But is it water??
daronkeel
Posts: 6 Member
Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily. I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
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Yes.5
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I do not log water because it is not important for me. My hydration levels in normal circumstances are fine just answering my thirst. This is confirmed in my urine color and from blood work. If/when my thirst fails to regulate me sufficiently then I will set quotas.
Water is in all beverages and in most of the food you eat. It all counts.
With that said, you should drink extra water when in situations where you are sweating more or drinking alcohol. Waiting for your thirst in those situations can leave you dehydrated.7 -
The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.5
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rheddmobile wrote: »The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.
A friend of mine who worked outside all day was in a serious health crisis from drinking water and failing to replenish his electrolytes.
I have tried to be one of those people carrying around a huge water jug all day and it was miserable. I imagine you can get accustomed to it but I am not sure why you would to unless it was necessary. I had to revisit drinking ahead of my thirst earlier in the year when my health took a temporary nosedive and I was instructed to do so by my doctor. I found it unpleasant.3 -
rheddmobile wrote: »The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know you are adequately hydrated? I have always wondered. I normally reach for my water when I feel thirsty, I don't force myself to drink it, but I'm not certain how to tell if I'm adequately hydrated. Is your thirst a sign you aren't? Urine color? I never can quite get it clear, but I do drink a bit of coffee and tea throughout the day and not certain if that prevents it. I don't want to sound ignorant, but I just might be in this case.1 -
langstontl wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know you are adequately hydrated? I have always wondered. I normally reach for my water when I feel thirsty, I don't force myself to drink it, but I'm not certain how to tell if I'm adequately hydrated. Is your thirst a sign you aren't? Urine color? I never can quite get it clear, but I do drink a bit of coffee and tea throughout the day and not certain if that prevents it. I don't want to sound ignorant, but I just might be in this case.
The rule of thumb is urine will be straw colored - not clear...clear would be over-hydration.
Most people are going to naturally drink enough, plus you'll get moisture from many foods like fruit and vegetable.4 -
@cmriverside Thank you. Good to know. Straw color I achieve, lol, plus I eat plenty of veggies and some fruit. I believe I do well in the hydration area now knowing this information. Plus now I know not to worry about striving for that clear urine.
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langstontl wrote: »@cmriverside Thank you. Good to know. Straw color I achieve, lol, plus I eat plenty of veggies and some fruit. I believe I do well in the hydration area now knowing this information. Plus now I know not to worry about striving for that clear urine.
The other thing about urine color is it is affected by what you eat/drink (like you said, coffee, tea, and also vitamin supplements.) I take a multi-vitamin three times a week and my urine is that lovely day-glow yellow afterwards.
I know. TMI.3 -
@cmriverside I totally get it! Can I ask why you only take the multi-vitamin three times a week instead of every day?0
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langstontl wrote: »@cmriverside I totally get it! Can I ask why you only take the multi-vitamin three times a week instead of every day?
Because I don't even think I need it!
Multivitamins are pretty high dose on some things I definitely don't need - I eat really well. It's more just an insurance policy, and who wants vitamin-y smelling yellow pee every day?7 -
langstontl wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know you are adequately hydrated? I have always wondered. I normally reach for my water when I feel thirsty, I don't force myself to drink it, but I'm not certain how to tell if I'm adequately hydrated. Is your thirst a sign you aren't? Urine color? I never can quite get it clear, but I do drink a bit of coffee and tea throughout the day and not certain if that prevents it. I don't want to sound ignorant, but I just might be in this case.
For most people in ordinary life worrying about whether you are adequately hydrated is uneccesary.
If you are trekking through the desert, make sure you take water and drink regularly.
If you are living everyday life just drink when you feel like it
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cmriverside wrote: »langstontl wrote: »@cmriverside I totally get it! Can I ask why you only take the multi-vitamin three times a week instead of every day?
Because I don't even think I need it!
Multivitamins are pretty high dose on some things I definitely don't need - I eat really well. It's more just an insurance policy, and who wants vitamin-y smelling yellow pee every day?
