Eight Cups of Water?

gummibaehr

I've been trying really hard to drink the recommended 8 cups of water each day. It's hard for me! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE water. It is my preferred beverage. But it makes me have to go to the bathroom every one or two hours. It's very uncomfortable. I've tried pacing it out, but even that wasn't helping. Yesterday I drank only 6 cups of water and felt a bit better. Should I just stick with 6 since that's all my body seems to need?

ebkins7

I know the feeling of having to go often but as time goes by your body will eventually adjust. But if you feel that 6 is good for you, then do it, just make sure that you are properly hydrated. You can tell this by the color of your urine. If it's yellow, you need more water... it should be darn near clear in color.

DrBorkBork

I don't understand why you fight going to the bathroom. A person should be getting 3-4 quarts of water a day, not 8 glasses. Have you tried using a really big mug/water bottle? It doesn't seem as much when it's contained in one unit. Kind of like using a small bowl/plate to make a portion look bigger. KWIM?

mvl1014

...A person should be getting 3-4 quarts of water a day, not 8 glasses...

Why twice as much? Are you including water content in food in that number or all drinking?

courtney_love2001

6 cups of water isn't a lot at all! Are you drinking other liquids as well? I drink about 4L a day (about 16 cups), and I do pee often, but that is a good thing! It flushes toxins out of your body and keeps your body hydrated with much needed water. I just carry around a 1L bottle and sip on it all day; it is never a hassle for me to drink all my water. Sometimes I go overboard and end up using the bathroom a few times an hour, but that's when I cut back a little. I'm not saying drink 4L, but definitely try to drink as much water as you can. Your body will love you for it!

DrBorkBork

Why twice as much? Are you including water content in food in that number or all drinking?

Nope. I drink 90-120 oz of water a day. It's not hard to do. It helps flush out toxins (which is why one should go to the bathroom a lot). If your urine isn't nearly clear, you're not drinking enough water.

rmccully

i read a post on here that said you need to drink half your body weight in ounces .

for me 127 / 2 = 63.5 64 oz = 8 cups


3 teaspoons is 1 tablespoon
8 ounces is 1 cup
16 ounces is 2 cups which is 1 pint
32 ounces is 4 cups which is 2 pints which is 1 quart
128 ounces is 16 cups which is 8 pints which is 4 quarts which is 1 gallon

gummibaehr

I have a 1 liter bottle that I drink two of a day (which is actually a bit more than 8 cups). It started out okay, but now I have to go to the bathroom all the time. It's typically once and hour, but it can sometimes be two or three times. I can't always run to the bathroom when I feel like I have to go (busy at work with customers/phone/etc.) and it makes me really uncomfortable. It recently interrupted a work out and I really just wanted to scream. I know it's good for my body, but having to go so much is making me unhappy! I think every 3 hours is what's considered normal and I can deal with that. Once or more times an hour is TOO MUCH! When I drank 6 cups yesterday, my urine was still running clear and I didn't feel thirsty all day. I think if I drank 4 liters I would drown!! :noway:

P.S. I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, too. Do I get hydrated from the water in those?

Nikki143

I drink 64 oz a day.. and Its a force of habit.. I also had to force myself to start drinking water...

DawnOf1969

I follow the advice of this hydration calculator:
http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

Michelle923

I found that my body started to adjust and I didn't have to go quite so often.

mandijo

I'm starting to feel that way too, but I have a 24 oz water bottle that I make myself drink in the morning before eleven. I fill it up and stick in the freezer at work for an hour and allow myself one diet coke. Drink the next 24 ounces before the end of the work day at 3 and then I make sure to drink the last 24 oz after or during my workout! I have to pee constantly too, but someone told me that your body eventually gets used to it and you don't go as much. If you are drinking anything that is a diuretic (i.e. my diet coke), you will have to pee twice as much! Like everyone has said, as long as your pee is clear, I think you are technically getting plenty of water. Hope this helps!

