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This water thing.......

Old 08-07-2010, 03:40 AM
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Default This water thing.......

About 45 oz is all I can do in a day, I'm floating! Dring one diet coke in the am (it's my coffee) but that's it.
Do we really need 64 oz?

Thanks.
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Old 08-07-2010, 05:38 AM
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Well Me2, I've read that our own thirst is a reliable gauge for fluid requirements, so to me that means stay hydrated in whatever way you see fit. Plain and simple. I don't know how to say this in a classy way, but you can tell if you're hydrated by gauging how clear your urine is. Also, if you're feeling dried out, achy, hungry (this may be thirst!), or tired it may be your body telling you to drink more H2O! For me personally, whenever I feel like taking an aspirin (headache, muscle soreness, after some Saturday nights out ) or a sudden feeling of hunger at an unusual time, I chug about half a liter of water. Many times the ache or hunger goes away. If water can do that for me, I always feel that 64+ ounces can't hurt!

I'm curious, are you exercising? If you work up a sweat in the gym, you'll definitely need to drink more to replenish. Same goes for summer temperatures. Do you live in a hot climate? Even summers here in Minnesota are pretty unbearable some days (especially if you don't have AC, like me). Sometimes I work up a sweat just doing the dishes. I work outside, so some days I find myself drinking well over a gallon of water. If I don't chug-a-lug I feel dizzy and tired at the end of a really hot day.

I think that Diet Coke may be working against you a little. Caffeine is a diuretic, so you'll have to drink a little more to compensate. I am a coffee drinker and try to drink at least as much water as coffee in addition to my daily goal of 2.5 liters. To avoid drinking just plain water you can add the usual sweeteners (not a fan myself) or wedges of lemon, lime, cukes, etc. Other ways to sneak fluids into your body are: eating fruits and veggies with high water content (watermelon, peaches, grapes etc.), eating more soups (try a cold gazpacho on a hot summer night!), and making your own freezer pops with water, a little juice and some pureed fruit.

Do whatever it takes to feel good! Hope this helps. Just speaking from my own (unprofessional) experience...
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Old 08-07-2010, 05:50 AM
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Actually I think 64 oz is baseline, plus another 8 oz for every 10 lbs you want to lose. I always count any decaf tea I drink in my water tally, but not Diet Coke or coffee. Yes, they are fluids, but they contain caffeine which actually can cause your joints to swell thereby negating the hydrating effect we're looking for here. Diet Coke is my reward for getting all my water downed! If you have trouble drinking that much water, try adding a water break between meals. I drink 32 during my workout, and another 32 oz between breakfast and lunch, then 32 more between lunch and dinner. This way I'm not trying to chug it down after dinner, hence avoiding 16 trips to the potty during the night.
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Old 08-07-2010, 09:54 AM
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Woohoo minnesota
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Old 08-07-2010, 02:09 PM
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Thanks everybody. Yes, I live in Louisiana and it's beyond hot! I don't always finish my morning diet coke but need it to wake up as I am not a morning person... If I had to chug down more than 64 couldn't do it. Yes, my urine is clear I have never been a big liquid drinker...
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Old 08-07-2010, 02:48 PM
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I would not drink the diet coke first thing in the morning. I would start with some water because your body has been without any fluids for the last 7-8 hours, and breathing alone can take water out of your body.

Definitely start the day with a big glass of water, then have your diet coke (because like a pp stated, diet coke is a diuretic so you really should drink an extra glass of water anytime you consume a diet coke to make up for the effects)

I used to think like you, but I currently drink about 100-144oz. of water per day and I sometimes still feel like I can't get enough. I used to drink tons of diet coke/pepsi, but that has changed and I actually can tell my thirst now. It used to be that I would feel hungry so I would eat, really my body was telling me to drink something
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Old 08-07-2010, 04:49 PM
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You don't have to drink 64 oz of water. All fluids count, including milk toward your hydration. The main thing is that you want to stick to fluids that don't have caffeine (because its diuretic) and you don't want to drink calories. So any calorie free, caffeine free fluid counts toward your requirements. Crystal light is great. I also like SoBe with zero calories. They have some great flavors that are more enjoyable to me than water.

SailorDoom is right that if your urine is mostly clear or very light yellow, and you feel hydrated, you should be fine. Also, if you are urinating at least 4 to 5 times during the day, that is a good sign. Don't be legalistic about measurements to the point that you're forcing yourself, just keep something you like to drink handy throughout the day.

My last hint is to make sure that you know that a standard water bottle is at least two 8 ounce servings. I knew a couple of people who were trying to drink 8 glasses/day, and thought that meant 8 actual bottles of water!! It's only 4 standle bottles of liquid total.
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Old 08-07-2010, 11:54 PM
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I think you can be well hydrated and lead a healthy happy life by drinking whatever water you're thirsty for. However, if you are trying to lose weight, by counting calories and keeping yourself at a calorie deficit, but drinking water does not come naturally to you, then yes I think you do need to know how much you are drinking, at least until it gets to be more of a habit. Flat out, I lose more weight, and have fewer incidents of constipation when I couple dieting with drinking lots of water. To me the benefit is worth the hassle of dragging that 32 oz bottle around and making myself finish it off before breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also think that it helps me to feel fuller faster and I eat a little less.
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Old 08-08-2010, 04:09 AM
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Thanks again. 4 or 5 times, ha more like 10+........trips to bathroom.

Have a great Sunday everybody!
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Old 08-08-2010, 08:53 AM
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I was wondering if carbonated water counts as water. Because I know you shouldnt be drinking fizzy drinks. So would it be the same drinking 1 liter of Perrier or something is the same as 1 liter of Aquafina or any other type of water?
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