I've always had trouble drinking 8 glasses of water per day

fddc2cpa
fddc2cpa Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
No matter what, I have always had trouble taking in the daily recommendation of 8 glasses of water. Even if I exercise and drink say, two bottles of water during and afterwards, I end up drinking less during the remainder of the day.

I've tried adding the low-calorie drink mixes to make it more "fun"... doesn't work.
I have a 32 oz. jug-looking water bottle on my desk at work, and know that I should drink two of them per day... can't do it.
I do occasionally suffer from gout and take medication for it which necessitates high fluid intake to avoid kidney stones... still struggling.
Oftentimes, I feel as if I have a physical limitation from being able to drink more water than what I do, especially in the morning.

I think in the 3 months that I've been on MFP and tracking water intake, the most I've ever recorded was 5 glasses. My average is probably down at like 2 or 3.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this? Do you just try to force yourself to drink 8 oz. for every two waking hours?
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Replies

  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    At first, I struggled with getting my water in, but I did force myself to drink it. Before I would eat, I would make sure I drank 10-15 ozs. I love hot sauce, so I would put extra on my salads and that would def. help getting my water in. I know that sounds pretty silly, but it worked for me. Bottom line, you just have to do it.
  • KatMo92
    KatMo92 Posts: 7
    I have a hard time drinking water too ! Forcing myself doesn't work that much .
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Don't bother, drink when you are thirsty
  • xoTammyox
    xoTammyox Posts: 74 Member
    I'm an accountant and am super busy at work. Before I didn't like to drink water because I didn't have time to go to the bathroom. I make time now- plus I think I need a break from Excel and my butt!

    Oh I have a 32 oz water jug myself and I make sure I drink one beore lunch or I can't eat! I know crazy. So I make sure by lunch time I've already down at leat 64 oz. I do the same when I snack. I try to drink 1/4 of bottle.
  • GeorgieLove708
    GeorgieLove708 Posts: 442 Member
    I don't know that I can really help (I love water, drink tons... lately 15-22 cups a day 120-176oz), but I always drink 2-4 (2 cup) glasses first thing in the morning, every time I feel hungry or thirsty, and take a glass upstairs that holds 3 cups of water to drink when I go upstairs to bed. I also eat like my food spicy and use a lot of salt which makes me drink more. You really do just have to get yourself used to drinking it though.
  • EllyG08
    EllyG08 Posts: 194 Member
    I count my cups of green tea as water. Most times I just keep adding water and use the same tea bag. I'm often cold in the office, so drinking tea instead of plain or flavored water works best for me.

    In fact, water is about all that I drink. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've had juice (other than in a smoothie) and soda.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    No matter what, I have always had trouble taking in the daily recommendation of 8 glasses of water. Even if I exercise and drink say, two bottles of water during and afterwards, I end up drinking less during the remainder of the day.

    I've tried adding the low-calorie drink mixes to make it more "fun"... doesn't work.
    I have a 32 oz. jug-looking water bottle on my desk at work, and know that I should drink two of them per day... can't do it.
    I do occasionally suffer from gout and take medication for it which necessitates high fluid intake to avoid kidney stones... still struggling.
    Oftentimes, I feel as if I have a physical limitation from being able to drink more water than what I do, especially in the morning.

    I think in the 3 months that I've been on MFP and tracking water intake, the most I've ever recorded was 5 glasses. My average is probably down at like 2 or 3.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this? Do you just try to force yourself to drink 8 oz. for every two waking hours?

    I might be weird but I forced myself to chug down 16 ounces at once starting first thing in the morning. I don't really track it because I know I get enough. I probably do this about 6 times a day. You start to sort of crave it after awhile. But I have to be near a restroom. If I'm out on my job on the streets no way. I drink just enough to get by. Luckily I only work part time and I am retired (I hate the word retired but its the best that describes I have no income at the moment). My part time job is volunteer.
  • Irina541
    Irina541 Posts: 1
    I cannot drink 8 glasses of water, but what I do drink and which helps is a litter bottle of water with crystal light, which is 10 calories a straw. One day last summer I actually drank 13 bottles in one day! I couldn't believe it. That is the most I have EVER drank in one day, but then the temp was 100 degrees!
  • tenaheff
    tenaheff Posts: 88
    Don't bother, drink when you are thirsty

