Water, Water H2O - How much is enough?

[dewdrop_mealine]

How much water do you drink? How much should we be drinking? I've heard 8-8oz glasses a day and upwards to a gallon.

I get sick to my stomach if I drink too much water.

[Princessdmw33]

General rule of thumb is half your weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, 100 ounces is what you want to strive for.

[watcher513]

Well, here's one thought. DH's doctor says 64-80 oz./day. He ended up in ER from just a routine follow-up doctor visit for something completely different when things went wrong. Had a hard time standing, got dizzy. Ended up in ER and ended up he was dehydrated! We were shocked! There was definitely a lesson in that one.

So, I'm definitely going with the 64-80 oz/day, if not more. Something to make it easier since for some it's pretty boring. Drink 1/2 cup every 1/2 hour or so. It's a small enough amount that it's not difficult to do. Chugging that cup down is a lot harder to do all at once, unless it's in the middle of a hot summer day.

[Leo41]

I go by the color of my pee because it's just as dangerous to drink too much water as too little. I read a doctor's advice that our urine should be clear or very light yellow. Any darker, and the person needs fluids. We can't go by thirst because by the time we're thirsty, we're dehydrated.

I've used the "color" test for the past 2 years or so, and it's never failed me. I find that eating low carb, I drink a LOT naturally, but I don't "count" the ounces.

[Big_Al]

I've always been a big drinker of water, even as a kid. So when I saw the advise to drink 64 oz a day, I figured heck no problem since I already do that if not a tad more.

But I found that when I started low carbing it, I would get horrid cramps in my legs at night. I tried vitamins, potassium, calcium, etc. and even quinine pills in hope that it would help to no avail. Long story short, it turned out to be dehydration (I guess the ketosis effects use more water than your body normally needs). So I average 1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day of water! No exaggeration. But I haven't had a single leg cramp since I started that quantity.

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Princessdmw33

General rule of thumb is half your weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, 100 ounces is what you want to strive for.

The kidney docs at the Mayo Clinic didn't advise this. 64 oz at least and most times this is to thirst keeping an eye out for dehydration.

[Princessdmw33]

Originally Posted by lisabinil

The kidney docs at the Mayo Clinic didn't advise this. 64 oz at least and most times this is to thirst keeping an eye out for dehydration.

I was quoting what most people state here about the general rule of thumb.

[chrisfason]

Originally Posted by Princessdmw33

General rule of thumb is half your weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, 100 ounces is what you want to strive for.

I've heard this before as well but I don't think I could stomach 134 oz. a day at my current weight of 268. I drink probably 80 oz. a day, sometimes more, but probably not half my weight in ounces.

[blueydgrl82]

My current doctor advised me to drink half of my body weight in water. I've seen that when I don't drink enough water, then my weight loss stalls. Derrrrrr. Which is hard sometimes when I am overwhelmed at work.

[watcher513]

Originally Posted by Leo41

I go by the color of my pee because it's just as dangerous to drink too much water as too little. I read a doctor's advice that our urine should be clear or very light yellow. Any darker, and the person needs fluids. We can't go by thirst because by the time we're thirsty, we're dehydrated.

I've used the "color" test for the past 2 years or so, and it's never failed me. I find that eating low carb, I drink a LOT naturally, but I don't "count" the ounces.

Agree Leo about the color. Definitely want it as light as possible.

[Sara7272]

I drink at least 3- 24oz bottles a day, sometimes 4 and that seems to be just about perfect. (for me that is)

[pocahontas]

I talked to my Dr. about this once and she said you should drink enough water until your pee is clear for the day. It will be different for everyone. For me, its about 80-100oz daily.

[flatferenghi]

to get in way more than 2 liters of plain water., Otherwise, i do my 64 oz or as close as possible. I believe, that our bodies will let us know. it is possible to overdo it. but I think u would really have to drink ridiculously large quantities. The best thing is to always have a water bottle with u. U will inevitably put it to your mouth and chug it. Love & Profits: FLATFERENGHI

[dewdrop_mealine]

How much water can a person hold if a person drinks enough water to make them not hold on to it!

How much water are you drinking! It really makes a difference in weight loss and in the way you feel.

~dew

[LowCarbPanda86]

I drink to satisfaction, sometimes it's 64oz, sometimes less or more. I personally don't subscribe to drinking more than I want but to each their own.

[Lulu Belle]

I've never really thought about it! I know I drink more than most people I know, and it's my drink of choice. I find I get shakey and headachy if i'm not drinking enough, and it happens fast. The flip side is too much peeing! I think typically the body knows how much you need.

[omgtwins]

I think (remember, I said THINK) Dr Atkins had it in his book (I gave mine away for a couple weeks so cant look) about the half your body weight in water - but vcant be sure.
And the general consensus you get in any forum dealing with Atkins is that as well.

I do like the pee color but I also know, if you force yourself to drink water 2 things will happen anywhere from 4 days to a week:
1: You will be gin to CRAVE water - you'll get thirsty and you can drink anything else but you will still be thirsty until you drink water
2: You WONT be going to the bathroom all the time - you will go back to your normal "routine" no matter how much you drink.

At least it works that way for me

[rubidoux]

The first time I was on Atkins many years ago I drank a ton of water, probably more than 3 liters a day. I didn't lose any weight at all even though I stayed at 30 g or less (Dr. Bernstein's 6-12-12) for almost 4 years.

In recent years, I've just drank when I'm thirsty with no thought of getting "enough" water. If it's not hot I almost never drink water, I'd say never more than 8 oz. in a day. I drink coffee and diet coke, but very very little water, sometimes I'll go days at a time with none at all. My pee is normally clear or nearly so. If it got dark, I'd have some water. I have lost a fair amount of weight this way.

[picklepete]

IMO it's very strange to make generic prescriptions. Your height, local humidity, fruit/veggie intake, and activity level will greatly change how much you need. I've never seen good evidence that we need to overthink it (I drink when thirsty).

And I believe the "8 glasses a day" guideline that everyone repeats was originally a European Dannon ad for bottled water, not based on any particular research.

[zombiegoat2000]

I have a 32 oz. glass that I fill up about every 1 1/2 hrs or so on my days off hangin' round the house. When Im at work I drink 4 16 oz. bottles of water. Not including my diet sodas, of course!

[avid]

I like that urine color thing.
Fits nicely into that KISS philosophy

[Bamboozled]

I drink as much as I can. I never measure it but go by the colour of my pee. I drink the equivalent of 8-10 water bottles a day. Sometimes more.

[Patkid]

I am working on this. I do not care to drink water, but carry a cup of coffee around with me all day..................................I think I will try carrying a bottle of water.
I will be happy if I just drink ANY water as I usually don't.
sigh