How much water do you drink?

[KelLeg]

How many of you actually drink the recommended 64 oz of water?? I have really been trying to increase my water intake, but I find it really hard to drink more than about 32 oz. I drink 8 oz. oj in the morning, then usually about 16 oz of water mid-morning and with lunch. Then, I drink more water in the afternoon. For dinner, I usually have milk b/c I think I need some calcium! And that isn't even getting into wine or soda or cocoa (my new low-cal treat)! I have cut way back on soda. I drink diet soda a few times a week. I have started drinking flavored waters (like Mendota and La Croix) to increase my intake, but I still have trouble!

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear what the rest of you do. TIA!

[tracey67]

About 12 years ago I stopped drinking soda completely. At that time, I think I was probably logging about 8 cans of coke a day. Yeeesh! Anyway, one day I just decided that I didn't want to drink it and quit. My only exception to this is maybe twice a year when I have an upset stomach, I'll have a glass of ginger ale - always does the trick to calm my stomach.

Sooooo.... I drink ALOT of water. It's pretty much all I drink aside from my daily coffee, the milk with my cereal, and a daily glass of juice.

I'll usually have at least two large glasses (probably 10-12 oz. each) between breakfast and lunch. I finish a 24 oz. bottle during my workouts. I drink another 1 or 2 with lunch. Then another 1 or 2 until dinner. At least 2 during dinner, and generally 1 after dinner. So, let's see -- on the low end I'm getting about 84 oz. a day and on the high end, about 114 oz. a day. I guess that seems kind of high, but I truly enjoy the taste of water and I figure there are worse things I could be doing.

tracey

[Varaile]

I too quit drinking soda, except I only did it about 3 years ago.
I haven't missed it at all!

I mainly drink water and tea. I have a tiny thermos that I fill up with my tea in the morning and I sip on that all day. In between I drink water, usually about 16oz worth (sometimes more sometimes less. I have a glass with breakfast in the morning and a glass in the evening with dinner. I do like to have a glass on hand if I'm at the computer or watching TV.

I read somewhere onetime that while drinking water is definately good for you, trying to drink lots and lots doesn't achieve much because your cells become water-logged and are unable to retain anymore fluids. Hence the numerous trips to the bathroom. It was just something I heard.

Okay, here's a strange question - what temperature do you usually like to drink your water at: room temp, slightly chilled or ice cold?

I'm a room temp person, even in the summer!

[beacooker]

I can't stand not having a glass of water around to sip on, even for an hour. I've never bothered measuring how much I actually end up getting, but I'm sure it is enough. And its probably been years since I had a soda - I've never been a big fan. It always seemed like a silly way to get sugar to me - I'd much rather hold out for chocolate!

The temperature thing interests me, because I've never understood you room-temperature people, but there seem to be a lot of you. My water has to have LOTS of ice. DH always used to say that I make the 'best water', and would always steal my glasses of water, but now he's figured out to put lots of ice in his, too! Room temp water just doesn't taste right to me, and doesn't quench my thirst.

[Jodi]

I definitely drink the recommended amount and then some. I have coffee in the morning, and then it's water the rest of the day for me. I fill up to 32-oz-sized containers each morning so that I can keep track. My goal is to drink one containter in the morning and one in the afternoon.

In the summer, I'll occasionally have an iced tea with either lunch or dinner. Very rarely will I order a soda if I'm out, and we don't buy it at home. When I first started drinking water all day long, it was a HUGE adjustment. I swear I was getting up to pee again at work the second I sat back down. And by the end of my second container I could barely get the water down -- I felt like I was water-heavy or bloated or something. Luckily the adjustment period didn't last too long, and now drinking so much water comes second-nature to me.
Jodi

[KelLeg]

This is interesting! I was wondering about the bathroom thing. I go all the time now, and I only drink 32-40 oz per day.

