Drinking enough water?

I have to be honest, I was like you before, where drinking water was the biggest pain. There were years that I would drink more than enough water, and other years nothing. I couldn't really figure out why. What I do know is that when I do drink enough water, my overall health is better. I can eat more regularly, I tend to sleep better, etc.

Of course, I have this aversion with drinking plain old lukewarm water as well. So I've started making my own naturally flavored water. That's been helping too.

I really do suggest getting more water in. It's hard at first, and you really won't know why... but the long run, it's much better for your health.

I am TERRIBLE about drinking water. To be honest, I don't even really like water. I would happily drink diet pop all day. (Or milk, really, but I am cutting my calories so I am getting little to no milk lately, which is sad!) When I am not drinking pop, I don't drink much at all.

I am working on this (not recording it, but I am working on it). However, I do have a question--how many people really notice a difference when they drink enough? I've had a few people comment that it's easier to lose weight when they are more hydrated, but I truthfully don't see a difference even when I am drinking 6+ glasses of water a day.

It's good to be hydrated. So good, in fact, that we have a built in mechanism to tell us to drink ("thirst").

Drinking 8 cups a day of water aids the weight loss process a few different way
1 - if you drink water immediately prior to a meal, you have "something" in your stomach so you will tend to eat less. This is a dietary crutch, obviously, because you're trading one habit (eating too much) for another (drinking water). This behavior is, unquestionably, far better than continuing to overeat but it is not a long term solution to weight.

2 - some dieters get constipated and drinking more water can help limit constipation

3 - if give you something to do with your hands. Again, it's much better to fondle a water bottle than it is to overeat and, again, it's not a long term solution.

Other than that, I have not read a medically-based document that provides any reason for a normally hydrated person to consume "8 cups per day".

In wandering around the innertubes, the only source that pushes 8 cups a day that actually attempts to shed some light on the practice was the Mayo Clinic. To their credit, they actually state that there's no medical basis. Every other site is nothing more than a "because we think you should".

And, as it turns out, it could be really hard to find a medically-based document to support that behavior.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2002/aug/080802.html
http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/283/5/R993.full

From the first para:
"Despite the seemingly ubiquitous admonition to “drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water a day” (with an accompanying reminder that beverages containing caffeine and alcohol do not count), rigorous proof for this counsel appears to be lacking."

This article has 100 footnotes to other medical sources and was written by an MD on the staff at Dartmouth who happens to have written a book on how the kidneys function.


Another medical doctor with significant expertise in this area is Dr. Tim Noakes whom I've only learned about in the past few months. In addition to being the inventor of the energy gel (1971) and an experienced marathon and ultramarathon runner, Dr. Noakes has been involved in sports medicine research for decades. His book "The Lore of Running" is a treasure trove of information and I've been reading parts of his book that deal with water as well as heat regulation during endurance exercise.

Dr. Noakes recently published a book on the dangers of over drinking during endurance events. Here's a magazine article that discusses the book:

http://www.outsideonline.com/blog/outdoor-adventure/tim-noakes-on-the-serious-problem-of-overhydration-in-endurance-sports.html

Drink as much pure water as you can but your body will take hydration from everything you eat and drink.

If you don't like plain water, try drinking it cold... try drinking filtered instead of tap... try adding fruits/veggies to your water (a great one is lemon and orange... or cucumber and mint).

Try to get some water in and than fill the rest of your day with water rich foods and other drinks. Over time you should be able to drink more and more. Drink it through a straw... it helps some drink it faster to get it over with.

I feel a difference in my skin when I drink enough water. I have acne and I notice that my skin feels smoother and less oily when I drink the amount of water I'm supposed to.

I, too, have problems drinking enough water. However, I love water. On the weekends, I have no problem drinking the amount of water I should. My problem is during the week; the tap water at work tastes awful. I can't stand it and I can't afford to drink bottled water all the time. Ugh.