I haven't taken a multi-vitamin in years. I take a few specific vitamins but have also felt that diet was good enough not to need one. It might be a good idea to maybe take it a couple times a week. That is why I love these forums. You can glean quite a bit of good information from them. Thank you for responding
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Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily. I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
Keeping yourself hydrated is what is important. There is no universally magical amount of water or other fluids to drink. All fluids add to hydration. You can tell if you are properly hydrated by the color and consistency of your urine.
As mentioned, vitamins can alter the color of your urine, but generally that will be kind of a neon color vs being dehydrated would be dark yellow to even almost brown (very dehydrated) and cloudy. If you're properly hydrated, your urine will be straw colored and not thick or cloudy.3 -
I googled urine charts for this thread and found a couple fun ones.
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Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily.
Not for me, I don't find it difficult to keep myself adequately hydrated without counting my intake.
My hydration needs are hugely variable day to day and a fixed amount would be too little some days and too much on others.
On days with multi-hour hot or humid bike rides I will be conscious of frequency and colour of urination but generally my thirst reflex works fine.
I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
Why a gallon? Wondering if you need to log your intake to reach this goal whether it's because you don't actually need that much?
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
Yes if you feel the need to track water intake. There's a persistent myth that even small amounts of caffeine negate water intake - dosage matters and it has to be a very high amount of caffeine in a small amount of water for a drink not to be net hydrator.
Most drinks and even foods contribute towards your hydration.
1 -
You ask “why a gallon”? Because I live in south Texas where there is heat & high humidity and I am a distance runner, therefore I set a goal of a gallon / day in the summer.
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Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily.
Not for me, I don't find it difficult to keep myself adequately hydrated without counting my intake.
My hydration needs are hugely variable day to day and a fixed amount would be too little some days and too much on others.
On days with multi-hour hot or humid bike rides I will be conscious of frequency and colour of urination but generally my thirst reflex works fine.
I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
Why a gallon? Wondering if you need to log your intake to reach this goal whether it's because you don't actually need that much?
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
Yes if you feel the need to track water intake. There's a persistent myth that even small amounts of caffeine negate water intake - dosage matters and it has to be a very high amount of caffeine in a small amount of water for a drink not to be net hydrator.
Most drinks and even foods contribute towards your hydration.
You ask “why a gallon”? Because I live in south Texas where there is heat & high humidity and I am a distance runner, therefore I set a goal of a gallon / day in the summer.1 -
Why not more than a gallon on an extra hot long run day?
If you don't set a goal, do you ever go for a run and forget to drink and re-hydrate?
If you eat 2 lbs of watermelon (I did that two days ago), do you still drink a gallon that day?0 -
Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily.
Not for me, I don't find it difficult to keep myself adequately hydrated without counting my intake.
My hydration needs are hugely variable day to day and a fixed amount would be too little some days and too much on others.
On days with multi-hour hot or humid bike rides I will be conscious of frequency and colour of urination but generally my thirst reflex works fine.
I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
Why a gallon? Wondering if you need to log your intake to reach this goal whether it's because you don't actually need that much?
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
Yes if you feel the need to track water intake. There's a persistent myth that even small amounts of caffeine negate water intake - dosage matters and it has to be a very high amount of caffeine in a small amount of water for a drink not to be net hydrator.
Most drinks and even foods contribute towards your hydration.
You ask “why a gallon”? Because I live in south Texas where there is heat & high humidity and I am a distance runner, therefore I set a goal of a gallon / day in the summer.
There's many days with long summer rides when I need more than a gallon.
There's many days when I don't.
