Drinking water........Not easy for me

I carry a 32oz nalgene bottle with me pretty much everywhere I go. It's a freindly reminder!

I have found that a straw helps me sip a lot more. For instance, without a straw it'll take me all morning to finish a glass, but with a straw I'm likely to finish it all at once. Other things that help may just be getting a giant jusg that will hold all the water you want to drink for the day that way you have a visual of how much you have to go. BTW, you will have to pee ALL. THE. TIME. when you start drinking enough. Don't worry, its just a phase, it'll ease up after a while.

I actually always have to have a drink on hand - so I would think that keeping it handy at all times would really help you out - or maybe reward yourself weekly (or every two weeks or whenever) when you hit the suggested amount for a whole week to motivate you.

I just knock it back lol push through the awfulness!

I agree that 64 oz/day for all is a myth. Listen to your thirst levels. Tea counts. Obviously, if you're trying to lose weight, caloric sweeteners aren't a good idea. You don't have to be one of those all-day-sippers. Chug a small glass at mealtime, or stick to teas.

I read an intuitive eating book that actually advised AGAINST carrying around a water bottle and sipping all day. She likened Americans to babies with their constant sipping and snacking. When you think about it, we didn't do this 40 years ago. Cars didn't have cupholders. Coffee came from a pot at home. Soda came in 8 oz. cups. A business meeting wasn't an occasion for bagels or sandwiches. Her point was if you learn that you don't need mouth stimulation/activity all day, it can be easier to focus on our body's true signals for food and water.

I carry a 32oz nalgene bottle with me pretty much everywhere I go. It's a freindly reminder!

I do the same. I drink from it after waking up, before my a.m. workouts, and finish 1 bottle by the end of it. I drink a refill to make 64oz. around lunch, dinner and in between so that most of the time I finished it by evening. Sometimes, I drink more. I used to not like to drink a lot of water, but because I retain water easily ( low consumption of salt too.) I forced myself. Now, it's habit. Can't go anywhere without my nalgene. Also, I am so use to drinking this much that when I don't, my body lets me know. Using a straw is a great tip also!

I disagree with those who say that if your pee is very pale, you don't have to drink 64oz minimum...

I was like that for years...then I got a 14mm kidney stone I was laid up for 3 weeks, and had to have 3 surgeries to get rid of it. My urologist did tests to find out WHY I was creating these stones ( this was the 3rd one for me) and the first thing he found was that I was chronically dehydrated. He advised that I needed a minimum of 12 glasses a day, and 16 would be better. I also have to do a 24hr urine collection and have an x-ray every 6 months!

I now drink at least 10 glasses a day, more often 16+...I drink 3-4 during my morning work out, then refill my water bottle for the trip home. that one is done by the end of lunch...then I refill it and try to finish it in time to cook dinner...and one more bottle before bed. each of my water bottles usually holds 3-4 glasses. I find that it doesn't seem as intimidating if I say I only have to drink 4-5 bottles instead of 16 glasses! My water bottle is usually within arms reach...

I have a hard time w/ artificial sweeteners, so I use different fruits to spruce up my water. I love adding lime, lemon, or watermelon to add a little flavor. I've also recently discovered adding a few crushed mint leaves makes water really refreshing and easy to drink!

I am in the group of - Carry a water bottle. I got in the habit of doing this, mostly because I was constantly out and about (work/School) and when I had to choose between paying for water and paying for soda out of a vending machine, I usually picked soda or some other flavored drink. Now I can refill the bottle pretty much anywhere for free. So not only am I getting healthy, I am saving money (a Min of 30 dollars a month).

Water - Yes so important!

I have that problem as well (mostly because I am addicted to coffee!!)

Thirst is not a reliable indicator of how much water you need!

