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MyFitnessPal Community

Water

Melissa999999

I am having a problem getting in the full 8 cups of water in a day. I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to increase this or if drinking Crystal Light would count toward the water count.

Replies

cats121

Drinking Crystal Light or green tea or lemon flavored water, etc., definitely counts towards your water consumption. I tend to drink more water when I use a straw- weird, but true for me. I like the hard plastic insulated cups with straws. I tend to drink a lot of iced green tea and flavor it with Truvia and maybe lemon; I make a big container of it and drink several of those every day along with water (even bring big containers of it to work with me). You do get used to drinking more water - especially if you're eliminating some other beverage that's high calories. I would just take care with zero calories drinks like diet soda, especially if caffeinated. It does get easier!

jlo9871

Don't rely on artificial sweetners...they are full of toxic chemicals.

Stick to water. It does a body good!

babyblooz

Don't rely on artificial sweetners...they are full of toxic chemicals.

Stick to water. It does a body good!

Yep. I've always felt that once you add flavored powder (or liquid) to water, you're no longer drinking water.

Angie1366

Don't rely on artificial sweetners...they are full of toxic chemicals.

Stick to water. It does a body good!

Yes... artificial sweeteners are a poison if you take too much - your body actually starts to fight the toxin by.... making you fatter!!!!

Well it can kill dogs and they are mammals too! Step away from the diet drinks!

Life Sucks, eh!?

babyblooz

I tend to drink more water when I use a straw- weird, but true for me.

I don't know if it matters to you, but drinking through a straw causes lip wrinkles.

IslandSteph

I am a full on water loving girl. although I wasn't always that way. I make a goal for myself. At every meal I drink 16 oz of water and at every snack at least 8 oz. sometimes I will add a splash of fruit like a lemon or lime wedge. Drop in a strawberry or a few blueberries. some even like a cucumber slice. But usually I hit my 8 glasses well before dinner so now at dinner I have a glass of tea or lemonade (I don't do soda). If I feel that I need a non water beverage at lunch I have to have it alongside with the water. It's kinda like mapping out your meals.

I have been soda free for two years and I don't even add fruit to my water anymore. It takes some discipline but it soon becomes a habit.

LittleMissNerdy

I know I have an easier time drinking water if it's ice cold.

IslandSteph

OMG I died laughing...lip wrinkles. :-D

cmriverside

So much hysteria in this thread. It must be difficult to navigate life with all these alarmist beliefs.

To the OP - obviously artificial sweeteners are not the best choice, but used sparingly will not probably cause you any ill effects. And they are not going to make you fat. Too many calories make you fat.

Fercryinoutloud, if ya like straws, use them.

babyblooz

OMG I died laughing...lip wrinkles. :-D

It's true!!! :laugh: Smokers and straw drinkers! Actually, any repetitive expression you make can contribute to wrinkles, like frown lines.

marvybells

water i get about 3 glasses in. the rest is usually plain black tea, hot or iced. i sometimes use a tiny bit of stevia to sweeten it if i really am craving it. I also love Yogi Teas, they have lots of great flavors and i noticed that drinking them can help keep the appetite down

marvybells

so can smiling, but it's not gonna stop me!

ooopsy, edit!----that was meant as a reply to "It's true!!! laugh Smokers and straw drinkers! Actually, any repetitive expression you make can contribute to wrinkles, like frown lines."

babyblooz

So much hysteria in this thread. It must be difficult to navigate life with all these alarmist beliefs.

I think you must be reading a different thread than I am. No hysteria whatsoever.

jenniferawilkes

All I drink is water... I keep a big cup of water on my nightstand... I keep a jug of water at my desk at work and a bottle of water in my car... so, all I see is water... and when I thirsty, it's readily available!

jetlag

I always get flamed when I say this but I'll keep trying; the 8 glasses of water a day thing is a misunderstanding of study results which actually said you need the equivalent of 8 glasses of water, most of which comes from food.

But somehow it's become diet truth (like coffee dehydrates you or saturated fat causing heart disease, based on a flawed study by Ancel Keys).

Don't stress it, drink as much as your body says you need.

Google 8 glasses water myth or see:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

katemarie4

i have a hard time sipping water throughout the day, but i make myself drink only water when i'm having meals. i tend to drink more while i'm eating anyway, so i can easily get in a good 12-16oz of water in a meal. multiply that by 3 meals (or more smaller meals) and i'm already at 36-48oz!

mabug01

I have found through experience that I lose weight faster when I drink water. I always add flavoring because it adds dimension to my meal. It is scientifically true that you get a good deal of water from food, but that doesn't seem to work as well as adding glasses of water, at least for me. I say just enjoy what you like. Life is too short to worry about it.

MissJanet55

I fill a 591 ml diet coke bottle with water and carry it around the house with me when I'm home, and by the end of the day I've had 8 glasses without noticing it. When I'm at work, I keep a full bottle on my desk, and when it's empty I refill it.

My sister made it a policy to drink a full glass of water every time she goes to the bathroom, but for me sipping is better (lip wrinkles or no).

For some reason, not sure why, I try to drink enough water to pee clear. When I'm not doing that, I drink a little more.

victoriavoodoo

I drink tea 24/7, unsweetened real loose leaf tea not some lipton sugared crap so I count it towards my water. Also no milk; I didn't know people added milk to tea until reading it here on mfp.