What about juice and milk? You don't feel like you need these things? Do you get enough calcium elsewhere? (I drink calcium-fortified juice).

And what about wine? Does anyone drink wine??

I have definitely gotten better about drinking water; I really never drank it before (except during a workout and right after). I have also gotten much better about soda too.

[Varaile]

I don't drink a lot of juice, just every once in a while for variety. I don't want the sugar calories. But! I do enjoy drinking orange juice, I just don't purchase it very often and then I like to have it with breakfast. It doesn't seem like a snack, lunch or supper thing to me.

Hmm...milk. I love milk. I grew up drinking milk. For some reason I don't drink it anymore unless it is in my cereal/oatmeal. Probably because I prefer water with my meals. 'Cleanses the taste buds' better. I do take a calcium supplement though.

I do drink wine (budding aficiando here), and I enjoy an occasional beer, but I try to have a glass of water right along side or afterwards.

[laden]

I usually have about 80 oz of water a day. I really like it but I haven't always been that crazy about it. When I joined WW years ago they really put a focus on drinking water so I made a real effort to "choke" it down. After a while I started craving water and have been addicted ever since.

I drink it at room temperature and run it through a Brita water filter to make it taste better.

[tracey67]

ice, ice, and more ice!! beacooker, I'm with you!!

I put TONS of ice in my water! I don't drink much juice - same thing others said - too much sugar and too many calories. If you're looking for the vitamin C and fiber, it's much better to eat an actual orange than drink a glass of juice.

I don't worry about getting enough calcium. I have at least 1 1/2 cups with my cereal (I like more milk than cereal), my one glass of oj is calcium fortified, I eat a fair amount of cheese and yogurt, and I eat veggies like spinach that have lots of calcium in them. Oh - and I think my soy milk is also calcium-enriched.

And I LOVE wine. I probably drink it every other day or every third day - usually 1-2 glasses.

tracey

[pammy]

Probably somewhere between 60 - 80 oz. a day - like beacooker, I drink so much of it, I don't measure. I feel strange without my big water mug beside me at work, and if since I drive alot on the job, I always have a bottle in my car. I pretty much gave up soda - will have a Diet Coke occasionally when the mood hits me, maybe about twice a month. The only other things I drink are coffee (gotta have my two cups in the a.m.) and WINE .

You'll find that after you have been drinking 64 oz. a day for a few weeks, that your body will adjust, and you will not have to run to the bathroom constantly.

[BevP]

It was my mantra on this board for a long time. "Drink your water" I'd post water reminders. Hmm, probably should again

I drink water - lots, sodas - minimal, wine, coffee... you name it. When I'm sick of water I get club soda and flavor it a bit with orange juice or something if I haven't had enough non-dehydrating liquid for the day.

In the winter I like my water room temperature. Summer, cool or ice cold. But the way to really drink lots of water, for me, is to put it through a straw. Don't know why but that's how it is. Wierd, huh?

[Jodi]

Kelly,
I eat a TON of yogurt and take a calcium supplement, because I KNOW I don't get enough calcium. I have never liked milk, though -- my parents couldn't even get me to drink chocolate milk as a kid -- and to this day have trouble getting a glass down. I barely coat cereal with milk, so I try to make up for the lack of calcium in other areas.

As for juice, that's another thing that I've never really cared for. It's too sweet for me. (Can you tell I'm a picky eater?!)
Jodi

[KelLeg]

I know what you mean about not liking milk. I never liked it (except with cookies) until I got pregnant with my first child. Now I can even drink it with pizza. I only have about one glass a day, though. And, as far as juice goes, the only juice I have is one of OJ in the morning. Sometimes, I have a virgin Mary (or a bloody one!). I don't drink cranberry, apple or other juices either because I'd rather "spend" my calories on food.