    What he said. I read an article that indicated the need to drink 8 glasses of water a day is a myth and it was never grounded in any facts or study. However, it has been what people are told for so long now that no one really bothers to look at the true science about it.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I have a glass everytime I go in the kitchen :smile:
  • tigertuff1
    tigertuff1 Posts: 2
    The 32 oz JUG may be too daunting for you. Try a smaller container to drink from if you are able to re-fill it easily at work. I have a 16oz tumbler cup with the straw (the all-the craze go-green cup type). I just have to fill it up 4 times a day and ta-dah, I have my 8 glasses for the day! Sometimes having a straw makes it go down faster. You can fantasize you are drinking your favorite cocktail or soda ! Ha! It's hard , but keep trying!! Set small goals. Tell yourself, this week i am going to drink 4 glasses every day, then the next week try to increase it a glass per day...
  • Jenat12
    Jenat12 Posts: 9
    You can always do something like this where you mark times on a water bottle (10am, 12pm, 1pm, ect) and have to drink to that line by that time! It may help setting small goals for yourself to start out with. :wink:

    http://undressedskeleton.tumblr.com/post/23121659546/water-hydration-plan
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Maybe you would like this:
    Very big glass.
    Ice
    Sparkling mineral water
    juice of lemon
    slice of lemon
    slices of fruit...strawberry, a frozen blackberry or two
    maybe sweeten with stevia extract.
    Drink.
    Repeat:)

    You might also be a person who likes GT Dave's kombucha.....very hydrating and very little cals:)
  • jaybird951
    jaybird951 Posts: 53 Member
    same here...but i can easily drink 16 bottles of beer in a day..no problem
  • med2017
    med2017 Posts: 192 Member
    if you are hungry drink water instead.
  • graceful2002
    graceful2002 Posts: 16
    same here...but i can easily drink 16 bottles of beer in a day..no problem

    LOL!!!!
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
    yes i have always been bad about staying hydrated. At this point it's a conscious act everyday in an effort to be healthy. I do have to force it so to speak- but ive found that my body feels much better throughout the day when I do.

    I look at it as a challenge- sort of like exercise or eating healthy. Gotta do it!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    it takes about 4 seconds to drink a cup of water. less than a minute all together to drink 8 cups and you have all frickin day to do it

    MAN UP and quit whining and drink your water

    good god...
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Don't bother, drink when you are thirsty
    This.
    The adage 8 glasses of water is not based on any scientific facts. Not to mention, contrary to popular MFP belief, everything we drink counts, even caffeinated beverages. Even food you eat provided water for your body.
  • icreate
    icreate Posts: 60
    yes i have always been bad about staying hydrated. At this point it's a conscious act everyday in an effort to be healthy. I do have to force it so to speak- but ive found that my body feels much better throughout the day when I do.

    I look at it as a challenge- sort of like exercise or eating healthy. Gotta do it!

    Thats a great way of looking at it :)
  • Susanthecatwhisperer
    Susanthecatwhisperer Posts: 141 Member
    Me too! Although, in the warm weather, I can drink a 32 oz bottle of G2 Gatorade, so I hope that counts for something! I will go through spells of drinking water, or something else with flavor, even if it's a little lemon seltzer. :)
  • Mrsfreedom41
    Mrsfreedom41 Posts: 330 Member
    I make lemonade. 1 cup of lemon juice (from the large plastic bottle)
    1 cup of sugar or sugar substitute (I use splenda)
    6 l/2 cups of water
    Mix together and keep in fridge
    This is the only way that I can get in my water for the day and if you use a sugar substitute, there is no calories.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    I know some people will tell you to forget about the 8 glasses of water per day suggestion. I feel dramatically different after getting to the 8 glass minimum. I guess I didn't realize how dehydrated I was. Or, how splenda drinks seem to trigger my cravings for sweets. I'm going to continue counting my water because it works for me.

    That said, try drinking ice cold water through a straw. Some lemon, lime, orange wedges may also help.
  • fatty_mcgoo
    fatty_mcgoo Posts: 4
    I used to have the same problem. You probably don't feel thirsty because your body is so used to being dehydrated that it retains a lot of water. I know this was the case for me. My change was gradual though. If I went from drinking 2 glasses a day to 8, I didn't feel great. So I started with 3 glasses a day, then 5, etc. Over time the "thirst monitor" in my brain changed. Now (after about a year of consciously trying to drink more water) I easily drink about 10-12 glasses without needing external prompting. Some general suggestions:

    - use a Pur filter, it might be that you don't like the taste of tap water. (Consumer Reports gave Pur better ratings than for Brita)

    - drink ice cold water (again, taste. it makes water taste less mineral-ly)

    - flavor water with natural fruits or vegetables like lemon, cucumber, strawberries, raspberries, etc. AVOID adding artificial flavoring, it usually contains copious amounts of citric acid which is really bad for your teeth and calcium levels. It also generally contains artificial sweeteners which can also cause problems. Stevia should be ok.

