Drinking water...

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LindaLou0802
LindaLou0802 Posts: 22 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I am not a water drinker...never have been, unless I am really hot or working out. I just don't like water that much, and unfortunately I am addicted to Diet Coke! It is my caffeine in the mornings, instead of coffee. I really need to drink A LOT more water, not only because I think it will help with my weight loss, but also because it is just good for you. So I am looking for ideas as to how I can possibly drink 8 glasses a day??
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  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
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    add some lemon to it
    keep a bottle with you to sip on
    I sometimes have to make it a game (lol) and sent goals, even if it's "i'm going to take 5 sips from my water in the next half hour"
    I struggle too but it's getting better.
    A lot of people use crystal light flavour stuff but I don't like it.
  • dorianeadams
    dorianeadams Posts: 1
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    I have the same struggle, but I've found a few things help me. First, carrying a 750ml water bottle around with me and sticking it on my desk when I get to work means I often just reach for it whereas normally I'd go get a cup of tea if I was bored/thirsty. Also keeping herbal teas at my desk means I will drink those when I want a hot drink rather than coffee.

    Or, if you really don't like the taste of water, not-too-strong squash is always a good option, or caffeine-free iced teas, etc.
  • Agefyter
    Agefyter Posts: 107 Member
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    I drink 20 oz while at the gym in the morning and I have a 20 oz tumbler at my desk always full of decaf Bigelow tea. When I get home from work instead of pouring a glorious glass of chardonnay to sip on while I cook, I pour 3 oz wine in a glass and fill with club soda. How about a flavored club soda instead of the cola?
  • sarahc0714
    sarahc0714 Posts: 49
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    I am not a big water drinker either but I really just had to force myself. It really helps to have a larger water bottle with some sort of straw. The bigger the straw the more I water I tend to drink :) Weird, I know. Lemon really does help. The other think that helped me is to not have it super cold, that way I can just guzzle it down. I am not much of a sipper if you can tell :) Good luck!
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
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    Keep a water bottle with you at all times... I keep mine next to my monitor at work so i am constantly sipping all day
  • Agefyter
    Agefyter Posts: 107 Member
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    I have the same struggle, but I've found a few things help me. First, carrying a 750ml water bottle around with me and sticking it on my desk when I get to work means I often just reach for it whereas normally I'd go get a cup of tea if I was bored/thirsty. Also keeping herbal teas at my desk means I will drink those when I want a hot drink rather than coffee.

    Or, if you really don't like the taste of water, not-too-strong squash is always a good option, or caffeine-free iced teas, etc.

    "not-too-strong squash" ?
  • Katetmay
    Katetmay Posts: 56 Member
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    Decaf tea is a good choice, I also enjoy perriere with lemon(hate the one without citrus).

    You will find if you start drinking water on a regular basis you may begin to crave it more when you are thirsty. This sounds crazy I know but about 2 months ago I could not bring myself to drink one cup, now when I am thirsty I run immediately for water without even thinking about it. I did not think I would ever see the day that I enjoyed it but that day has come.
  • ShamaraIjames
    ShamaraIjames Posts: 1 Member
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    I found that Propel helped me with my journey into water drinking. It flavors the water without changing the color so you get the impression that your drinking purely water. You may even be able to transition to straight water. Hope this helps, congratulations on your weight loss, I can see it already and you look great!!!
  • Rachelito
    Rachelito Posts: 119 Member
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    At first I just had to force myself. I bought a water bottle because I found I just dont like drinking it out of a glass. I was addicted to Dr.Pepper and Pepsi, now I skip those and drink around 150oz a day of water and dont mind at all!
  • 20lbsorless
    20lbsorless Posts: 27
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    i think the keeping a bottle of water close to use and sipping throughout the day you will find you will reach your 8 glasses. most days i can drink 8 glasses or pure water and 4 cups of tea. tuesday i barely drink 4 glasses as i'm not allowed to drink while i have clients.
  • naiomi85
    naiomi85 Posts: 29 Member
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    Try to make foods that you prepare using water. For ex: every morning i eat a bowl of oatmeal and add 1 cup of water to it. Try to drink hot teas through out the day. You can always buy the flavored water or add in flavors to your water.
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
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    I fill a water bottle with water and ice, squeeze a lemon wedge and add a few drops of lemon stevia...voila, lemon shake up.

