Water

[Cooper27]

Part of healthy eating is making sure you drink enough water, so I'm curious how you make sure you drink enough?

I'm pretty bad for not drinking enough when I'm at home, and I know it's something many want to work on, so please share your tips & tricks

[Hidden]

Hey you are so right that sufficient fluids are vital for a healthy body. I drink lots of tea with the odd coffee in the morning, I think that I'm reasonably active and that makes me thirsty.

My tip would be to make yourself a nice pot of tea when you're at home and enjoy taking the time to enjoy it, so you take time out and disengage from what you were doing I find this very therapeutic and it keeps things in perspective.

I do this when I go out sometimes and take a water bottle or a small traveling thermos and just stop in the middle of nowhere and enjoy it.

Jerry 😊

[Zest]

Hi Cooper27

I have just got into habits whereby I drink tea and coffee regularly through the day, and I also have a glass of water with some Vitamin C and zinc at some point too - plus sometimes I have some Kefir.

If I have done extra exercise, and been sweating a lot, then I will usually re-hydrate with water afterwards.

Zest

[Agoodenough]

I’m terrible for not drinking water. To be honest I rarely get thirsty apart from when I’m extremely active on a very hot day. On a daily basic I have a couple of cups of red tea and coffee. I think it must be because I get enough water from the vegetables I eat, maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Fran182716 Prediabetic]

I agree everyone needs sufficient hydration but I don’t agree with any “advice” that sets a specific amount as necessary. There are so many different variables it can’t be the same amount for everyone. I think urine colour is a better guide - if it’s pale straw colour then you’re sufficiently hydrated, if it’s darker you need to drink a bit more. I only usually drink plain water if I feel hot and thirsty, but normally average around 7or 8 hot drinks a day, mixture of tea, decaf coffee, fruit teas, and hot water with a splash of fruit juice. Plus the water in fruit and salad.

[TheAwfulToad in reply to Fran182716]

I agree. I can't be doing with these ideas about metering stuff into our bodies, because the underlying assumption is that our bodies aren't capable of regulating things automatically. It's true that you can cause homeostasis to malfunction, but you have to do some pretty extreme things to yourself to make that happen.

In general, your body gets things right. If you need water, you'll feel compelled to drink. When I'm sitting in the office, I drink very little. When I'm working on the farm, I can easily get through 4-5L in a day.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to TheAwfulToad]

I'm the opposite unfortunately, i drink plenty in the office, but when I'm busy I often forget. I often end up with very dry lips, a headache or (very occasionally) too thirsty to sleep. It mostly happens on weekends, just because I have forgotten to drink enough whilst on the go.

[Penel]

I’ve sometimes struggled to drink enough, so will now often have a soup for lunch. This seems to have helped.

[Hidden]

I try to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Granni B

[whatgoingon]

Thank you for this post. I also want to drink more water but for some reason I don't. I think I would feel a lot better if I did. I'm thinking it's a habit that needs to be formed. I will keep trying to trick myself into it!

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to whatgoingon]

I'm curious what you do to trick yourself?

[whatgoingon in reply to Cooper27]

I'm working on that. I have a pretty little blue glass on the counter next to my fridge (where I keep filtered water) so when I see it, it reminds me to drink some water.

[allwayshappy2]

Hi

I am so bad at drinking water I hardley drink any I just can not get in the habit there no way I can drink 3ltr a day any ideas how to help

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to allwayshappy2]

I find I drink water more when I have some in reaching distance. I drink lots at work, because my glass is right in front of me, but I don't drink as much at home, because I never have a glass to hand. I've been filling a bottle to keep close by at home, and that helps.

I know others who fill a couple of 750ml glass bottles in the morning, and aim to drink them both over the course of the day.

Another tip is to drink a glass when you first wake up.

You might find adding things like lemon slices make your water more interesting.

[allwayshappy2 in reply to Cooper27]

Thanks I will try them see if they get me drinking more

[kc2020]

i have tea when working, i find its my break to walk to make it and helps me think. But i found i was drinking too much tea and not enough water. So now i have a little water bottle (chilly metal one, so that it keeps my water cool), i fill it when i make my morning tea...... and have to drink the bottle before i have the next tea or lunch, which ever comes first. I do the same in the afternoon. I normally have a large glass of juice with evening meal and then try to have one more bottle in the evening (easy when exercising). So that means i should have 3 bottles (3x500ml) + juice (500ml) + tea ... which in line with a lot of guidance. I do feel better for having more water to drink. Also means that i am spreading it out in the day.... otherwise i find i drink more in the evening and then need the toilet in the night

[san_ray70]

Since I have been on S.W. I am drinking more,I do not have to get up early like 2am but I do wake up earlier than usual. It might be just getting older I do not know.