Water!

keannajohns

So I got the whole food thing down and now I want to know how much water you should drink or whatever I don't know all I drink is water but I feel like I don't drink enough and it's hard to drink a lot of water

Mokey41

Drink as much as you feel you want. Water has no magic weight loss properties.

tehzephyrsong

First, you'll be a lot easier to understand if you punctuate your written sentences.

Second, 64 oz is a guideline because that's enough for most people. Your specific needs may be more or less than the recommended 8 cups; to find out how much you should be drinking, first track your normal water intake religiously for a week. Check to see if you're hydrated; if you are, your pee will be clear or almost clear. If not, it will be yellow and smell strongly. Adjust your intake accordingly. If you exercise, you'll need to drink more water throughout the day, not just while you're working out, to compensate. Once you figure out how much you specifically need, make sure you get that much water every day. 72-80 oz seems to be what I need, working out 5 days a week; so I have a 24-oz water bottle, and I make sure to empty and refill it three times every day.

tigersword

So I got the whole food thing down and now I want to know how much water you should drink or whatever I don't know all I drink is water but I feel like I don't drink enough and it's hard to drink a lot of water

Drink when you are thirsty, stop when you are not. Stop trying to over complicate things. Also, everything you drink and most things you eat count toward hydration, so don't fixate yourself on a specific amount of a certain type of fluid.

Animallover32

Something that helps me drink 64oz (8 8oz cups ) of water a day is by using a water jug that holds that much water. I fill it up every morning and make sure i drink it by the end of the day. Its a great way to track it.

Sarauk2sf

So I got the whole food thing down and now I want to know how much water you should drink or whatever I don't know all I drink is water but I feel like I don't drink enough and it's hard to drink a lot of water

Drink when you are thirsty, stop when you are not. Stop trying to over complicate things. Also, everything you drink and most things you eat count toward hydration, so don't fixate yourself on a specific amount of a certain type of fluid.

Yep.

Robin_Bin

Many people have trouble with this. I created a blog entry about water and other liquids. Ways to make them easier to drink as well as how much, other options and links to research.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/water-265761

Nauti_Buoy

Do not be afraid to be an Aquaholic:
* Drink water alone
* Always sneak a sip or two while your at work
* When you first wake up you can crack open a bottle
* When someone offers you another always say yes!
* Feel free to drink and drive with it

zena92

Do not be afraid to be an Aquaholic:
* Drink water alone
* Always sneak a sip or two while your at work
* When you first wake up you can crack open a bottle
* When someone offers you another always say yes!
* Feel free to drink and drive with it

hahah THIS ^^^^

rcalvert1

I heard you take your weight divide by 2 then divide by 8 ... thats how many glasses you should be drinking. I dont care what anyone says, drinking lots of water IS the majic tip in losing weight. It works for me!

Sarauk2sf

I heard you take your weight divide by 2 then divide by 8 ... thats how many glasses you should be drinking. I dont care what anyone says, drinking lots of water IS the majic tip in losing weight. It works for me!

Eating at a caloric deficit works for me. I drink no plain water and it has not stopped my weight loss. Fluids can be obtained from many sources.

trink68

I just read an article yesterday on the Mayo Clinics website about this.According to the Mayo it does not have to be just water.They are saying to count all fluids as water,or as liquid intake.Also stated there is no solid evidence backing up the 8 glasses at 8 oz a day.They said its just a theory.Me personally I drink about 3/4 to a 1 gallon a day.Not sure I need that much.I just love ice cold water!

rgohm

I try to drink at least 64 oz a day. I usually drink 16 oz as soon as I wake up and then I try to drink the rest with my meals (so I feel full faster) and then I drink any extra I feel I need.

bridgelene

Drink enough to make sure your urine is pale......if it gets dark, increase your fluid intake. If it's pale, you're good.

Celeigh12

Drink as much as you feel you want. Water has no magic weight loss properties.

