JenR

I am terrible about drinking enough water - or drinking enough period. I try to stay away from juice and too much caffeine, so a lot of times I don't drink anything. I've started to notice in the heat especially working out, that I'm dehydrated. So, how much water do I really need? I can't imagine actually getting 8 glasses. Is that really the goal? And any tips for remembering to drink?

Beckyrs

Obviously you know you need to drink more so I won't say that. One easy way to drink more is to have a water bottle or glass with you all.the.time. If you prefer to drink out of a straw then make sure you get a bottle with a straw. If it is right there just start mking yourself take a few sips now and then. Pretty soon you won't even realize that you are drinkng the entire bottle and need a refill!
Not sure what the 'exact' requirement is nowadays though, I drink water from sun up to sun down and always have.

Eleni

I have heard lately that the 8 glass or one litre rule is not correct, that one must drink according to their need. Obviously that doesn't mean preferring soda drinks to water if you're thirsty but have enough water to quench your thirst.

My SIL was on this way weird diet...I don't even know if there is a translation for it...it had some sort of fasting/religious twist to it but in any case she saw this guy (who claimed to be able to cure a bunch of health problems with this diet) who convinced her that water is not really needed by our bodies to the extent we're having it, that in fact it harvests a certain bacteria that lives in our system...etcetc. I don't remember details but he had her eating and drinking almost NOTHING for a month. She'd only take a few spoonfuls of fluids per day, which she proceeded to "chew" about 80 times before swallowing!- and then very slowly added more stuff to her diet never drinking water...It was crazy but she lost weight (obviously) and claimed that the problems she was having -high blood pressure and dismenorhea- were fixed...She also said it was way easier for her to diet this way than any other way she'd tried in the past and that now she could totally apreciate the simplest of flavors (no sh*t! after not having anything to eat for a while).
Anyway...i still think it is such a crazy thing just wondered if anyone ever heard of such a thing...The book she had even suggested this diet for things suffered by pregnant women!

Part of the argument for it is that this works in the way that animals shut down and don't eat/drink in order to heal themselves when they are hurt...

jandj-2002

Eleni, that is a wacked diet. How about the notion that if you were somewhere without food or water you'd probably die of thirst before hunger.

I think in general our bodies need water. You should listen to your body and feed and water it as needed. It all depends on what you're doing, the weather, what you've eaten to say exactly how much you need.

Puddin'

I agree with the others, you need more. The 8 glasses/day is a suggestion, not a steadfast rule. If you are getting to the point you are thirsty, you should have already had some water.

A suggestion I have given others is to keep a glass of water where they are. A glass, not a bottle with a lid...closed things are too easily ignored. I keep my water in the kitchen and everytime I walk through I take a drink. Personally, I make sure to have a liter of water before any caffiene..DH does it too and we both like the effects of starting the day with water. A friend keeps a bottle of water in the car with her because she drives a lot. Find what works for you.

You can do it!

Puddin'

ITA!

Eleni

Jackie, I didn't have a chance to read this but skimming through it it sort of looks like what I described. I just typed "fasting therapy" translating from the greek word and googled it. Besides healing all sorts of medical problems it is a recommended method of getting rid of toxins.
take a look if you're curious...I'm in no way promoting this, I think it's pretty wacked too...
http://sci.pam.szczecin.pl/~fasting/bur_ab.doc
and
Nutritional Program for Fasting - Elson M. Haas M.
this one doesn't quite exclude water...perhaps the one my SIL did is an extreme form of it. The spiritual/cleansing argument is there.

This is the greek site and the actual book my SIL read. I tried to find an english version of the link but there is none...

Fasting Therapy - Α�χική Σελίδα
There are several stages to this "diet", one called "drought" where nothing is eaten/drunk all day. Then the next day a little bit of juice with a spoon...like I described earlier. Then small meals, then drought...all these stages of back and forth...

ksirrah

I have the same problem...I've started to make myself drink at least 4 glasses a day..and work my way up. I think I read somewhere that the average is like 6 a day...I'll have to look it up.

lapoissonne

I think the 8 glasses comes easy when you always have a cup or your Sigg handy. I always have something with water in it around and as I feel thirty I take a big swig or two or when I am working out I can empty an entire Sigg bottle.

Sparqi

I drink one large glass before my run and one when I get back. Then I have one before/during breakfast. I make sure to have one before I have any snack in the am and pm. Then I have one before lunch and dinner. Then one before my evening snack. So, that's 8.

I use BIG glasses...they are at least 14-16 oz.

If you make sure to drink a glass before you eat, that's 3-5 glasses already, and the guidelines are for an 8 oz glass, so make yours a big one and you'll be all set!