HELP! *master water drinkers*

I know, completely + utterly how important it is to drink water....I just can't seem to bring myself to do it, as often as I should. -some days I'll go without drinking a drop of anything, without noticing-

How have you found success, mastering this craft? What have you noticed in your body, when you don't?

Any + ALL thoughts welcome! *thanks*

Replies

  • FUELERDUDE
    FUELERDUDE Posts: 150 Member
    I dink a lot of water. One thing I do to help make sure I am drinking water is to always have some handy. I have a water canister/bottle at my desk at work, one in my gym bag (which is in the car), and I normally have a glass nearby when at home.

    When I don't drink enough water, I can feel it in my kidney area (hard to explain how it feels) as well as a dry mouth.

    When I go out to eat a meal, I order water (or a ask for a water cup if at a sandwich joint).
  • Triciasal19
    Triciasal19 Posts: 13 Member
    I'm sure to have water nearby all day. I drink before and after a workout. I also use an app for smartphones called water your body that will remind you every few hours to drink water and it helped out a lot. I can't go without water now because I feel sluggish and tired, my mouth gets super dry, and I end up feeling hungry.
    I used to be like you but now I crave the water and need it.
  • ChetThaker
    ChetThaker Posts: 186 Member
    I was pretty poor at getting my water intake in but things have now changed. A few things have helped me with this and firstly as FUELERDUDE says its good to always have it handy. I kept bottles of water in the car, at home and at the office and tried to drink them through the day.

    Another key thing I found was that if I kept a 1 or 1.5 liter bottle I'd struggle to get through the bottle in the whole day I was in the office. I switched to refillable 500ml water bottle and that helps me get through 1 to 1.5 litres without any issues. Having a smaller bottle for some reason works - something about breaking things down into smaller goals I expect.

    Since I've got used to drinking water I've noticed a big difference in my energy levels where when I get a good intake in I feel awake and energises whereas when I don't I get very lethargic and feel sleepy in the afternoons and evenings. I realised this wasn't tireness but dehydration.

    Finally drinking more water makes you pee more so you move more ;-)
  • holleysings
    holleysings Posts: 664 Member
    I know, completely + utterly how important it is to drink water....I just can't seem to bring myself to do it, as often as I should. -some days I'll go without drinking a drop of anything, without noticing-

    How have you found success, mastering this craft? What have you noticed in your body, when you don't?

    Any + ALL thoughts welcome! *thanks*

    I drink 20oz of water every time I eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Then I drink water with my snacks or a cup of tea. I track my water (NOT the tea) every day to make sure I get enough. You just have to drink it. Can't up your water intake if you don't drink water!

    If I don't drink enough water, my head hurts, my workouts aren't as efficient because I'm dehydrated, and I tire easily in general. And it's such an easy thing to do!
  • colleen3115
    colleen3115 Posts: 69 Member
    The days I don't drink as much water I can feel it in my hands and my mouth feels dry. Still a work in progress, but I have basically cut out the venti iced latte and drinking water has helped fill that gap.
  • caligulala
    caligulala Posts: 44 Member
    Contigo water bottle. They sell them in 3 packs at Costco or they are on amazon. The way the spigot is set up helps you drink SO MUCH MORE water than with a glass or through a straw. You'll take a swig or two and look at the bottle and you've had 8 ounces. I finally got my husband to start using one and he remarked on how much more he's able to drink. They also never leak. I've got one from 2006 that's still in regular rotation. Here's a link to the kind I'm talking about:

    http://www.amazon.com/Contigo-AUTOSEAL-Water-Bottle-Ounces/dp/B003KZKE1C/ref=sr_1_7?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1364232488&sr=1-7&keywords=contigo

    I would be bereft and dehydrated without my water bottles!
  • otterish
    otterish Posts: 50 Member
    Oddly enough, when I don't get enough water I don't seem to sleep well. My skins gets dry, too.
    The thing that has helped me get enough/more water is to have a pretty bottle to drink from. Sounds kind of silly but it works for me.
  • chuckles9189
    chuckles9189 Posts: 343 Member
    I drink 20-24 cups a day. I drink out of a nalgene (which is a liter). The easiest way for me to up my intake was to wake up and FIRST thing drink a full liter. I dont eat until I've got one down (boom 4 cups). I then just made sure to have another before lunch. and one between lunch and dinner. You'll get there. And then you'll wonder why it was sooo hard in the first place (i was the same way. ).