According to Thomson, Monroe and Sheeshka (2007)

"Although our thirst mechanism can trigger up to drink more water, this mechanism alone is not always sufficient: we tend to drink until we are no longer thirsty, but the amount of fluid we consume may not be enough to achieve fluid balance. This is particularily true when we lose body water rapidly, such as during intense exercise in the heat. Because our thirst mechanism has some limitations, it is important that you drink regularly throughout the day and not wait until you become thirsty, especially if you are active (p.243)"

Thomson et al., also note that as we age our thirst mechanism becomes less and less sensitive, and our bodies often rquire much more than they tell us.

Water is also important for making the most out of the fiber in your body (increasing the feeling of fullness). Also, it doesn't matter how many prunes you eat or how much fiber you eat! Without water, all you will have in your colon is cement!! Also prevention of dehydration and avoiding nsaid medications will prevent kidney disease!

So since water is so important: My suggestion is that you drink water deliberately.

I have got to get up first thing and try to chug a big glass of water in the morning before I have coffee (or else I am totally screwed up). Most days I try to have three big glasses by noon, and if that's all I get, well its enough to keep me out of renal failure.

Things to add to your water bottle to make it more interesting:
-heat or cool it
-add lemon or lime
-add mint leaves
-try cucumber (better then you might think)
-melon
-try specialty tea stores (david's tea or silk road)

Best of luck fellow drinking hater!

I agree that 64 oz/day for all is a myth. Listen to your thirst levels. Tea counts. Obviously, if you're trying to lose weight, caloric sweeteners aren't a good idea. You don't have to be one of those all-day-sippers. Chug a small glass at mealtime, or stick to teas.

I read an intuitive eating book that actually advised AGAINST carrying around a water bottle and sipping all day. She likened Americans to babies with their constant sipping and snacking. When you think about it, we didn't do this 40 years ago. Cars didn't have cupholders. Coffee came from a pot at home. Soda came in 8 oz. cups. A business meeting wasn't an occasion for bagels or sandwiches. Her point was if you learn that you don't need mouth stimulation/activity all day, it can be easier to focus on our body's true signals for food and water.

Lol! Babies with their sippie cups! You own tips made sense to me and are reasonable, but, you lost me with the "intuitive eating" book. The only thing you said she described that makes sense to me is to focus on our body's true signals for food and water. If you did that her cart (mouth stimulation) would go behind her horse (body's true signals).

Of course, I disagree with the author's comment.
I carry a nalgene bottle of water so that I have water close by for when I need it:
1) to keep me from going after juices and sodas,
2) from paying for overpriced waters in a bottle when away from home,
3) because I think water (or liquids) in plastic bottles are excessively consumed- I like to contribute to clean environments although I'm not a diehard.
4) no need to be lazy to get up and pour a glass of water when my bottle is right there.
5) My body's "true signal" for water is thirst. When I'm thirsty, I drink my water

So, if anything I have better control over what I drink and the choices I have to drink - all day. It is not a habit for everyone for everyone should do what works best for them.

Also, 40 years ago, our American society was not bombarded with advertisements for sodas, juices, and energy drinks; which are cleverly and effectively designed to get us to buy, buy, buy. And, these same manufactures saw a gold mind in bottle water and did the same. Also, fast food restaurants and drive thru windows were not on almost every main city block for easy access to those that wanted to take their food and sodas with them, hence the bright idea for cup holders. Coffee shops did exist, in fact people called them "coffee shops". You could get coffee in just about any restaurant so far back the cost was a nickle. Doughnuts shops existed (coffee and doughnuts) then, too.

Another thing that helped me - I quit all other drinks for a while and only gave myself water as an option. Now I mainly drink water but have coffee in the morning and tea at night. If there is nothing else then you learn to like water. It's how I get my 5 year old to drink water too when she needs to.

Drinking water with a straw makes it easier to drink for me.

I can relate because drinking water was NOT easy for me either!!! I was a coffee and soda drinker, but once I realized how many calories I was drinking it made it easier to drink water instead. I drink one bottle in the morning when I wake up, and I try to drink before each meal and snack. It is now much easier for me to drink water! You can do it!