Counting water intake

spricia
spricia Posts: 29 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been actively using MFP for a month now and I work hard on getting enough water. I only count plain water. Water I get from coffee, tea, soups, etc, I don't count. Does anyone count anything but plain water?

Replies

  • citizencrp
    citizencrp Posts: 228 Member
    I count water and herbal tea. That's it.
  • dayone987
    dayone987 Posts: 645 Member
    Many people here count " plain" water only. If it works for them, great. I don't and I'm well hydrated.

    The main function of the water counter is to make sure you are hydrated. Your body is able to use the water in just about all beverages except some alcohol as well as the water in fruits and vegetables. The caffeine in coffee and tea do not cancel out the hydration from the water that is in these drinks.

    There are articles from Mayo Clinic and other reputable scientific journals explaining this further if you wish to do a quick Google search.
  • kimberliiw
    kimberliiw Posts: 242 Member
    I count water and tea.
  • spricia
    spricia Posts: 29 Member
    Thanks!
  • spricia
    spricia Posts: 29 Member
    I count water and herbal tea. That's it.

    Herbal tea. Interesting. Thanks!
  • spricia
    spricia Posts: 29 Member
    Many people here count " plain" water only. If it works for them, great. I don't and I'm well hydrated.

    The main function of the water counter is to make sure you are hydrated. Your body is able to use the water in just about all beverages except some alcohol as well as the water in fruits and vegetables. The caffeine in coffee and tea do not cancel out the hydration from the water that is in these drinks.

    There are articles from Mayo Clinic and other reputable scientific journals explaining this further if you wish to do a quick Google search.

    I will check out the site. Thanks for replying!
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    I only count water... that's just me though.
  • ipsamet
    ipsamet Posts: 436 Member
    I count water and seltzer, which is all I drink throughout the day anyway.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I don't track my fluid intake as it is not necessary if you pay attention to your body's indicators for hydration (thirst and pee color), however, you can count any fluid except alcohol (you can actually count this to an extent but I would not advise it). This includes juice, milk, coffee etc. Obviously you also need to count the calories as well in these.

    Edited to fix grammar.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    just water or well water lol
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Many people here count " plain" water only. If it works for them, great. I don't and I'm well hydrated.

    The main function of the water counter is to make sure you are hydrated. Your body is able to use the water in just about all beverages except some alcohol as well as the water in fruits and vegetables. The caffeine in coffee and tea do not cancel out the hydration from the water that is in these drinks.

    There are articles from Mayo Clinic and other reputable scientific journals explaining this further if you wish to do a quick Google search.

    ^^this
  • thathockeychick23
    thathockeychick23 Posts: 87
    I tend to not count my water intake. I just go on if I'm feeling thirsty and drink then. Hydration can come in many forms, not just water, so I tend to not count it.
  • deannakittygirl
    deannakittygirl Posts: 228 Member
    I count plain ole water only toward my intake. that works for me.
  • apocalypsepwnie
    apocalypsepwnie Posts: 373
    I count my water as I consciously am trying to drink more however as time goes on I am becoming much more aware of my bodies signals to drink before I get thirsty.
    I can usually say by looking at pee colour or just how I feel how much I've had without looking on MFP or my water bottle.

    Your body will absorb water from pretty much anything with it in, counting that is impossible though. I have diet soft drink with caffeine in so I try and drink a little more water to compensate. You can bet that within 10 minutes of getting halfway through a caffeinated drink I'm bolting to the bathroom. DAMN DIURETICS!
  • munchkinhugs
    munchkinhugs Posts: 278 Member
    Water and green tea :)
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    Depends on why you're tracking it. If you're just concerned about staying hydrated, all liquids count. In fact, in the original estimate of 8 cups/day they were including the liquid in "solid" foods, like fruit. Since then others have pointed out that the amount needs to be adjusted based on your weight, the climate and your exercise levels.

    If you're increasing water intake (and decreasing calorie-dense drinks like soda) in order to help with weight loss, you're better off counting only low or no cal drinks.

    For more about water and drinking, including references, see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/water-265761

    Editing to point out that alcoholic beverages do not count like other liquids. Given their high calorie, low nutritional content, it's probably best not to count them.

    Oh, and to answer your question, I don't usually count liquids/water because I've gotten in the habit of drinking plenty. Occasionally I track for a day or so to test, and I count water (tap, bottled and carbonated) and unsweetened herbal tea. On the rare occasions that I add honey or something to the tea, I still count it, but I also track the calories. Today I'm way over... probably about 15 cups, but I'm fighting off a cold, so lots of tea and liquids. On top of those I had a smoothie, fruit and vegetables, so plenty of liquid.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I also only count just plain water towards my water.

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