DrBorkBork

Thanks for posting that quiz! I'm right on target at 90-120 a day.

LittleSpy

I think your body will adjust to the water if you just keep drinking 2 liters a day. I feel like I used to have to go to the restroom a lot more often when I first started trying to drink more water than I do now. I drink 2-3 liters in the 8 hours I'm at work and I go to the bathroom twice while I'm here, typically. I don't think I have an excessively large bladder or anything. :laugh: :embarassed:

One thing I've noticed is that if I drink coffee, I have to make an extra trip to the bathroom -- I believe research shows caffeine is only a diuretic at higher levels (than what's in a couple cups of coffee) but my body begs to differ. :ohwell:

Anyway, water is good. I really feel like crud when I don't get in at least 40-50oz. Most days I drink well over 80 and I feel much better overall. Less hungry, less junky, less irritable, my head hurts less, etc.

courtney_love2001

Man if I had to pee that much all the time, I would cut back too I probably go once an hour, and I'm ok with that. However, I am not in a situation where going to the bathroom is a hassle. Next year (I start working in the hospital), I will probably be dehydrated :indifferent: because I won't have time to go to the bathroom all the time. If it is interfering with your life, consider drinking more when you get home at night (I do drink a lot then).

Oompa_Loompa

I've been trying really hard to drink the recommended 8 cups of water each day. It's hard for me! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE water. It is my preferred beverage. But it makes me have to go to the bathroom every one or two hours. It's very uncomfortable. I've tried pacing it out, but even that wasn't helping. Yesterday I drank only 6 cups of water and felt a bit better. Should I just stick with 6 since that's all my body seems to need?

I have no problem not drinking enough..I actually worry about drinking TOO MUCH. And I run to the bathroom seriously every 20 to 30 minutes...nothing wrong with the little extra excersise of getting up and down! lol

ebkins7

Why twice as much? Are you including water content in food in that number or all drinking?

Nope. I drink 90-120 oz of water a day. It's not hard to do. It helps flush out toxins (which is why one should go to the bathroom a lot). If your urine isn't nearly clear, you're not drinking enough water.

I agree with you that drinking water flushes your system and that your urine should be clear rather than yellow... but there is such a thing as OVER HYDRATING. It can make you really sick! So be careful!

LittleSpy

I agree with you that drinking water flushes your system and that your urine should be clear rather than yellow... but there is such a thing as OVER HYDRATING. It can make you really sick! So be careful!

It's really not about how MUCH water you drink. It's about how fast you drink it. If you chug 4 liters of water, it's possible you could have an issue with hyperhydration (flushing out too many electrolytes, mainly I think). If you drink 4 liters of water throughout the day, you're not going to have any problem at all. If you drink 15 liters throughout the day, then yeah, you may have a problem. But 15 liters -- that's about 60 cups!
This is all, of course, being stated based on the assumption of normal kidney function.

ebkins7

I agree with you that drinking water flushes your system and that your urine should be clear rather than yellow... but there is such a thing as OVER HYDRATING. It can make you really sick! So be careful!

It's really not about how MUCH water you drink. It's about how fast you drink it. If you chug 4 liters of water, it's possible you could have an issue with hyperhydration (flushing out too many electrolytes, mainly I think). If you drink 4 liters of water throughout the day, you're not going to have any problem at all. If you drink 15 liters throughout the day, then yeah, you may have a problem. But 15 liters -- that's about 60 cups!
This is all, of course, being stated based on the assumption of normal kidney function.

I agree... but not always... every body is different! I used to drink a gallon of water a day... but that was from the time I got up to the time I went to bed so a good 16 hours... I'm not saying that this is what she is doing I'm just sending out a warning just in case! Just trying to be helpful!

DrBorkBork

I drink those 4 quarts over a 12 hour period.

gummibaehr

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the advice! I do hope my body adjusts to the new water intake. I really wasn't drinking enough before and maybe my body is just like "WTH?!" right now?