Agreed. I don't drink much straight water. I don't enjoy it all that much.

cjsacto

I disagree about drinking "when you are thirsty." If you feel really thirsty, you are already dehydrated. No, it doesn't have to be complicated but you do have to pay attention to how much you are getting.

I have to kind of force myself to drink enough water and build the habit - I never used to get enough water. I now make sure I get 8 cups (64 oz) or more even if I am not thirsty, and even if that means drinking 3 cups at once at the end of the day (which will make me get up at night, true). I am still trying to get in the habit of drinking more in the first half of the day. I could probably drink even more. As a treat, once a day one glass of water is carbonated with a touch of lemon.

Being properly hydrated has so many benefits! And there are huge detriments to letting yourself get dehydrated. For seniors (I don't mean you), it's one of the leading causes of hospitalization. Long-term, chronic dehydration can cause kidney stones and other health issues. Short-term, dehydration causes headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue. It's not just about weight loss.

http://women.webmd.com/news/20120120/even-mild-dehydration-may-cause-emotional-physical-problems

tigersword

I was waiting for someone to show up with the "if you wait until you''re thirsty, you're dehydrated," fallacy. OF COURSE YOU'RE SLIGHTLY DEHYDRATED, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THIRSTY. If you weren't slightly dehydrated, you wouldn't require more fluids, so you wouldn't be thirsty. When you aren't thirsty, your fluid level is balanced. When you drink when your fluid level is balanced, your body does not absorb any of the fluid you drink, as it doesn't need any, so it just eliminates it. In other words, if you're forcing yourself to drink just for the sake of drinking, you're just wasting water, as it does nothing for you but make you go to the bathroom more often.

Sarauk2sf

I just read an article yesterday on the Mayo Clinics website about this.According to the Mayo it does not have to be just water.They are saying to count all fluids as water,or as liquid intake.Also stated there is no solid evidence backing up the 8 glasses at 8 oz a day.They said its just a theory.Me personally I drink about 3/4 to a 1 gallon a day.Not sure I need that much.I just love ice cold water!

This is correct.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/821181-myths-and-facts-about-hydration-requirements

(shameless posting of my own thread)

cjsacto

I was waiting for someone to show up with the "if you wait until you''re thirsty, you're dehydrated," fallacy. OF COURSE YOU'RE SLIGHTLY DEHYDRATED, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THIRSTY. If you weren't slightly dehydrated, you wouldn't require more fluids, so you wouldn't be thirsty. When you aren't thirsty, your fluid level is balanced. When you drink when your fluid level is balanced, your body does not absorb any of the fluid you drink, as it doesn't need any, so it just eliminates it. In other words, if you're forcing yourself to drink just for the sake of drinking, you're just wasting water, as it does nothing for you but make you go to the bathroom more often.

So sue me if I waste a few ounces of water. The benefits of remaining hydrated are well documented. Whether it's 6 or 8 or somewhat more, there are no health detriments to getting enough water. (I do know about "water poisoning" when people drink more than their kidneys can handle.)

For many people, the "thirst" feeling is delayed or ignored. It's not about hydrating your mouth, where you feel thirsty, all of your organs need the moisture. What's the problem with having the habit of drinking regularly? And, sure, there are other sources of hydration besides water but remember caffeine drinks are diuretics.

ldrosophila

Maybe it is a fallacy, but I know from personal experience if I keep my 100oz Big Gulp filled and try to drink as much of that sucker as I can my lips are softer, I'm not as hungry, my skin isnt dry, and I just feel better in general. Theres so much salt in our diets, obese people need a little extra fluid, and and it helps take the edge off hunger that I find drinking water very beneficial.

sathor

Drink as much as you feel you want. Water has no magic weight loss properties.

It does too.. not enough and you gain water weight, enough and suddenly you purge and drop a bunch in one day, and too much and you die. It is a dark dark sorcery.

