We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Tracking water

lajuice24
lajuice24 Posts: 409 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
My coworker and I were discussing water intake. She logs her coffee as part of her water. I do it separately from the water. She is saying it "technically" water. How do you track your water?

Replies

  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
    I track it by making sure I pee. It is, without a doubt, the least important item to log.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Coffee counts. Tea counts. Even water content from food counts.

    The whole "drink 8 glasses a day" thing is basically a myth. Drink if you're thirsty, that's all.
  • emtomas
    emtomas Posts: 6 Member
    Ehhh, the only problem with coffee is that it actually can cause acute dehydration - the caffeine causes water and salt loss. This isn't so bad in chronic caffeine users; if you're drinking the same amount daily, your body will adjust. If you go up and down, or have a bad day where you really need 4 cups of coffee, then your body will be less happy.

    When i worked as a phlebotomist, i would just tell all my patients to drink a glass of water for each cup of coffee (especially if going in for a blood draw. Lots of coffee before makes finding veins to tap extremely difficult).
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Zedeff wrote: »
    I track it by making sure I pee. It is, without a doubt, the least important item to log.

    Actually I would think hydration levels definitely have a place in working towards your goals.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Coffee does not dehydrate significantly. That's an urban myth. It counts as liquid.
    http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/healthy-beverages
    I am required to drink enough liquid as part of post-operative care, but I don't bother to track. People on an extremely limited diet risk kidney stones if they don't drink enough water.

    I just always have a water bottle handy, and start my day with a cup of tea. A friend had a cool system. She put colorful rubber bands on her water bottle, one for every bottle she finished.

    @emtomas, to respect my lab techs, I would drink a full cup of water before going in for my bloodletting.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    Zedeff wrote: »
    I track it by making sure I pee. It is, without a doubt, the least important item to log.

    Proper hydration is pretty important. You may be urinating, but what color?

    I go by the color of my urine. If it is a straw yellow, I'm good. If it is darker, I increase fluids.
    Water makes your organs very happy :)
  • lajuice24
    lajuice24 Posts: 409 Member
    Thanks for the replies. I usually have two cups of coffee and then around 60-80 ounces.
  • sdado1013
    sdado1013 Posts: 209 Member
    my nutritionist says you can count the first 2 cups of coffee as "water" but extra coffee after that doesn't count. Tea and flavored water always count as water.
  • chouflour
    chouflour Posts: 193 Member
    Troutsy wrote: »
    Zedeff wrote: »
    I track it by making sure I pee. It is, without a doubt, the least important item to log.

    Proper hydration is pretty important. You may be urinating, but what color?

    I go by the color of my urine. If it is a straw yellow, I'm good. If it is darker, I increase fluids.
    Water makes your organs very happy :)

    If it's pink - eat fewer beets.
  • slondro
    slondro Posts: 45 Member
    Basically agree with most of the people before me. Staying hydrated is extremely important, without a doubt, but logging the actual number of cups is probably not necessary.

    For example, when I'm working out, I usually fill my water bottle once or twice, but I also do a whole lot of sweating. I could report every ounce of water I drank during my workout, but it wouldn't mean the same thing as drinking that same amount on a rest day. That makes me feel like having liquids throughout the day and making sure your urine is light is more important than seeking an actual number.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I count my coffee as water.
  • KatyRu
    KatyRu Posts: 55 Member
    I drink so much water, I have no need to substitute, but that's because I take allergy pills that make my throat really dry. :) I work at a Starbucks so you'd think I'd get my fair share of coffee too, but I actually gave up drinking coffee on a daily basis and I feel much better for it. I do drink it occasionally, but I don't count it as water. I'd probably count my green tea lemonade as water though. I guess it just really depends on the person and what their daily beverage preferences are.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories