drinking water. If you exercise alot, adding a small amount of sea salt to your water (not enough to make the water salty) helps with electrolyte balance as well.

If your urine is darker than straw, you need more water. If it barely has any color, scale it back.

I'm still working up to my water goal, especially on weekends. It's so much easier to drink water when its sitting right next to me on my desk at work!

FitLink

Your body need 2 litres of water a day. Any more flushes out too much salt. Any other drinks do not count as if they have caffeine in that dehydrates you. Follow sensible health advice from recognised sources. Like http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-eating/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx.

Caffeine does not dehydrate you. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661 Water is water, even if it is juice, milk, soda, coffee, tea or in your food. You cannot find "pure" water because water is a nearly universal solvent. You are equally hydrated by water in fruit, soda, coffee, or plain tap water.

BTW, WATER is also a diuretic.

Question

Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not?
I've been seeing ads that say cola and coffee drinks hydrate you as well as water does. Is this true?

Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

It is true. Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day.

EDIT:
From YOUR OWN LINK!

All drinks count, but water, milk and fruit juices are the healthiest. It is best to avoid alcoholic drinks.

As I said, ALL BEVERAGES COUNT.

FitLink

Most of the resources I've come across recommend drinking half your body weight (lbs) in water (oz). Only about 20% of your water intake comes from your food, so it's essential to maintain your fluid balance with drinking water. If you exercise alot, adding a small amount of sea salt to your water (not enough to make the water salty) helps with electrolyte balance as well.

If your urine is darker than straw, you need more water. If it barely has any color, scale it back.

I'm still working up to my water goal, especially on weekends. It's so much easier to drink water when its sitting right next to me on my desk at work!

Can you cite those resources, because my resources say otherwise, which is why I posted them. The Mayo Clinic says you are incorrect.

mcarter99

Saying "water is a diuretic" is like saying food causes defecation. It's irrelevant. When people worry about diuretic effects of the compounds they ingest, they mean besides water itself.

It is refreshing to see so many people now realizing the truth about the old 8x8 myth.

tylkinsey

I agree completely. I recently did some research and they say that drinking water can help you lose weight. The article says that you should drink a certain amount of water a day depending on your weight. It can help assist your metabolism. Personally I started just yesterday drinking the required amount and today already feel more energetic. I do also find that when I get that quick hunger if i replace a bit with a drink it goes away.

FitLink

Saying "water is a diuretic" is like saying food causes defecation. It's irrelevant. When people worry about diuretic effects of the compounds they ingest, they mean besides water itself.

It is refreshing to see so many people now realizing the truth about the old 8x8 myth.

That is my point. Caffeinated beverages are no more dehydrating than water itself. It is not something to worry about. Tea = water in hydration terms.

FitLink

I agree completely. I recently did some research and they say that drinking water can help you lose weight. The article says that you should drink a certain amount of water a day depending on your weight. It can help assist your metabolism. Personally I started just yesterday drinking the required amount and today already feel more energetic. I do also find that when I get that quick hunger if i replace a bit with a drink it goes away.

Please cite these sources. I've seen not a shred of peer-reviewed evidence that water "assists your metabolism, " or that water in food and beverages is any different in terms of hydration than plain water. As i have said, "pure" water barely exists in the universe due to water's nearly being a universal solvent.

NikkiLS28

Can you cite those resources, because my resources say otherwise, which is why I posted them. The Mayo Clinic says you are incorrect.

I wasn't aware I needed APA citations.

According to the Mayo Clinic (your resource), the average female needs approx. 72oz in beverages a day to stay hydrated. Well, if you use the 'half your body weight' calculation, that would make that women weigh 144lbs. Pretty average wouldn't you say? They did not specify differences in intake levels based on weight.

rose313

I don't ever log my water, I drink a ton anyway. I don't really care either way if water is necessary or not, I love water and intend to drink it regardless.

shannashannabobana

I don't log it either, unless I specifically think of it. I mostly drink unsweetened iced tea, with some water and the occasional cup of coffee thrown in for good measure.

miracle4me

bump

katykosto

I AGREE with her I actually have only been drinking water and milk for the last 2 months minus ONE time at the movies I had some sprite, water may not have "flavor" but ice cold water is the most refreshing thing EVER...and your body would agree whether you think so or not.

Water helps your body function on so many levels and the body can get rid of excess water so easily. imo, it's always better to have too much of it than not enough.

FitLink

Can you cite those resources, because my resources say otherwise, which is why I posted them. The Mayo Clinic says you are incorrect.

I wasn't aware I needed APA citations.

According to the Mayo Clinic (your resource), the average female needs approx. 72oz in beverages a day to stay hydrated. Well, if you use the 'half your body weight' calculation, that would make that women weigh 144lbs. Pretty average wouldn't you say? They did not specify differences in intake levels based on weight.

If you make a scientific claim you need to prove it is true. It's not true because you say so, unless you are a recognized expert and present your own credentials for validation. APA format may not be necessary, but the idea that "resources I've come across" are valid sources of information is absurd. Name at least one of these "sources" so a person can see whether or not s/he agrees that the source knows what s/he's talking about. All kinds of people make all kinds of claims. Not all of them are recognized experts. The Mayo Clinic, for instance, is ordinarily considered an authoritative source on medical information.

The Mayo Clinic says women need ~72 ounces of hydration from all sources. Nowhere does it claim that you NEED ANY plain water at all, nor does it suggest that "only about 20%" comes from or can come from food. These claims need some validation, or there is no reason to accept them as facts.

78brownie_wechanged

This.

In addition...You can always try to add a lemon wedge (squeeze a little). Some people add cucumbers. I had the hardest time getting a simple eight glasses down. Not because I didn't like water but because I never could drink eight glasses of everything. After the lemon trick (which I assumed I wouldn't like since I'm the only person on this side of the globe that don't care for lemonade...) I go well over my minimal requirements.

If you want to use coffee/ tea/ etc I would hold myself accountable for the carbs, etc that goes in those drinks. Like sugar and cream.

water allows the body to stay full. people often time confuse thirst with hunger.