I recently switched over to only drinking it through straws, as it was beginning to darken my teeth. I'd rather some wrinkles down the line than dull stained teeth.

Also I kind of just really like bendy straws, they totally make it more fun =].

For some reason, not sure why, I try to drink enough water to pee clear. When I'm not doing that, I drink a little more.

That's what my mama taught me to do, if it's clear you know you're getting enough she said.

SaintBock

So much hysteria in this thread. It must be difficult to navigate life with all these alarmist beliefs.

To the OP - obviously artificial sweeteners are not the best choice, but used sparingly will not probably cause you any ill effects. And they are not going to make you fat. Too many calories make you fat.

Fercryinoutloud, if ya like straws, use them.

This exactly.

I'd say the best way that I get my liquids in is by having tea. I do love water, but sometimes I'm in the mood for some actual taste... and with all the different types of teas out there, it's easy to find something that I am in the mood for. I also find it helps keep away cravings, whereas water doesn't really help me much with that. Having a bit of flavour calms them down.

Mmmmm I have like 7 different teas on my counter right now... gotta decide which to drink today! :P

21Pontoon

I like to drink a pint before every meal and have water sitting near you at all times. Drinking really cold water can make you drink more but also just generally giving yourself a time to drink water each day helps, eventually you'll realise you're actually that thirsty and it will become a go-to drink. That's what happened to me anyway x

VickiPerfect

I invested in a soda stream I loved my fizzy pop and hated water now I only drink fizzy water and I'm even using plain now too.. I was a Pepsi max addict .. My skin is so much better for it too

tpt1950

For me, drinking water is one of the major keys to losing weight. I drink more than the normal suggestion, but I truly believe it helps me to feel more full and it does wonders for my skin. I take out five 20-ounce bottles of water every morning and cut a lemon into wedges. Squeeze one wedge into each bottle of water and put them in the refrigerator to chill up. That keeps track of my consumption for the day - I know that I have to finish all five bottles of water by the time I go to bed in the evening. The lemon makes the water taste better and it also helps to flush out/detox you. Also, I have read that drinking your liquids ice cold helps to burn a few more calories because your body has to heat it up inside of you... extra bonus! Good luck.

Helenal91

Try and get a water bottle that you carry around with you all the time. I have one that filters the water as I drink it. I know it sounds weird but this helps me.

Also try and drink a cup before and after you have a meal. This will not only make you feel fuller, but then you have got 6 in just by doing this.

I have also heard that hunger is sometimes dehydration, so water instead of food may help.

Hope this helps

Lovett123

I tend to drink more out of a bottle than a glass so I fill up a litre bottle of water in the morning, take it to work/college with me and when I get home I fill it up again and make sure I have finished the second bottle before bed time! that way I'm getting 2 litres of water and day and feel sooo much better for it!

quirkytizzy

I know I have an easier time drinking water if it's ice cold.

This. Room temperature water actually makes me nauseas. That said, you can get used to it. When I started a couple of months ago I had to force myself to even get two glasses a day. Now I drink almost exclusively water and enjoy it!

WendyTerry420

Don't rely on artificial sweetners...they are full of toxic chemicals.

Stick to water. It does a body good!

Yes... artificial sweeteners are a poison if you take too much - your body actually starts to fight the toxin by.... making you fatter!!!!

Well it can kill dogs and they are mammals too! Step away from the diet drinks!

Life Sucks, eh!?

Where are all the people that should be dropping dead from poison? Just curious.

jasonheyd

I think it's been said above already, but you don't necessarily *need* to drink 64 oz. of water in a day, and pretty much any liquid will count as "water intake" (even coffee or beer, although some choices are obviously going to be better than others in terms of calories / sugar content).

The bonuses of water over a lot of other liquids are that it'll fill you up, it'll help keep things moving in the digestive tract, and it's not going to add any calories to your diet.

travlinjess

I'm going to make a recommendation since this topic is going. I like water, so I have no problems drinking it in its natural form. But I was finding it hard getting in the 8 glasses a day....usually drinking about 6 after putting in some effort.

WELL, I recently purchased a Nalgene water bottle that now makes it so easy for me to reach my water intake goal. Something about its size and design makes it perfect. I never thought a water bottle would make such a difference, but it has. I fill it up, keep it nearby, and know that once I've had 3 bottles full (at 650ml mark), I've had my 8 glasses of water. Easy to monitor and keep track of....

I purchased mine at L.L. Bean for less than $9....but here it is on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Nalgene-Water-Bottle-Clear-White/dp/B0043T37UY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357502531&sr=8-1&keywords=nalgene+on+the+fly

I was using a different water bottle before with a screw top, but this other one has kicked it to the curb.

I am no way affiliated with the brand and have never publicly promoted any product (seriously the first time), but I couldn't resist passing on this tip, especially if it will help someone else.

Good luck!

MissJanet55

I always get flamed when I say this but I'll keep trying; the 8 glasses of water a day thing is a misunderstanding of study results which actually said you need the equivalent of 8 glasses of water, most of which comes from food.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

I have read this before. and I eat a lot of produce so I don't worry too much about the quantity of water, I just make sure I drink it throughout the day. And I do believe we aren't all the same, some of us might need more or less than the recommended amount. But given how often I read people talking about how little fruit and veg they eat on a daily basis, I'm wondering if people are getting as much water from food as they think.