What counts as water?

just did a little looking around about this yesterday. Coffee and tea count. They didnt used to but they do now. also, the 8 glasses a day is a minimum. IF you are trying to lose weight and are overweight you should be drinking more. take your body weight, divide it in half and thats approx how many ounces of water you should be drinking a day. Hope this helps. i started on my 12 cups of water yesterday.

Yes. This is absolutely correct. 8 classes a day is the MINIMUM! Coffee/Teas WITHOUT added calories should count.

Just make sure you take into account that you have to drink 2-3 extra cups for every cup of coffee or tea because they are diuretics.

Sorry, but this thread is getting ridiculous. You get water from TONS of sources - almost everything you eat and drink adds water. Diet drinks, non-diet drinks, coffee, tea, vegetables, bread...basically anything that isn't DEhydrated will give your body water!

Caffeinated drinks do NOT, in any significant way, DEHYDRATE you. If you drink a ton of soda, you aren't going to turn all leathery and become dried out.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12187618

Abstract:

Recreational enthusiasts and athletes often are advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages (CB). The dual purposes of this review are to (a) critique controlled investigations regarding the effects of caffeine on dehydration and exercise performance, and (b) ascertain whether abstaining from CB is scientifically and physiologically justifiable. The literature indicates that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water, but there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health. Investigations comparing caffeine (100-680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume. In the 10 studies reviewed, consumption of a CB resulted in 0-84% retention of the initial volume ingested, whereas consumption of water resulted in 0-81% retention. Further, tolerance to caffeine reduces the likelihood that a detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalance will occur. The scientific literature suggests that athletes and recreational enthusiasts will not incur detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalances if they consume CB in moderation and eat a typical U.S. diet. Sedentary members of the general public should be a less risk than athletes because their fluid losses via sweating are smaller.

Your body is pretty good at regulating whether it has too much or too little water. It's called thirst and peeing. The "8 glasses a day" has almost no scientific basis either, and I have no idea why MFP supports it.

I don't like drinking regular water here at work because my office keeps their temperatures pretty cold. So I started drinking decaffeinated green tea after I drink my coffee in the morning (1 serving, but I don't count that as water). I switch to my regular water bottle when I leave work for at-home and when I work out. I know a lot of places will tell you that drinking cold water is good for you to burn calories, but I cannot stand drinking cold water all day and shivering in my office chair.

Sorry, but this thread is getting ridiculous. You get water from TONS of sources - almost everything you eat and drink adds water. Diet drinks, non-diet drinks, coffee, tea, vegetables, bread...basically anything that isn't DEhydrated will give your body water!

Caffeinated drinks do NOT, in any significant way, DEHYDRATE you. If you drink a ton of soda, you aren't going to turn all leathery and become dried out.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12187618

Abstract:

Recreational enthusiasts and athletes often are advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages (CB). The dual purposes of this review are to (a) critique controlled investigations regarding the effects of caffeine on dehydration and exercise performance, and (b) ascertain whether abstaining from CB is scientifically and physiologically justifiable. The literature indicates that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water, but there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health. Investigations comparing caffeine (100-680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume. In the 10 studies reviewed, consumption of a CB resulted in 0-84% retention of the initial volume ingested, whereas consumption of water resulted in 0-81% retention. Further, tolerance to caffeine reduces the likelihood that a detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalance will occur. The scientific literature suggests that athletes and recreational enthusiasts will not incur detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalances if they consume CB in moderation and eat a typical U.S. diet. Sedentary members of the general public should be a less risk than athletes because their fluid losses via sweating are smaller.

Your body is pretty good at regulating whether it has too much or too little water. It's called thirst and peeing. The "8 glasses a day" has almost no scientific basis either, and I have no idea why MFP supports it.

If you were referring to me, all I'm trying to say is you need to drink the majority of your water as just water. I just don't want people to be drinking diet coke and coffee all day and think they are getting all the water they need. I know you won't dehydrate drastically, but diet drinks do contain sodium and coffee and tea can make you pee more. All I'm saying is just plain water should be your majority.

The thread isn't ridiculous, this was an honest & sincere question that everyone is trying to answer the best they can.
I don't think it was referred to just you, it was to everyone apparently.

Many doctors, health specialist, who ever you want to ask who has educated them selves in this type of field will have some sort of different opinion of how many glasses of- blah blah blah -so it's not worth trying to put some sense into it unless you were completely educated in the field... with a different opinion/facts from someone else. That is why there are so many diet books, diet websites, opinions, articles, etc. The never ending circle of what is what, how should we do this, and what have we discovered now.
Anyways.
Water is water, even if the drink has no calories. I drink unsweetened iced tea, it might not have calories, but I put it with what ever meal or snack I am having. I only do it so I can keep track of what I eat and drink. That's just my opinion and also what I do for myself. If unsweetened tea works as water for you, go right ahead. What it comes down to is making sure you educate yourself in what works best for you. Look up caffeine, maybe it will give some insight on where the beverages should be placed in the diary. Nothing wrong with doing some research.

Sorry, but this thread is getting ridiculous. You get water from TONS of sources - almost everything you eat and drink adds water. Diet drinks, non-diet drinks, coffee, tea, vegetables, bread...basically anything that isn't DEhydrated will give your body water!

Caffeinated drinks do NOT, in any significant way, DEHYDRATE you. If you drink a ton of soda, you aren't going to turn all leathery and become dried out.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12187618

Abstract:

Recreational enthusiasts and athletes often are advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages (CB). The dual purposes of this review are to (a) critique controlled investigations regarding the effects of caffeine on dehydration and exercise performance, and (b) ascertain whether abstaining from CB is scientifically and physiologically justifiable. The literature indicates that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water, but there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health. Investigations comparing caffeine (100-680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume. In the 10 studies reviewed, consumption of a CB resulted in 0-84% retention of the initial volume ingested, whereas consumption of water resulted in 0-81% retention. Further, tolerance to caffeine reduces the likelihood that a detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalance will occur. The scientific literature suggests that athletes and recreational enthusiasts will not incur detrimental fluid-electrolyte imbalances if they consume CB in moderation and eat a typical U.S. diet. Sedentary members of the general public should be a less risk than athletes because their fluid losses via sweating are smaller.

Your body is pretty good at regulating whether it has too much or too little water. It's called thirst and peeing. The "8 glasses a day" has almost no scientific basis either, and I have no idea why MFP supports it.

If you were referring to me, all I'm trying to say is you need to drink the majority of your water as just water. I just don't want people to be drinking diet coke and coffee all day and think they are getting all the water they need. I know you won't dehydrate drastically, but diet drinks do contain sodium and coffee and tea can make you pee more. All I'm saying is just plain water should be your majority.

I wasn't just referring to you I agree with you that pure water is excellent for you, and I think we agree on that other point - Regular and diet beverages have plenty of disadvantages, but if you aren't thirsty after your 8 Coke Zero's a day, you don't need to go home and chug 8 glasses of water before bed. Peeing more isn't exactly comfortable, especially when it hits you in your sleep!

I hear that. I just hope people start flushing there system with water instead of just diet drinks. All those chemicals running through you hurt more than help. Good lookin out.

I hate to get in the middle of this and didn't read all the other post but......
If we are trying to be healther! better to yourselves, are body and improve why would we keep track and count things that have not done that for us before. Improvement !!! plain water over anything else is a improvement count that and who really cares about the rest.
been there done that!!!!!! didn't help!!!! what can I do to improve????????

If you are a regular consumer of caffeine, they have no diuretic effect and therefore can be counted towards your water intake goal.

"Caffeine and fluid balance
Studies have shown that among people who have not been exposed to caffeine for a period of days or weeks, drinking a large amount of caffeine-containing beverages in a short period of time (e.g., 2-3 cups of coffee or 5-8 cups of tea) results in an increased urine output. However, this does not happen to people who routinely drink caffeinated beverages. They develop a tolerance for caffeine and have a consistent urine output whether or not the fluids they are taking in contain caffeine or not. Even among those who do not routinely drink caffeinated beverages, there is no diuretic effect when caffeine-containing beverages are consumed in normal serving sizes. Therefore, the available evidence indicates that caffeine-containing beverages are no less hydrating than other fluids and can count toward fluid recommendations."

From Weight Watchers.com