struggling to get 8 cups of water or liquid a day

Beccalouise09
Beccalouise09 Posts: 128 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Someone help me out here, I am literally having trouble knowing how to fit in eight cups of water a day. I have these Hi-Ball Tall Tumbler glasses, I have one glass of orange juice each morning and I get through half a bottle of water each time I have water from a bottle. I have the half a bottle of water twice a day. But at midday I literally have an herbal tea in a mug with lunch.

It is hard for me to keep count of how many cups of liquid I have per day, so if anyone could help me figure out the number of cups I have, then please let me know. I am at my witts end and would like to try to track my drink better without muddling things up. :s

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Get a measuring cup. Measure how much fits in your tumbler and water bottle and mug when you fill them as normal.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
    Let's start by narrowing down those terms into measurements. For example that glass of orange juice, it that 6oz or 16? Those bottles of water, are they a liter? 8 ounces?

    A "cup of water" is 8 ounces. It's the liquid measure "cup" not the container. If you literally don't know what they contain, it's time to fill the "cup" you use for orange juice and then start measuring out the contents into a liquid measuring cup until you know.

    Though honestly, if your pee is the correct color and your skin is hydrated you're fine.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    ^ This is just the easiest way to track. You get hydration from practically all liquids and many foods. As long as your urine in pale yellow, you're hydrated.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited November 2018
    Do you drink any other fluids throughout the day? Coffee, tea, soda, milk, protein shakes, sports drinks, etc.? They all count toward hydration needs, as do the liquids in your foods.

    See the infographic posted above by cwolfman13 - as long as you're adequately hydrated, there's no need to fret over getting an exact number of cups/ounces/milliliters/etc. of water per day.

    Not only do hydration needs vary from person to person, your own individual needs can also vary according to the weather (and how much you're exposed to it), how much activity you're doing, how much you're sweating, etc. Your hydration needs will be vastly different on a day you do a 5 mile run in 90 degree weather than they will be on a day you sat at a desk inside an air conditioned office all day.
  • bigbandjohn
    bigbandjohn Posts: 769 Member
    edited November 2018
    Beccalouise09 wrote: »
    Someone help me out here, I am literally having trouble knowing how to fit in eight cups of water a day. I have these Hi-Ball Tall Tumbler glasses, I have one glass of orange juice each morning and I get through half a bottle of water each time I have water from a bottle. I have the half a bottle of water twice a day. But at midday I literally have an herbal tea in a mug with lunch.

    It is hard for me to keep count of how many cups of liquid I have per day, so if anyone could help me figure out the number of cups I have, then please let me know. I am at my witts end and would like to try to track my drink better without muddling things up. :s

    I would suggest getting yourself a water bottle that is measured. You know how much is in it. That way you have at least a minimum level you know you're drinking. Many are designed around 4 cups, so filling twice is 8 cups. It won't account for other liquids, but it would make sure you get at least that much water if you are unsure.


    ### I will add that a cup of tea is typically about 6-8 oz (mine are 10 oz). You probably drink at least that much juice as well. A Highball would be 8-10 oz minimum if I remember. That would be 2- 8oz glasses of liquid to start. If that's consistent, you need at least 6 more cups.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Are you having some kind of health issues caused by chronic dehydration? There's nothing wrong with trying to drink more fluids, but it's probably counter productive if it's causing you to stress out over it!

    If your pee is light colored most of the day and you haven't been medically advised to get a certain amount of water, you really don't need to keep an exact tally. But usually the "cup" referred to is 8 fluid oz.

    If it's important to you, I agree with @bigbandjohn pick yourself up a 24oz reusable water bottle. That's 3 cups. Give yourself credit for a cup for your OJ and a cup for your tea, it might not be exact but it's not really that big a deal. :drinker:
  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
    Carry water with you - preferably never more than an arms length away. You would be surprised how thirsty you really are, but getting up to get a glass seems like a pain so you drink less than you should - this is mostly subconscious.

    I used to fill a gallon jug in the morning and it was gone by night time without ever really trying. These days I'm spoiled and use a 30oz yeti because it keeps ice a long time...but it is never very far from me and I probably fill it 7+ times a day easy.

    I never understood the whole not drinking enough water thing.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    You don’t have to drink 8 cups of water a day. There’s no legitimate science behind that number.

