8 glasses of water?

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I've never really drank alot of water, like probably 8 oz. or less a day ever... But I've really been trying to fit in the 8-8 oz. glasses per day because I'm told it'll help me lose the weight and I've got 100+ lbs. to go. After I finish about 8 glasses I feel bloated but still thirsty??? Is that normal?

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  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
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    Do you eat a lot of sodium in your diet?

    You'll always feel thirsty no matter how much water you drink if your daily sodium is too high as that actually causes you to retain water.
  • michellehorvath
    michellehorvath Posts: 57 Member
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    I feel boaty with the water and I don't usually eat too much sodium. It's absolutely something that takes getting used too but after about a week you start to feel that bloaty feeling go away!! Good luck!!
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    Firstly, don't get hung up on water in particular, plain water has no special powers, it's water intake overall that counts, which includes things like soup and tea and sauces and so on.

    Secondly, the whole "eight glasses of water" thing came from research that did not offer it as a recommendation. Yes you absolutely need to drink enough, but that varies wildly depending on your weight, the climate, how much exercise you do and whether you tend to sweat a lot. A better measure is your urine, if it's light yellow and you're urinating a few times a day, you're sufficiently hydrated. Having a bit extra water can help fill you up though, so as long as you don't overdo it, it can be a positive thing.

    If, after a few days to adjust, you find you are often thirsty despite drinking a lot of water, go see your doc, it can be an early sign of diabetes so it's best not to ignore it.
  • imakimm
    imakimm Posts: 839
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    I went to the store and bought this big water cup that holds 75 ounces. I fill it up and bring it to work. Every time I see it I drink from it. Usually by the end of my shift the jug is all gone and I fill up another smaller bottle to bring to the gym. If you don't like the way water tastes you could switch it up a bit and add some lemon, limes, or some fruit! I personally like the water ice cold so I am constantly adding ice to it.
  • Jbugfit2011
    Jbugfit2011 Posts: 105
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    Try adding some fresh lemmon
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
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    It gets better. Just keep drinking!!! I disagree, though, with counting stuff like tea and soup. Those are different as they add caffeine and/or sodium or other chemicals and are not as beneficial. I usually drink 12+ glasses a day of straight water, not counting the iced tea I have at lunch and it really helps me stay full, flushed and fit! Takes a while... just have to get used to it!!!

    You won't be sorry!!!!
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
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    If, after a few days to adjust, you find you are often thirsty despite drinking a lot of water, go see your doc, it can be an early sign of diabetes so it's best not to ignore it.

    Great point, I had totally forgotten about that, this was the first sign I noticed when I was initially diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. That and very frequent nighttime urination.
  • Miss_Kelley
    Miss_Kelley Posts: 11
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    - I've been checked before for diabetes because it runs in my family, everytime I go to the doc I'm told I'm perfectly heathy execpt for my weight.

    - I wondered if I should count things like the fitness lemondae I've been drinking? It's like 10 cal. for 32 oz. glass.

    - And I use a 32 oz. powerade bottle and fill it with water twice aday and just sip on it during most of the day.

    - I dont really pay attension to sodium (it's salt right?) how much is alot???
  • TheSpicyMermaid
    TheSpicyMermaid Posts: 279 Member
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    The only water I like was in Hawaii and it's used for swimming. I hate drinking water and I miss Coke. :(

    BUT...

    After forcing myself to drink even a small amount of water (large for me, 16oz.) I found that my lips were softer, my face was awesome and I was way, WAYYYYYYY less bloated. I was eating a lot of salt before my diet, now I eat only what's in the food. If I occasionally have an apple, sometimes I'll use salt (30 years of a habit is hard to break), then I notice that I am a little bloated. Water DOES help, even if you notice it melt a little something that was bulgy before and not now!

    What helps me is MIO. That little bottle in the commercials that you squirt into your drink. I thought it would be a gross taste, but the fruit punch is delicious and I only need to use the recommended amount: one squirt. I thought I'd need more. It's awesome. Even when I drink, I will just drink water, raspeberry vodka and a squirt of MIO. Then you only have to count the vodka, which is about 69 calories a shot.

    Don't fill yourself to the brim with water to where you feel sick, but if you can drink a lot, do it! H2O on!!!
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
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    - I dont really pay attension to sodium (it's salt right?) how much is alot???

    Yup, good old salt.

    The USRDA is 2500 a day but it's best to stay well under that in my opinion.
  • atlfordham
    atlfordham Posts: 1 Member
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    It's true. You probably will lose at least 5 lbs within 1 or 2 days by increasing your water consumption.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    I dont really pay attension to sodium (it's salt right?) how much is alot???
    Salt is a big source of sodium. Don't worry about quantities, if you log all your food, it's one of the nutrients that you can track on here.
  • Miss_Kelley
    Miss_Kelley Posts: 11
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    Oh, I've already had 700 sodium today for just one meal. I'll have to watch that more closely...
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
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    It gets better. Just keep drinking!!! I disagree, though, with counting stuff like tea and soup. Those are different as they add caffeine and/or sodium or other chemicals and are not as beneficial. I usually drink 12+ glasses a day of straight water, not counting the iced tea I have at lunch and it really helps me stay full, flushed and fit! Takes a while... just have to get used to it!!!

    You won't be sorry!!!!

    .

    don't count sauces either lol

    veggies have lots of water in them if you need more
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    don't count sauces either lol

    veggies have lots of water in them if you need more
    All food contains water, even something like roast chicken which you'd think of as fairly dry contains 60% water.

    Honestly, it really does not matter one iota what the various sources of your water are, whether it's a glass of water that you drink, or whether it is ingested as a component of your food or other drinks. It all gets mashed up together in your stomach anyway.

    The REALLY important thing is that you drink enough for your needs.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
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    Sorry but you can't count water loss as weight loss. Salt consumption is really only a problem if you don't drink enough fluids other then that its affect on us is over exaggerated. Lil secret? Salt and Sodium are NOT the same thing. http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_salt.php ... * glasses of water really aren't much water if your active at all* During summer month i guzzle it all day long.
  • kesteele
    kesteele Posts: 127
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    This may not be what you want but this is what I go by -- it depends on your weight literally water helps flush toxins from your body

    http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

    you enter in weight and a few other things and it says how much to drink -- mine was 3 Liters -- and when I did drink that much I lost more weight. It is hard to do but you just have to keep drinking
  • SnuggieMeeko
    SnuggieMeeko Posts: 68 Member
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    I drink a lot of water normally, but after a little while you'll get used to it and wont feel bloated. I feel that way if I drink soda - it hits hard.
  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
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    I drink crystal light......loads of it. Or ice water with lemon or orange or cucumber slices or perhaps apple or mint. I just have a hard time drinking plain water except when I am hiking or running.
  • BrandNewMia
    BrandNewMia Posts: 461
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    I drink between 15-21 glasses of water daily, depending on my activity level. At first I DID feel really thirsty, the more water I drank, the more I wanted! Now that I am used to it I don't get parched like I used to. The bloaty feeling goes away, too. And yes, I would track your sodium, I was SHOCKED at how much I was consuming even after I started eating healthier foods.