    - try carbonated mineral water. not as good as pure water but definitely not as bad as artificial stuff/soda.

    - keep a reward jar on your desk. One jar has marbles, the other is empty. Move a marble over everytime you drink a glass of water. It's up to you whether the marbles signify anything (e.g. 1 marble = 1 dollar you can spend on a treat). Even if the marbles do not represent anything, studies show that being able to visually see and quantify progress is extremely motivational.

    - force yourself to drink more water for one week. make a note of how you feel through out the day, if you feel more energized, less sluggish, etc. If you feel better, you may be more encouraged to keep up the habit. (try to even out how much you drink throughout the day. If you chug down 4-5 cups at a time, you will feel sick as you may overtax your kidneys and throw your electrolytes off balance).

    - a specific suggestion: my aversion to drinking water stemmed from having slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis) i.e. I feel full for a LONG time after eating, so adding water to that just makes me feel way too bloated. If you have this problem as well, try to identify what is causing your stomach emptying and then avoid those types of foods. If it's not caused by a particular food and is just a physiological thing, eat/drink some ginger, it should speed up stomach emptying.

    Hope some of these are useful. Good luck and good health! :)
  • newpurple2013
    newpurple2013 Posts: 3
    I collect water pretty water bottles which helps me want to drink water. For real sounds funny but it works for me. Plus I like water taste so refreshing:)
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
    I find the whole drinking water thing so silly and so misunderstood. there is liquid in most food - maybe you eat a lot of fruit and get fluid in that way.
    Its amazing how many people think it actually has to be water, and any other liquid doesn't count. It just means thats about the fluid you need in your diet you get it in all sorts of ways and your body is pretty smart, it will tell you when you need a drink.
    I mean there are people in the world literally drowning themselves to death with water because of the whole drink water thing, it happens. People actually die from drinking too much!
  • cwmw
    cwmw Posts: 30
    No matter what, I have always had trouble taking in the daily recommendation of 8 glasses of water. Even if I exercise and drink say, two bottles of water during and afterwards, I end up drinking less during the remainder of the day.

    I've tried adding the low-calorie drink mixes to make it more "fun"... doesn't work.
    I have a 32 oz. jug-looking water bottle on my desk at work, and know that I should drink two of them per day... can't do it.
    I do occasionally suffer from gout and take medication for it which necessitates high fluid intake to avoid kidney stones... still struggling.
    Oftentimes, I feel as if I have a physical limitation from being able to drink more water than what I do, especially in the morning.

    I think in the 3 months that I've been on MFP and tracking water intake, the most I've ever recorded was 5 glasses. My average is probably down at like 2 or 3.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this? Do you just try to force yourself to drink 8 oz. for every two waking hours?

    I'm always over my water quota daily, will share with you how I manage this.

    - Half a glass of water when I wake up (0.5z)
    - Cup of coffee to start my day (1.5)
    - Half a glass of water to wash down the coffee aftertaste (2)
    - Cup of hot green tea when I get to work (3)
    - Another cup of hot green tea for lunch (4)
    - A third cup of green tea/water for the afternoon (5)
    - Cup of water when I get home (6)
    - Cup of hot tea after shower (7)
    - Glass of water with dinner (8)
    - Two cups of hot tea whilst browsing internet after dinner (10)

    Hope that helps with your water intake!
  • fddc2cpa
    fddc2cpa Posts: 24 Member
    Thank you, everyone, for the supportive comments (except Dave198lbs.)
  • fddc2cpa
    fddc2cpa Posts: 24 Member
    it takes about 4 seconds to drink a cup of water. less than a minute all together to drink 8 cups and you have all frickin day to do it

    MAN UP and quit whining and drink your water

    good god...

    Dave198lbs: Gee, that's so supportive of you. Now go back to staring at yourself in the mirror.
  • Hollie6790
    Hollie6790 Posts: 14 Member
    I had trouble too, in the beginning. I drink a glass when I wake up to start, and then throughout the day I drink out of my aluminum water bottle which holds 2 cups so it's a little easier. It's definitely a challenge but I end up forcing it because it's so good for you. I've noticed how much better I feel when I do have 7 or 8 glasses. I know the amount of ounces has been debated or what not, but I think 8 is good. Drink out of 16oz bottles or cups this way it seems like 1 but it's technically 2.

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