Does water really make a difference?

from my experience, i usually feel better with it, and it doesn't take any special effort to achieve that 8 cups. i have one of those camelbak bottles with the "bite valve" that's fun to chew on so i drink a lot...haha. if i do exercise in any way, i usually exceed 8 cups. it helps me avoid mindless snacking or cravings, sort of like replacing the oral fixation of eating chips with sipping on water. and i love crystal light, and powerade zero.

if you exercise outside in texas in the summertime at pretty much anytime of the day, drinking a lot of water is pretty much essential for your survival. i went on an hour and a half bike ride in 106 degrees a couple of days ago and i wished i had brought more than my 750ml!

in the past i didn't drink as much, and i was drinking a lot more diet coke. i think i just generally feel better when it's none or just a little diet coke/other soda and the rest water, whether or not that better "feeling" is reflected on the scale

yes i know, i shouldn't drink diet sodas at all...blah

i've always hated drinking water; i thought it was gross because it had no taste so i would drink water probably about 2-3 times a month if that much and i've been doing that ever since i was a kid.

then about a month ago for the first time in my life my mouth started feeling dry and sticky on my tongue and the back of my throat and i was having dizzy spells and lightheadedness; i just felt i wasn't "with it" everywhere i went. this feeling lasted all day, everyday. i was also having abdominal cramps and constipation. i was ALWAYS thirsty but instead of drinking water i would drink my favorite, soda and hawaiian punch. but the feeling still didn't go away. this feeling lasted for weeks. so i did some searching online what this could possibly be and i thought to myself, could i be dehydrated? so i looked on a site about dehydration and turns out what i was experiencing was a few of the symptoms.

i still hate drinking water, so i've started drinking water with every meal which equals to about 3 cups a day which is way more than what i was drinking. the dry mouth i was experiencing has gone away and so is the lightheadedness, and i can use the bathroom more easily now.

i am no healthcare professional but i'm pretty sure my problem was water intake as my symptoms have subsided.
also fyi, never ask a nurse questions about your health. always ask your doctor as they know your medical situation. nurses are usually trained in the technical side of medicine but they are not necessarily trained to give you health recommendations.

Drink when you are thirsty. The medical professional that gave you the advise is correct. The 8 glasses of water a day mantra is wrong.

I drink a few glasses of water a day, because I am thirsty, and because it keeps me from eating a bunch of junk. However, I can go en entire day on a couple of cups of coffee and a glass of water at night, and feel just fine.

The problem with that is that far too often the body interprets thirst as hunger. Drink when you are hungry is also good advice to follow.

I agree with your nurse. Most of what you hear is old myths. If someone is dehydrated, it will affect their body in negative ways. For the rest of us, more water over and above what we need is just excreted.

Look at how much we drink these days. 40 years ago the only bottled water was Perrier. People didn't drink 44 oz. sodas or grande lattes or 'sports drinks'. There were no cupholders in cars or grocery carts.

Think about humans throughout history and about animals. They thrived listening to their bodies, not counting ounces or glasses. It would be pretty lousy for natural selection if a species couldn't keep themselves hydrated without doing math. We'd be long gone.

If you're tired drinking a tasteless water all over again try to squeeze some lemon extract to it! spice it up... enjoy.

YES it makes a big difference for me! I try to drink between 2-3 liters per day.

It has made a huge difference for me - I really think that before I started drinking more water that I was actually confusing thirst and hunger. I don't really *like* water, but like others have said, I crave it now. Give yourself a week or two of making it a point to just drink a few more glasses a day than you normally would, then reevaluate and see what you think

That is garbage that nurse doesnt know what they are talking about you need bare minimum of 64 ounces of water just for your liver and kidney to function properly if they do not have 64 ounces of natural water. They can not perform there functions which is to process waste. I say water is the most important health factor and is the number one diet secret I have and I have years of experience in losing weight it is very important.

I was recently told by a nurse that it actually doesn't matter if you drink 8 cups of water a day, that as long as you're eating plenty of fruit & vegetables that you're getting all the liquids you need.

I have a really hard time drinking anything, let alone water. I just don't think to do it and I don't like how full it makes me feel. I could probably put myself on a schedule of some kind, like a glass of water per hour if I knew it would really help my weight loss...

This is actually what I was taught while I was in nursing school too, but I don't follow it myself. It's also important to note that "8 glasses a day" is a guideline and every individual is different. Fruits and veggies may be enough for a 120 pound woman who is in A/C and isn't working hard, but on hot days where you are sweating, or during your exercising, a few strawberries won't be enough to replenish yourself.

I had to put myself on a water schedule as well at first, but after a while it becomes second nature. If you don't like the taste, you can add flavor. I use tea bags, mint and fresh fruit sometimes to add a little flavor to my water. There is also those Mio flavors that a lot of people like, too.

I heard ....somewhere lol.....that the MIO flavorings cause health issues....I would do some checking before using it.

I tried MiO for a month. That whole month I did not lose anything. I was still eating the same way and working out, but nothing. When I stopped using it to see, I was losing .8-1.5 pounds a week again. I have since just switched to tea bags/lemon/fruit in my water. Natural stuff.

I am a bit biased because I have always loved water, and was never really into soda. My drink variety consists mostly of water but since trying to lose weight I really stayed conscious of 8 glasses a day. I have to say I truly believe it helps. It keeps me feeling fuller, well hydrated during workouts, and suprisingly improved the softness of my skin. I can feel a noticeable difference, and I know its because I am so well hydrated.

H2O!!!

Our body is 80% water and 20% mass .. just like the Earth. Our brain is 93% water and weighs 3 lbs but when dehydrated it weighs a mere 8 oz. Even our eyeballs are 96% water. We NEED 80% more water than food in order for our cells to communicate properly. Our bodies RELY on water to flush out toxic and foreign particles that accumulate in our system. Many problems are associated with dehydration. Headaches, constipation, most bowel/digestive upset is due to dehydration.

Drinking water:
Lets us live
Helps maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and fighting cravings
Helps increase energy levels. Most mid day fatigue is associated with dehydration.. Drink up!
Helps decrease the risk of cancers, colon cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer
Reduces joint and/or back pain
greater health by flushing out waste and bacteria that cause disease.
Prevent and alleviate headaches.
Aids in digestion
naturally moisturizes skin ensuring proper cellular formation .. keeping it healthy and glowing
and it is the primary mode of transportation for nutrients in the body and is necessary proper circulation

Now that was just 10 things water does for our body.. VERY important things. Fruit and veggies cannot do this. (they serve other purposes)
Also the tastebuds on the tongue are very smart and when you drink a full glass of water(JUST WATER) the tongue sends this message to the brain and then works it magic for optimal benefits.
However if you put ANYTHING in your water your tastebuds will register it as what the taste is.. lemon, crystal light, etc. then the body processes it as that flavor and NOT as water.

I drink a full glass right as i get up.. I have a 64 oz water bottle that I make sure is empty by the end of the day.. That way it is easy to keep track.

Also just a bit of information that I am not sure as to how accurate it is but most medical doctors and nurses are not required to take courses on the importance of nutrition (water included). So we can trust our Dr.'s with medical issues but not with the nutritional kind, although MOST ailments are caused by our diet.. ..