Which I why I don't set a fixed goal because needs aren't fixed.0 -
cmriverside wrote: »langstontl wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »The amount of water you need daily has been found to be much less than some health gurus advise, and yes, drinks other than water, drinks with protein powder in, and even soups are used by your body as fluid intake. Once you are adequately hydrated there are no benefits to drinking additional water. And in fact, it’s far more common to die of excess water intake by messing up your sodium balance than from dehydration.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know you are adequately hydrated? I have always wondered. I normally reach for my water when I feel thirsty, I don't force myself to drink it, but I'm not certain how to tell if I'm adequately hydrated. Is your thirst a sign you aren't? Urine color? I never can quite get it clear, but I do drink a bit of coffee and tea throughout the day and not certain if that prevents it. I don't want to sound ignorant, but I just might be in this case.
The rule of thumb is urine will be straw colored - not clear...clear would be over-hydration.
Most people are going to naturally drink enough, plus you'll get moisture from many foods like fruit and vegetable.
Uh oh. Mine is usually clear (in the toilet bowl, obviously diluted) by mid-morning and for the rest of the day until after supper, when I take my multi and the C makes it yellow.
I found out earlier this year (GI issues) how awful dehydration looks. My fluid intake was good, I needed electrolyte replacement.0 -
Why not more than a gallon on an extra hot long run day?
If you don't set a goal, do you ever go for a run and forget to drink and re-hydrate?
If you eat 2 lbs of watermelon (I did that two days ago), do you still drink a gallon that day?
Thank you for your response. My initial question had NOTHING to do with the amount of water I drink per day or advice about it. Have a great day.1 -
Logging water intake is important to make sure you are getting the amount you need daily.
Not for me, I don't find it difficult to keep myself adequately hydrated without counting my intake.
My hydration needs are hugely variable day to day and a fixed amount would be too little some days and too much on others.
On days with multi-hour hot or humid bike rides I will be conscious of frequency and colour of urination but generally my thirst reflex works fine.
I’ve logged this on and off for years and found I was much more successful logging, especially when my goal is 1 gallon per day.
Why a gallon? Wondering if you need to log your intake to reach this goal whether it's because you don't actually need that much?
The question I’ve always had, but never really asked……if you put a pre-workout powder in a bottle of water, log the pre-workout powder for calories, etc, is the bottle of water counted / logged as water intake?
Yes if you feel the need to track water intake. There's a persistent myth that even small amounts of caffeine negate water intake - dosage matters and it has to be a very high amount of caffeine in a small amount of water for a drink not to be net hydrator.
Most drinks and even foods contribute towards your hydration.
You ask “why a gallon”? Because I live in south Texas where there is heat & high humidity and I am a distance runner, therefore I set a goal of a gallon / day in the summer.
There's many days with long summer rides when I need more than a gallon.
There's many days when I don't.
Which I why I don't set a fixed goal because needs aren't fixed.
Thanks for the additional reply. My question had nothing to do with the amount of my water intake. You do you.
Have a great evening.1 -
Why not more than a gallon on an extra hot long run day?
If you don't set a goal, do you ever go for a run and forget to drink and re-hydrate?
If you eat 2 lbs of watermelon (I did that two days ago), do you still drink a gallon that day?
Thank you for your response. My initial question had NOTHING to do with the amount of water I drink per day or advice about it. Have a great day.
If a person asked for the best method to step over a poisonous snake, a caring response would be to tell the person to first try and find a path around it.
When a person asks if an additive disqualifies water as water it suggests they are towards the beginning of their hydration knowledge. There are old myths that exist that say that you must drink x amount of water and nothing but water counts. These myths are not helpful to a healthy lifestyle and they can even be harmful. You have received caring responses.16 -
Why not more than a gallon on an extra hot long run day?
If you don't set a goal, do you ever go for a run and forget to drink and re-hydrate?
If you eat 2 lbs of watermelon (I did that two days ago), do you still drink a gallon that day?
Thank you for your response. My initial question had NOTHING to do with the amount of water I drink per day or advice about it. Have a great day.
If a person asked for the best method to step over a poisonous snake, a caring response would be to tell the person to first try and find a path around it.
When a person asks if an additive disqualifies water as water it suggests they are towards the beginning of their hydration knowledge. There are old myths that exist that say that you must drink x amount of water and nothing but water counts. These myths are not helpful to a healthy lifestyle and they can even be harmful. You have received caring responses.