    @cwolfman13 is correct - just pay attention to the color of your pee to make sure you are hydrated and anything more than that isn’t doing anything extra for you.
  • Xanifur
    Xanifur Posts: 44 Member
    Drink when you are thirsty. Problem solved.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
    To add on to the "getting more water in each day" part, try a straw. Dunno why but a lot of people (myself included) drink more water with a straw than without.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Xanifur wrote: »
    Drink when you are thirsty. Problem solved.

    Actually, our thirst cues can be delayed, and also crossed with hunger cues.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    A note for peeps who take vitamins - B vitamins can result in the "You're very dehydrated" color.
  • Beccalouise09
    Beccalouise09 Posts: 128 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    I very much have one of those Joseph Joseph water bottles from Debbinhams, I have a whole bottles worth which is 20 ounces if out at work. I think thats equivalent to 2 cups from what I researched on google, and I even have a cup of tea when I'm out at work too. At home, I have a mug of milk after dinner and I tend to like a glass of water near my bed if im thirsty during the night.

    I agree on what you said about the number ones fact for toileting, I very much keep an eye on the colour of fluid as I am wary of the dangers. I'd say I'm more in the You're almost there status.

    thank you for the tip everyone.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Beccalouise09 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    I very much have one of those Joseph Joseph water bottles from Debbinhams, I have a whole bottles worth which is 20 ounces if out at work. I think thats equivalent to 2 cups from what I researched on google, and I even have a cup of tea when I'm out at work too. At home, I have a mug of milk after dinner and I tend to like a glass of water near my bed if im thirsty during the night.

    I agree on what you said about the number ones fact for toileting, I very much keep an eye on the colour of fluid as I am wary of the dangers. I'd say I'm more in the You're almost there status.

    thank you for the tip everyone.

    Hydration needs are very variable. I live in the desert at over a mile high in elevation and exercise pretty much daily...my hydration needs are far more than say, someone who lives in a temperate environment at sea level who is more or less sedentary.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    Beccalouise09 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    I very much have one of those Joseph Joseph water bottles from Debbinhams, I have a whole bottles worth which is 20 ounces if out at work. I think thats equivalent to 2 cups from what I researched on google, and I even have a cup of tea when I'm out at work too. At home, I have a mug of milk after dinner and I tend to like a glass of water near my bed if im thirsty during the night.

    I agree on what you said about the number ones fact for toileting, I very much keep an eye on the colour of fluid as I am wary of the dangers. I'd say I'm more in the You're almost there status.

    thank you for the tip everyone.

    It's 2 1/2 cups. A cup of liquid is 8 ounces. Reducing salt intake can also help you're hydration levels, if you're getting more than the recommended amount (and it's fairly common for a modern western diet to contain too much sodium). A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables also helps with hydration, as many fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water (which is part of the reason why they're so low-calorie). These are good tactics for when it's hard to consume it in pure liquid form.
  • Beccalouise09
    Beccalouise09 Posts: 128 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    Beccalouise09 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Just stay hydrated...there is no magical number of cups of liquid to drink.

    hydration_final_small.jpg

    I very much have one of those Joseph Joseph water bottles from Debbinhams, I have a whole bottles worth which is 20 ounces if out at work. I think thats equivalent to 2 cups from what I researched on google, and I even have a cup of tea when I'm out at work too. At home, I have a mug of milk after dinner and I tend to like a glass of water near my bed if im thirsty during the night.

    I agree on what you said about the number ones fact for toileting, I very much keep an eye on the colour of fluid as I am wary of the dangers. I'd say I'm more in the You're almost there status.

    thank you for the tip everyone.

    It's 2 1/2 cups. A cup of liquid is 8 ounces. Reducing salt intake can also help you're hydration levels, if you're getting more than the recommended amount (and it's fairly common for a modern western diet to contain too much sodium). A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables also helps with hydration, as many fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water (which is part of the reason why they're so low-calorie). These are good tactics for when it's hard to consume it in pure liquid form.

    Hi, thank you for the help there Rel, and I do tend to like my bananas or apples the most when it comes to fruit and as for vegetables, I mainly have broccoli, cauliflower, peas and carrots but with the odd occasional red onion too. I note everything daily into my food diary on this website over on my profile.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    edited December 2018
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Xanifur wrote: »
    Drink when you are thirsty. Problem solved.

    Actually, our thirst cues can be delayed, and also crossed with hunger cues.

    ^^ THIS

    I didn't believe it at first, but, it only took a few times of choosing water before food to prove out the truth that a need for hydration may mimic the feeling of hunger pains.

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