    I also put a few strawberries in a blender with water and ice and chocolate raspberry flavored stevia. Blend for a nice smoothie.

    If you do sparkling water, 3 drops of grape stevia, 3 drops of vanilla stevia it will taste like diet dr. Pepper.


    Hope that gives you a few ideas
  • HotCuppaJo
    HotCuppaJo Posts: 477 Member
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    I have to admit, I was JUST like you... As a teacher, I have a fridge in my room and I would have about 5-6 cans of Diet Pepsi...all before NOON!! It was nuts. I decided when I started my weightloss journey in January that I would just have ONE for breakfast and ONE for lunch, and try to force myself to drink water. (HATE water... It has to be filtered and FREEZING for me to drink it, and I do NOT like putting lemons in it, sadly. :( ) Anyway, once I started drinking the ice water, I found myself wanting the pop less and less. It was CRAZY! I wasn't even planning on completely cutting it out, but before I knew it I hadn't had a pop for one week....two weeks...three weeks and now I think it's been over a month since my last one! My body stopped craving it, after I started forcing the water...and now I crave the water! Not sure if it will work the same for you....
  • tlinval
    tlinval Posts: 175 Member
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    I keep a water bottle or two in the car. I drink 20 oz of water easily in the car during my 3 mile commute! I find drinking water in the car is the easiest thing! A bottle on the way to work, a bottle back, 40 oz done without even thinking about it. NICE!! :smile: Water at work is a must for me, too. I set a "goal" of oz of water per day.
  • Dawn1950
    Dawn1950 Posts: 4
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    I like you am not a big fan of water but have been getting in 64 oz. a day for about a month now. I find if I drink from a 20oz bottle and fill that three times a day there is 60 oz. I keep it by me and everytime I see it I take some. It is 2:20pm and I have about 1/2 a cup left. I finish off the last 1/2 cup with my pills at bedtime. I know when this is gone I can than reward myself by having something to drink that I like. i.e. Crystal Light, or diet juice. I cut my coffee back to 1 cup a day and than start on the water. Just be sure you are neer a bathroom. You can put a squirt of lemon or lime in it also to help the flavor. Hope it helps.
  • icandothis318
    icandothis318 Posts: 40 Member
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    I can relate to you excecpt it is not that I don't like water it is just that I don't drink that much of anything in a day. If someone was to say you can drink all the juice/soda that you want I still would only drink about 2-3 cups a day, if that. I have to do something to make me want to drink more.
  • LindaLou0802
    LindaLou0802 Posts: 22 Member
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    Wow, thanks for the helpful ideas, everyone! I guess I am going to have to keep a bottled water with me in the car and on my desk at work, so I can sip on it during the day. Sadly, I do not like the lemon in my water for some reason, but I haven't tried other flavored waters. I really prefer ice water over warmer water, so maybe I will keep ice in my little fridge at work too.

    I strive to be like my 3 year old...water is her preferred beverage, not juice...and she will drink it at any temperature, anywhere. :)

    Yes, I am hoping once I start forcing myself to drink more of it, I will learn to crave it instead of Diet Coke.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    Here's what I do......I carry a 1G jug around with me......I fill it up in the morning and can't drink anything else until it's gone. You could do the same with 64oz.....In theory I could have sweet tea/soda once the gallon is gone but by that point it's usually late in the day and I dont want to waste the calories so I end up just drinking more water/chewing ice. Good luck to you...It is tough to cut out
  • jodienc1
    jodienc1 Posts: 13
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    I used to be a soda drinker myself until a car accident took away my ability to "feel" carbonation... Yes I cannot taste any fizzy drinks... beer, champagne, seltzer, soda - so it was was a transition.. but for almost a year it's been nothing but water and I can't say that I miss the soda at all. I miss the beer.

    I noticed a huge difference in my skin in a matter of a week. Just bite the bullet and start drinking it....
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    I add fresh lemon to every glass. Almost like lemonade.

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