[Ms. Chevious]

I drink TONS of water - at least 90-100 oz. a day and I find that when I'm really good about it, it really seems to help weight loss. Whenever I've splurged on eating anything the least bit fattening it makes me feel slightly better to chase it with as much water as possible (its probably just psychological but I feel like offsetting the fat calories a little bit that way!)
But I've been drinking lots of water for years and I still have to make tons of bathroom trips - guess my body isn't adjusting!
I wish I could drink it ice cold - its supposed to burn calories that way (or so I heard) since your body has to work to bring it up to body temp - though I don't know how true that is or we'd be using the same excuse to eat ice cream. But I just can't stand any cold liquids at all and can't drink anything with ice in it - makes my teeth hurt!

[Meg O'C]

I drink anywhere between 40 and 100 oz of room temp water a day. I strive for the recommended 64 but sometimes fall short and sometimes manage to get much more! If I don't start early in the day (at least 24-32 oz by mid-morning) I usually fall short. For some reason as the day goes on, it's harder for me to drink more - I know that doesn't make sense!

[donleyk]

I've been drinking 20 oz's of green tea mid mornings so I don't starting drinking water until aerobics then thru lunch and the rest of my work day. Rarely do I drink soda. Do partake in beer and wine. Need to cut back on the beer.

[emilycat]

I drink an 8 oz. glass of water before I run, as well as a glass of milk in my cereal ( I drown the poor stuff ) then I go through a 32-oz. bottle during the day -- sometimes I'll have two glasses in the morning instead of one -- so about 40-50 oz. (Um, and then 2 (or more ) glasses of wine or beer every evening.)
However, everyone's body is different, and in my opinion, the 64 oz. rec is for the AVERAGE person -- I'm way smaller than average, so I subscribe to the "divide your body weight in half and drink that many ounces of water theory," which has been supported by Runner's World. In that case, I technically drink enough water.

Oh, BTW --
I wish I could drink it ice cold - its supposed to burn calories that way (or so I
heard) since your body has to work to bring it up to body temp - though I don't
know how true that is or we'd be using the same excuse to eat ice cream.

As far as I know, this IS true! Several doctors have told me this . Doesn't do me much good, though, since I just like my cold -- no ice.

[KelLeg]

Emilycat, I hadn't heard that thing about dividing your weight by two. Unfortunately, I still end up around 64 oz! Another reason to lose some weight--just kidding. I have pretty much resigned myself to just trying to drink more water and not worry too much about how much.

Thanks!

[SueK]

I drink at least 100 oz a day. I have my coffee in the AM before work, and then I fill up a big 36 oz thermos of water 3 times during the day at work. I love it ice cold, too. I had heard about the 2 times your weight thing that Emily mentioned, but I hadn't heard about the ice-cold theory. Interesting!

[aggie94]

I gave up sodas years ago too, so I drink almost exclusively water throughout the day. In the morning, with breakfast, I have either a glass of milk or calcium-fortified OJ (and yes, I worry about getting enough calcium). The rest of the day, I rarely drink anything but water - I hate giving up calories for a beverage. I'd say I drink at least 60 ounces of just water a day.

Unless I'm really cold to begin with, I like my water ice cold. No ice in it, but ice cold. I used to be a room-temperature water-drinker, but I think I really prefer it when it's chilled, especially during a workout.

[Jennett]

I drink about 70 oz a day. But I really should be drinking more than that, to balance out the HUGE mug of coffee (about 3-4 cups) in the morning, the large mug (2-3 cups) of tea in the afternoon, and the 2-3 glasses of wine with dinner. And I work out regularly. I've been trying to force myself to drink more before exercise, with some success.

And, like many others, it's gotta be room temperature.