SideSteel

I just read an article yesterday on the Mayo Clinics website about this.According to the Mayo it does not have to be just water.They are saying to count all fluids as water,or as liquid intake.Also stated there is no solid evidence backing up the 8 glasses at 8 oz a day.They said its just a theory.Me personally I drink about 3/4 to a 1 gallon a day.Not sure I need that much.I just love ice cold water!

This is correct.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/821181-myths-and-facts-about-hydration-requirements

(shameless posting of my own thread)

^^ that

Sarauk2sf

I was waiting for someone to show up with the "if you wait until you''re thirsty, you're dehydrated," fallacy. OF COURSE YOU'RE SLIGHTLY DEHYDRATED, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THIRSTY. If you weren't slightly dehydrated, you wouldn't require more fluids, so you wouldn't be thirsty. When you aren't thirsty, your fluid level is balanced. When you drink when your fluid level is balanced, your body does not absorb any of the fluid you drink, as it doesn't need any, so it just eliminates it. In other words, if you're forcing yourself to drink just for the sake of drinking, you're just wasting water, as it does nothing for you but make you go to the bathroom more often.

So sue me if I waste a few ounces of water. The benefits of remaining hydrated are well documented. Whether it's 6 or 8 or somewhat more, there are no health detriments to getting enough water. (I do know about "water poisoning" when people drink more than their kidneys can handle.)

For many people, the "thirst" feeling is delayed or ignored. It's not about hydrating your mouth, where you feel thirsty, all of your organs need the moisture. What's the problem with having the habit of drinking regularly? And, sure, there are other sources of hydration besides water but remember caffeine drinks are diuretics.

Caffeine can count to your fluid intake and has a negligible diuretic impact - water makes you pee more. These are in the write up I linked about but...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283 - (any beverage counts)

"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"

"What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake."


http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.short (any beverage counts)

"This preliminary study found no significant differences in the effect of various combinations of beverages on hydration status of healthy adult males. Advising people to disregard caffeinated beverages as part of the daily fluid intake is not substantiated by the results of this study."


http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/12834577 (the diuretic effect of caffeine is minimal)

"...nor does it cause significant dehydration or electrolyte imbalance during exercise."


http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/12187618 (the diuretic effect of caffeine is minimal)

"The literature indicates that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water, but there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health"

"Investigations comparing caffeine (100-680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume."

tigersword

Sara beat me to it.

cjsacto

Why are you trying so hard to dissuade people from drinking water???

So, fine, the medical community reverses itself every few years about what counts and what doesn't. I don't see a problem that you count coffee, tea, etc., if you want to. Count juice and milk, even soda. Fine. Fruits and many veggies and other foods contain water, sure. The article you linked to says foods can contribute up to 20% of our daily water intake. Where do you get the rest? Do you drink a LOT of coffee?

My original point, in response to the OP's question, in a genuine effort to be helpful, is to be sure to remain hydrated. 8 glasses of water a day is a great guideline for many people, because it can be tracked easily. Maybe it's a bit more than you need, depending on what you are eating or what else you are drinking, and your level of activity, but it's a nice, simple rule of thumb with no negative effect on your body. Dehydration can be a real problem for people when they become more active than they are used to being. Many, many people, whether they are trying to lose weight or not, are chronically dehydrated. The fact is you can't rely on your "thirst" response alone.

Here's a good article about dehydration: http://www.rodale.com/chronic-dehydration
"As your body gets used to chronic dehydration, you lose your sensitivity to water deprivation and don't get thirsty when you need to."
I have personally experienced this - I would go all day without drinking, and wouldn't feel thirsty (too busy to notice maybe) until the very end of the day, when I would be gasping for water. It's great if you are more in tune with your body so you recognize the instant you are thirsty, but getting into a routine of drinking water is a healthy habit and I don't understand why you would ridicule that.

Mayo Clinic: "But, if you're exercising, don't wait for thirst to keep up with your fluids."
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=prevention

Downside to drinking 6-8 glass of water a day: you pee more, takes some getting used to
Downside to not getting enough liquid: serious health problems