    I also read from another MFP friend that she put rubber bands or bracelets on one wrist for each glass of water...and every time she drank one she moved a bracelet until she drank enough to have them all on the other side. I thought that was cool.
  • natini
    natini Posts: 347 Member
    I bought some plastic cups with straws. Drinking out of a straw really help me. I have several of these cups at work, one in my bedroom, and one in the kitchen. I fill them up all day long and sip out of them. It is a 20 oz cup. I drink probably 4 at work alone and then more at night.
  • berthabunny
    berthabunny Posts: 251 Member
    I keep water near me. EVERYWHERE! I am lazy, so I need it within reach, or it's not worth the effort.
    I have three water bottles in my room (one on a carabiner on my bedpost :)) , another in my gym bag, one in my backpack... you get the point. I refill them all the time. I drink a full glass with my vitamins in the morning. I try to drink water at every meal.

    You do have to make a conscious effort to drink enough.

    You can set your MFP app to remind you to eat your meals, why not label one for water, and have it remind you to drink a glass?
  • twinmomtwice4
    twinmomtwice4 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Every morning I fill a gallon jug with fresh water and I just know that my goal is to finish that jug of water by the time I go to bed every day. And I have a 24-oz water bottle that I fill with that water that I sip on throughout the day and just keep refilling it from the jug each time I finish.

    Takes the stress off remembering to count how many glasses I've had and there's something mentally rewarding about seeing the water in the jug get lower and lower as I drink it.
  • If you're an Iphone user there are loads of free apps which will record your intake and remind you to drink throughout the day.... I use 'drink right' but there are lots to choose from :-)
  • nmb0717
    nmb0717 Posts: 130 Member
    I found that I drink way more water out of a water bottle w/ a straw than one without. I am probably borderline OCD about having my water bottle w/ me at all times too. I literally carry it EVERYWHERE. Go get yourself a nice water bottle from somewhere like Target or Walmart that has a straw and see if that works for you.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    Well, I'm going to be about the only person to respond saying I don't drink a lot and I'm not too concerned. First, I do drink more then I used to. I average about 5-6 8oz glasses a day. But, our bodies need "hydration". It doesn't matter if it come from glasses of water, coffee, soup or fruit. The whole I must drink 8 glasses of water a day is really a myth. As long as your body is getting the "hydration" it needs you're good. Does drinking water help in some ways sure but for bodily function "hydration" is what is needed. If your urine is a very light yellow color then you are good on the hydration front.

    I used to be like you where I drank very little in any form of liquid. I just wasn't really thirsty(I've now come to learn that can be a symptom of dehydration, along with headaches). I just plain, flat out started making myself drink water. I don't drink any thing else on a "regular" basis. I prefer to eat my calories instead of drinking them. I have water flavorings that I also add to my water sometimes. I've found that helps when I get bored with plain water and want something sweet.
  • Debbiedebbiey
    Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
    Lemon wedges carried in my purse all day. Hmmmm, happy liver!
  • I found that I drink way more water out of a water bottle w/ a straw than one without. I am probably borderline OCD about having my water bottle w/ me at all times too. I literally carry it EVERYWHERE. Go get yourself a nice water bottle from somewhere like Target or Walmart that has a straw and see if that works for you.

    A straw really helps me too! I can drink a lot more, a lot faster when I have a straw so I get a lot more out of the effort to grab some water! I keep my large dunkin donuts cups around for a while after the occasional iced coffee treat!
  • lilvonne80
    lilvonne80 Posts: 24 Member
    I take a 50.7oz bottle of smart water to work and I put in 1 crystal light packet made for the 16.9oz bottles and I drink it ALL DAY then if I finish it I will get another one. I also try to drink 1 glass before bed and one glass when I wake up. I am a water snob so if it tastes funny I won't touch it. I would rather drink NOTHING than drink bad tasting water.

    I know folks say crystal light is bad due to the artifical sweetners but this is how I get my water in. If I don't drink enough my face breaks out. and my pee is yellow. Or I'll have a contest with myself to see how much water can I drink to get my pee to go clear... gross but it works for me
  • PoshyChristine
    PoshyChristine Posts: 12 Member
    I'm patting myself on the back for all the water I've drank so far...brb...gotta refill :smooched:
  • misskym
    misskym Posts: 52 Member
    I have a 32oz hospital mug both at home and at work. It's the only thing I will drink my water from (unless I'm not at home or work, obviously!), and it's just become habit. I fill it up with ice and water as soon as I wake up, and I drink it before I make breakfast, during, and after. I drink at least 4-5 mugs of water a day. My low water days are usually 3 mugs, and I will get headaches if I don't drink more. I noticed that if I am out and about and am thirsty, but have no immediate access to water, my tonsils swell and I become ravenous for it. I will drink 2 whole mugs of water when I get home.

    I actually don't log my water because I don't ever think about logging it- drinking water has become such second nature that I don't feel I need to log it to remember I drank a certain amount on a daily basis. I *always* drink more than enough because outside of my morning coffee, water is all I drink.