[Lynno1975]

I try to get down about a gallon a day (and for you folks doing the math, NO I don't weigh 256# :-)

I cut out soda, but once in a while I'll have one as long as it's decaf (same for coffee). I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease aobut 3 1/2 years ago (inner ear disorder that causes fluid build up in the inner ear reducing hearing). The 4 major things that are supposed to be avoided are caffine, beer (the yeast...), cigarettes (nicotine) and salt. I had quit smoking, salt wasn't much of an issue (I thought anyway) and I didn't drink much tea, coffee or soda to start with. I told them they could have 3 out of 4 and they weren't getting my beer. Well, a year and a half ago I started a job working weekend night shift which slammed the breaks on my Friday night pub outtings. This was saving me about $100- $150 a month (I didn't drink it all, I did by some for others and I also decided to lose 50 pounds. That's when I spend part of my bar tab money on Culligan water cooler rental and bottles. I just started drinking and I haven't quit. The drawback is, neither has my trips to the "water closet" (is this by any chance what someone had in mind when naming it? Doubt it, but you never know). I can tell the difference in tap water, water in restaurants and different brands of bottled water. My friends think I'm nuts, but when you drink that much, it's possible. Also, the best part was that I went home for 6 days for Christmas and with every meal I ate whatever I wanted and made sure to drink a quart of water with every meal. I only gained one pound! This doesn't work all the time, but if you eat healthy it does, it just helped when I fell of the wagon during the holidays though.

As for the temperature, I can drink it room temp, cold and if I have a straw ice cold.

[LGBurns]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this so I'm chiming in with my 2 cents (or more). Any liquid counts toward the 64 oz recommendation as long as it isn't alcohol or caffienated. So, your orange juice and milk count. The idea is to keep you hydrated and any liquid will do that. The benefit of water is that you aren't ingesting calories along with the liquid, but if you want the nutritional benefit of the milk and/or orange juice, by all means add that in to your measurement.

[KelLeg]

LGBurns, thank you! I do feel better if I can count my OJ and milk. I hate to give them up b/c I believe in drinking them for the nutritional value.

All of you are amazing. I just can't believe how much water everyone drinks. It is inspiring. I'm working on it! Today, I think I had a good 48+ oz. And, if you count my hot cocoa made with water and my OJ, I'm up to around 64! Yea!

[mame]

I drink probably between 100-150 oz a day. But I don't drink anything else. Some days I have a large glass of hot unsweetened weak green tea. If I drop below 100 oz I feel thirsty all the time, and eat a lot more. I started with the water about 1 1/2 years ago--did the divide your body weight in half thing--and now over 75 lbs lighter--I still drink that much. And that many trips to the water closet Only part I don't like. Every hour on the hour if not more often .

[MelissaAS]

Thanks to your calculation, I'm getting enough water...right around 56oz. (I'm only 4'11" or some claim 4'10" but I'm sticking to my guns).

My beverage routine is: Coffee first thing in the morning (about 12oz.) to herbal tea at work (about 8oz.) to water during the day (about 36oz.) then to seltzer/club soda at dinner (about 12oz.) then a bit more water or seltzer in the evening (probably 6oz). Not counting the coffee, that's about 56-62oz.

As for temperature, I like it cool (refridgerated, no ice) and do find it even easier to drink room temperature. Seltzer MUST be cold though!

Melissa

[lhall]

OOPS! This thread just reminded me my water bottle has been in the freezer 2 1/2 hours!!
Not completely frozen, but I had to break the ice to drink any. I like to do this so it stays cold longer.

Originally posted by LGBurns
I don't think anyone has mentioned this so I'm chiming in with my 2 cents (or more). Any liquid counts toward the 64 oz recommendation as long as it isn't alcohol or caffinated.

I've heard the same thing. I try to drink 64oz a day, sometimes it's more, some times less. I count anything without caffine. I drink 2 16.9oz bottles of water a day, one 12oz caffiene free/diet soda, at least one 12oz glass of decaffinated iced tea each day. That makes 58oz, and I try to drink at least one more glass of water.

I don't drink much juice because of the sugar calories. Occasionally I will have some hot tea, normally without the caffine. Don't like milk, so I don't drink it. I do take a calcium supplement and a mulit-vitamin.

Leigh