excercise is my demise.

I keep getting distracted by the constant thirst ...have you been tested for diabetes?

Even sugar from fruit can cause your insulin to freak..up/down... just an idea!

You definitely need to be checked for diabetes. That is more than enough water and if you're still thirsty, that's an indication that something might be wrong. I'd get checked out. They can usually check with a simple blood or urine test. If you have diabetes, getting it under control will do wonders for your health!

Honestly if it's up and down daily like that it sounds like water retention. Why? Because your muscles are repairing themselves after your workouts. Try not to look at the daily ups and downs and try more to focus on averages and inches.

I know staying at the same weight is frustrating I've been fighting off the same 2 or three pounds for (what it seems like) forever! I looked at your food journal, and it looks like the only thing you have off, is the larger amount of food that you're eating late at night. You eat healthily and you're always under your calorie goal, so it looks like you're doing great! Maybe you should just plan on spreading your calories out a little bit, and have a light snack at night.

It's REALLY hard to do that when you're a night eater (like I am), but if you could make a habit of eating all of your food for the day before say 7 or 8pm, you might start to see a change.

I could be TOTALLY wrong, but from everything I've read, the key is to shake things up a little bit. I've started doing the intermittent fasting thing. I'm still in the midst of my own trial of it, but so far, so good. I finally broke out of my slump

Good luck! And keep up the good work! You really are doing great!

If your weight varies that much, get new scales!!

Water: How much should you drink every day?

Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual. These guidelines can help ensure you drink enough fluids.
By Mayo Clinic staff

How much water should you drink each day? It's a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

Although no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.


Health benefits of water

Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much water does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? In general, doctors recommend 8 or 9 cups. Here are the most common ways of calculating that amount:

Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.

Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Although the approach really isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this easy-to-remember rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Even apart from the above approaches, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.

Water: How much should you drink every day?

Factors that influence water needs

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, and the duration and type of exercise. During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.

Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.

Illnesses or health conditions. When you have fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body loses additional fluids. In these cases, you should drink more water. In some cases, your doctor may recommend oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.

Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.
Beyond the tap: Other sources of water

Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight.

In addition, beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — such as coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is still your best bet because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

Staying safely hydrated

It's generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time you become thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated. Further, as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst. On the other hand, excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a more serious medical condition. Talk to your doctor if you experience either.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. Most healthy adults can follow these tips:

Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal.

Hydrate before, during and after exercise.

Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.

Although uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, a condition called hyponatremia. Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water, are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.

Eat Less, Exercise More -- Gain Weight?

Elizabeth Lyster: Everybody "knows" how to lose weight: diet and exercise, right? Well, what we eat and our activity levels do make a big difference in whether we achieve and maintain a healthy weight, size, and condition.

However, human metabolism changes over our lifetimes. When we're young (teenage and adult in our 20s), relatively minor changes in diet and exercise can produce weight loss. When I was in high school, when my jeans felt too tight, I just stopped eating cookies for a couple of weeks, and that did the trick! As we get older, our metabolism slows down. This slow-down in metabolism is like a hill that gets steeper as it goes down. That is, your metabolism is slower in your 30s than in your 20s, and it gets even slower in your 40s, your 50s, and so on. There are three major mistakes that women make when trying to lose weight. Because of slowing metabolism, these mistakes are especially costly for women over 40.

Here are my Top Three Women's Weight-Loss Mistakes, not necessarily in order of importance:

1. NOT ENOUGH FOOD! How counterintuitive! These days, people are learning quickly about this mistake. All the "trainers-to-the-stars" are writing books promoting the importance of healthy snacking and eating five to six times per day.

Think of your metabolism like a furnace -- if you don't keep fuel in the furnace, the fire will die down and go out.

Here is the heart of why diets don't work -- when you don't eat enough, your metabolism goes into "save" mode. Human bodies are designed this way, to withstand and survive starvation conditions. Feeling hungry may mean you are in this kind of counter-productive metabolic state.

So, it's not your fault -- eating less in this way will not lead to weight loss!

2. TOO MUCH EXERCISE: Exercise is an essential part of maintaining long-term health and weight control. However, there is in fact such a thing as doing too much exercise, or exercising too intensely. Exercise is hormonally depleting, especially for women over 40.

If exercise is experienced as stressful, this can stress the adrenal glands. Adrenal glands make cortisol in response to stress. When there is too much cortisol release, the body goes into the "save" mode I mentioned earlier, and will retain weight, especially around the midsection. This is one of the most tricky subjects for me to discuss with my patients who are over 40, are healthy eaters, exercise intensely, and are frustrated by lack of weight loss or even weight gain despite all their efforts.

You have to exercise smarter, not harder. For example, exercise programs that include weight-lifting will build muscle mass, which in turn raises the overall metabolic rate. This makes a person burn more calories, even at rest! In other words, it's not just about burning calories by exercising harder. If your best efforts at weight loss are not working well, you may be over-exercising.

3. NOT ENOUGH SLEEP! When you understand the work done by the adrenal glands, it becomes clear why not getting enough sleep, or good enough sleep quality, can cause weight retention or weight gain.

We talked in the last section about excess cortisol release caused by stress. Cortisol is released when we are tired and don't rest -- it's what keeps tired women from falling asleep at the wheel while they are ignoring their fatigue and running around doing all the things they have to do every day. Perimenopause and menopause-related symptoms can also interfere with good sleep quality. Depression (which is not a "natural" part of menopause) can also disrupt sleep. Stressful life events, such as the loss of a loved one, also cause cortisol release (both by interfering with sleep and from the stress itself).

Chronic lack of sleep leads to cortisol release, which also leads to craving junk food -- all of which of course leads to weight gain. Because this kind of weight gain is mostly around the abdominal area, we feel "bloated" and uncomfortable.

Poor eating habits related to fatigue and stress make this a vicious cycle that prevents reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

So, what everybody "knows" about how to lose weight leaves out some crucial information. These top three mistakes that people make in trying to lose weight are especially costly for women over 40. Yes, you have to eat well and keep fit, but you have to keep a balance, and you have to get enough rest!

Here's to your health!