I Know I'm Gonna Be Attacked For This..

But I don't drink water. Ever since I was young my parents would try to give me water and I'd just throw it up. Could it be a mental thing? Probably. To this day I despise water. I've been trying to dilute my drinks. 60% water, 40% natural cranberry juice. Can anyone be of help to me and tell me if diluting the drinks is a better idea than not doing at all?

Yes diluting them is better than no water, and yes it's a mental thing, you might try seeing a shrink.

I dislike plain water as well. The way I drink 64-120oz a day is through adding one crystal light to my 32oz water bottle. Gives it enough flavor to help me chug it down throughout the day. One I really like is their "energy" brand called Wild Strawberry.

watermellon in your water is wonderful! So is lemons, oranges, and frozen fruit! Cucumber water is my favorite of all time though!!! I just peel a cucumber and slice it and throw it in a glass jar in my fridge!

If you're looking for another "clean" way to get water, I've had great success with dissolving a tablespoon of honey in warm water with a dash of cinnamon and then adding water and ice to fill a giant glass. It tastes very much like iced tea to me...without the tea. It super refreshing. My favorite time to enjoy it is right after my workout. Good luck and kudos for trying to find a way to make it work!

I also get sick from too much plain water. At the risk of angering the entire dieting community, I'm going to assert an alternate opinion on the need for 8 glasses a day.

It is a myth.

Now, don't hate me. Keep reading.

Our bodies AVERAGE a loss of somewhere around 8-10 cups of fluid a day. Staying hydrated is a good thing. But the amount of fluid we need varies widely. I have been sick for a few days. I have exercised little. Sweated little. Stayed in a 68* room. Somewhere out there are folks who have sweated up a storm working out strenuously. People in very hot climates are losing fluids at a higher rate too.

So, 8 glasses is not a universal need.

It also varies based on our diet. If we are eating lots of fruits and vegetables, we are getting a lot of healthy hydration from them. Potatoes are 70% water. Think about the volume of fluid lost in spinach when we cook it. If we are enjoying a spinach salad, we are getting fluid there. There is fluid in other beverages, meats and fish. WE REPLACE ABOUT 4 CUPS OF FLUID A DAY THROUGH OUR FOOD.

Water Content of Foods By Percentage:
Apples: 85
Apricots: 85
Bean sprouts: 92
Chicken, boiled: 71
Cucumbers, raw: 96
Eggplant, raw: 92
Grapes: 82
Lettuce, head: 96
Oranges: 86
Peaches, raw: 90
Peppers, green: 94
Potatoes, raw: 85
Strawberries, raw: 90
Turkey, roasted: 62
Watermelon: 93

(The information above was referenced from Survival Acres)

WATER IS A GREAT CHOICE! But studies have found that the only liquid that causes dehydration is alcohol. We even adjust to the caffeine in beverages so much so that they do rehydrate us. If you can't tolerate pure water, eat lots of good healthy greens, have a glass of milk, eat low-fat yogurt, healthy soup, fresh or frozen fruit or low fat cottage cheese.

Some sites to check out:

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

THE TIMES OF INDIA: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-28/diet/32078155_1_fluid-intake-water-litres

CBS NEWS: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-3991145.html

HEALTH DECIDE: http://healthdecide.orcahealth.com/2012/06/27/8-glasses-water-day-myth/#.UTC69Yy9KSM

PSYCHCENTRAL: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/

SCIENCE DAILY: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/08/020809071640.htm

WOMEN'S HEALTH: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/h20-myths-bottled-water-and-more

INTELIHEALTH: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/35320/35323/358636.html?d=dmtHMSContent

NPR: http://www.npr.org/2008/04/03/89323934/five-myths-about-drinking-water