Actually, I never asked the best way to “hydrate” myself so not real sure what you are reading. I asked specifically about logging water. If you do not log water….then keep scrolling. I drink / log water for specific reasons….none that I initially described and others that I do not need to explain. I am very knowledgeable in hydration and my needs to maintain my hydration. I do disagree with your opinions on your hydration myths, which was never, ever part of the question.
So again, have a great evening.
1 -
Why not more than a gallon on an extra hot long run day?
If you don't set a goal, do you ever go for a run and forget to drink and re-hydrate?
If you eat 2 lbs of watermelon (I did that two days ago), do you still drink a gallon that day?
Thank you for your response. My initial question had NOTHING to do with the amount of water I drink per day or advice about it. Have a great day.
If a person asked for the best method to step over a poisonous snake, a caring response would be to tell the person to first try and find a path around it.
When a person asks if an additive disqualifies water as water it suggests they are towards the beginning of their hydration knowledge. There are old myths that exist that say that you must drink x amount of water and nothing but water counts. These myths are not helpful to a healthy lifestyle and they can even be harmful. You have received caring responses.
Actually, I never asked the best way to “hydrate” myself so not real sure what you are reading. I asked specifically about logging water. If you do not log water….then keep scrolling. I drink / log water for specific reasons….none that I initially described and others that I do not need to explain. I am very knowledgeable in hydration and my needs to maintain my hydration. I do disagree with your opinions on your hydration myths, which was never, ever part of the question.
So again, have a great evening.
It's not at all unreasonable for people to think that someone who asks a question like whether water is still water if they pour a powdered supplement into it is someone who is not knowledgeable about hydration.
People are trying to help you.15 -
It's normal to assume it's a question about hydration, since that's why most people log their water intake. For hydration purposes it doesn't matter whether it's water or water with 'stuff' added to it.
If I were to log my water intake (I don't since I just go by thirst and urine color) I would log all fluids, whether it be water or drinks containing water (tea, flavored water, shakes,...). But that's for hydration.
Not knowing why you track your water intake, we can't say whether or not the addition of a pre-workout powder is important or not for logging it as water.8 -
I'm struggling to think of a situation in which the question ' is it really water? for logging purposes does not relate to hydration - whether it be drinking enough or keeping to a fluid restriction ( as is the case with some medical conditions )
If OP has some other specific reason which escapes me, then that's fine - although not expecting people to mind read that rather than read a question in its regular context8 -
Here's heresy, maybe: The non-alcohol fluid content of alcoholic drinks - beer, wine, cocktails - counts toward hydration, too.
Is your first reaction is "No!"? If so, imagine that you drank a shot of 190 proof (95% ABV) Everclear alongside a full but separate glass of water, sip for sip. Does the water count toward hydration? If so, it still counts if it's mixed in with the Everclear . . . or inherently part of a beer, wine, cocktail. It doesn't stop being water because it's mixed with something, does it?
Since OP strictly requires that we answer his actual question as the price of admission to his thread: The water counts toward hydration, even if mixed with flavor-y or calorie-esque powder. Whether you log it under water, or log the whole mixed-together thing as a beverage, or don't log it at all . . . that's a personal choice. Do whatever works best for you.
Should you log soup as water? What if it's a broth-y soup? What if it's just bouillon in hot water? Does it make a difference how strongly flavored the bouillon is, or if it has parsley flakes or something else solid in it? Real miso broth, with the little live swim-y probiotic bugs (and some protein, even) in it? What about watermelon: It has water right in the name!
Personally, I log plain (still or sparkling) water, or most water with (near-)zero calorie additives I put in myself, as water; and log anything else under meals/snacks as the beverage (or soup, fruit, etc.).6 -
It’s still water.3
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While we’re discussing hydration and pee color… brownish urine can also be a sign of blood. Get it checked if it’s either a new symptom (especially if accompanied by flank pain and/or fever), or a persistent symptom where you know you’re drinking enough fluids.3
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