So far as I am aware, sparkling mineral water (the unflavoured kind) is just as good. Can you cope with that? As to real water - I can't get room temperature water down my throat for love or money, my throat constricts! But very cold water from the fridge is no problem at all. Have you tried both temperatures?

Yeah, water is important. Try lemon, lime, cucumber, or strawberry slices in your water, or make iced tea. You can also try different temperatures of water. I prefer ice cold, tepid feels almost slimy and not all satisfying to me, for example.

Your body is 75% water, through daily activities we burn off some of that water and it needs t be replenished. Sure you can get some water through food and sodas but its not enough. Eventually you will start getting dehydrated and in the long run do damage to your kidneys. Add a little flavor to the water and just drink it down. Eventually you get used to it.

I personally get funky headaches when I don't get enough water. I second infusing water with lemon & cucumber to add flavor. Otherwise, I'm personally a fan of lacroix...I'm not sure if seltzer water is frowned upon though.

dehyrdration is no bueno.

kristenlarkin wrote: »

I drink chrystal light

Mio works well, too. I use it a little. Otherwise it's lemon water or plain. I hate water. I just chug a cup every time I'm in the kitchen.
Drink enough. Otherwise you will feel like crap and get sick. My mother's kidneys no longer function as well since she spent 20 years drinking nothing but 2 glasses of diet soda a day.

I used to be the same way. I hated water. I had a psychosomatic reaction to it actually and would puke if I drank over about 4 oz at a time. Difficult to explain how that reaction came to be but anyway. .I started drinking it 1oz at a time and that wasn't so bad, but it had to be cold. I put it in a shot glass and just downed it like a shot of whiskey. But drinking that little at a time,I had to do it quite often throughout the day. I worked up to 4 oz a day, then 6, then 8..and so on. Finally got me a water bottle with a straw and keep it in the fridge all the time. I made my goal to finish it before the end of the day. ..a little bit at a time. The straw definitely helps! Now I've worked up to two water bottles a day (which I realize is still not enough probably but I feel like my eyes are floating by the time I finish two). I said all that to say this. . It can be done. Even if you completely detest water, you can build up to higher quantities a little at a time and the gagging reflex goes away.

I read about this water drinking thing, and I'm just not sure I get it. I would drink probably 5 coffees with butter in them a day (mostly instant so not too much caffeine). In the afternoon/evening I will drink a 500ml bottle of cold water. That's it. I have never had a problem with dehydration or lack of weightloss. I've always drank when I'm thirsty. Just like all animals do. I never try and force in X amount of water a day, seems ridiculous.

bikerchick2012 wrote: »

I give up, I just cannot stomach water, find it boring and I know I don't drink nearly enough.

I agree, it is boring. That's why we've got thousands of drinks that are water + something else.

It might be helpful to think of beverages in two ways: utility drinks (water) and fun sipping drinks (ones that taste good and you're drinking for flavor).

I've got a little sequence that I've been running for a few years and it's helped me... most of my day is sitting around at home (work, etc.). I'll get up about once an hour, pee, do jumping jacks and air squats (to try and abate the sitting), and then go to the kitchen and quickly down a glass of water. OK! All set! Hydrated and exercised, ready for another hour in the pit.

Then maybe I'll fix a sipping drink and nurse that.

Keeping drinks separated into different categories in my mind has made it a lot easier to avoid some of the problems we see here.

Just getting fluids into your body is enough, it doesnt have to be water. I worked for years as a Continence Advisor and people always had trouble with water. Its fluids not water that you body needs, it deals with the additions! The only thing to say is dont drink fruit juices which isnt likely with this woe anyway. Yes tea, coffee and alcohol dehydrate but not as much as you think. You can drink too much as well!!!

I just keep a 32-ounce bottle near me all day long and sip from it mindlessly. Before I know it, it's empty, and I need to go refill it. I actually like my water only slightly cooler than room temperature, so keeping it on my desk beside me for hours isn't a problem in that regard. There are days I struggle to drink even just one full bottle, but there are other days I'm so thirsty and refill it 5-6 times throughout the day. What I don't like is how often I have to pee!

Edited to add: If I drink more than 6 or so ounces at once, though, I get that gross nauseated feeling from the liquids sloshing around in my tummy. That's why my method of sit-n-sip works just fine for me.

What beverages do you like, @bikerchick2012?