Water and why it needed?

- That is in relation to a US cup (8oz). 8 Cups is about 1.9 Liters.
- Drink water at all the above times. If you drink before a meal, it does help supress appetite.
- Don't worry about water retention. Your body is mostly water and you need it to survive.
- I drink a LOT more than 8 Cups per day, but I run long distance and lose a lot with sweat. I.e., drink to thirst but if you exercise and sweat heavily, drink more water to replentish.

There is people who claim the 8-cups-a-day thing is a myth, but I know that if I don't drink enough (water) a day, I get headaches.

Water retention is a sign you're not drinking enough, which may sound strange, but you can read about it here:
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_health/health1/1-stop-retaining-water-by-drinking-more.htm
So really, you should try and drink more.

i have migraines if i don't drink enough. i used to HATE water and never drank it. went to the dr and he pointed to my bloodlab results and said, "you do not drink water!" BUSTED! so i flavor my water with lemon, etc. so i can drink it and have started drinking 2 qts. a day and it has helped me feel like i'm doing something positive for my body (since my blood work showed my dehydration!) overall, other than not getting headaches, i really haven't noticed a difference. i was never thirsty, just forced it on myself.

I don't keep track of all the water I drink, but it is my drink of choice throughout the day. I do drink coffee in the morning and some herbal tea in the afternoon, but I cut out soda years ago and never looked back.

As far as benefits here are the top 10 reasons to drink water (taken from the internet)

1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue – Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

2. Promotes Weight Loss – Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating intake (by filling up your tummy if consumed prior to meals), reduces hunger (hello natural appetite suppressant!), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!

3. Flushes Out Toxins – Gets rid of waste through sweat and urination which reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).

4. Improves Skin Complexion – Moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing and smooth. Gets rid of wrinkles. It’s the best anti-aging treatment around!

5. Maintains Regularity – Aids in digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents constipation.

6. Boosts Immune System – A water guzzler is less likely to get sick. And who wouldn’t rather feel healthy the majority of the time? Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.

7. Natural Headache Remedy – Helps relieve and prevent headaches (migraines & back pains too!) which are commonly caused by dehydration.

8. Prevents Cramps & Sprains - Proper hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic so joint pain is less likely.

9. Puts You in a Good Mood – When the body is functioning at its best, you will feel great and be happy!

10. Save Money! - Water is FREE! Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s STILL cheaper than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!


** I got this top 10 list from: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4287/10-Reasons-Why-You-Should-Drink-More-Water.html

There are a ton of metrics to figure out if your drinking enough, but I think the easiest way to check hydration levels is to simply keep an eye on the color of your urine. If it's close to clear and not very yellow ... your drinking enough. For me, that's about 100 to 160oz a day, which doesn't include coffee, protein shakes, water in food, etc. I drink probably about half of that at the gym, (I sweat a lot starting from 5 minutes in until I hit the showers).

If your doing regular exercise, hydration is pretty important. Performance starts to suffer when your not hydrated. When your dehydrated and exercising (cardio, resistance training, whatever), your body temperature starts to increase, your heart rate goes up and everything starts to feel harder. Dehydration also depletes glycogen stores faster, which further affects exercise performance. Basically, your workout starts to suck big time.

I'm not sure how it affects fat loss, but I can tell the difference in the gym, which is why I make it a point to have a glass or a bottle around me all day long.

Showcase_Brodown wrote: »

Don't overthink it.

Obviously you need hydration and 64 oz. isn't a bad recommendation, give or take. It doesn't matter if that water is from crystal clear water or part of some other beverage (like a diet soda or coffee or something else that includes water as the main ingredient), or even from food that includes water (which is most food).

Luckily there is this thing called thirst that will remind us to get water into our system if we need it.

This. Water is important for all of the reasons stated above, but that doesn't mean that you need to go out and guzzle down gallons of it. There's no prize for drinking the most water. As a general rule, I drink when I am thirsty. If I notice my skin looks wrinkled or my urine is dark, I make a point to drink more. If your urine is light to clear, you should not need to worry about drinking more. You do not need to drink so much that you are running to the bathroom all day long.

I don't log it on here because I know I drink enough water, but, the more I drink:

The more satiated I am through the day. Drinking water when I'm feeling hungry helps me determine if I'm actually hungry or just borede.

My skin clears up, though that could be a hundred factors.

Fewer headaches

I just *feel* better when I'm well hydrated.