I know drinking water is important for hydration and kidney function. And I know it helps with feeling sated after a meal. Still I don't have a good plan, or a good regime for drinking water daily. I have known people who insist 8 times 8 oz glasses a day is essential to well being. That seems extreme to me. One friend who thinks this is also famous for needing a bathroom frequently. I have also read the recommendation that one drink 2 cups just before mealtime. So I am opening it up to you smart cookies. What do you do, do you have a schedule, and what has worked in the context of weight loss?

I found THIS CALCULATOR that tells you how much water you should drink based on your statistics. I kinna hope it's wrong, though, because it says I should be drinking 137 ounces a day!

I have a 16 ounce container that I fill 4-6 times (64-96 ounces) and sip on throughout the day. That's enough that I rarely feel thirsty and so that I pee about once every hour or so. I never guzzle water before a meal to try to make myself feel less hungry, but sometimes if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime I'll drink some extra water to determine if my brain has confused thirst for hunger.

I haven't noticed any correlation between water consumption and weight loss, but I do know that I just feel healthier if I'm drinking an adequate amount of water.

I don't have a regimen. I drink water with meals, water while exercising, and here and there throughout the day. I try to drink enough that my urine is generally clear.

I used to drink a gallon of water a day in the summer, about half a gallon in the winter. Then again, I was working outside in the hot sun, sweating a lot.

I think that there are a few factors as to how much you should drink. Sweating, of course, is one of them. The more you sweat, the more you should drink. Body size also matters. Drinking so that your urine has no color is the safest.

I"m allowed 2 liters of total fluid per day, plus what I sweat now. No where near as much as I would like, but I make the most of it by trying to drink a lot of water.

Kristy

I drink a 16 ounce glass of water to take my pills in the morning (one of the joys of getting older and being fat......hoping to do away with most of the pills), drink 3-4 cups of coffee, have a bottle of water at the gym, another 16 ounces with lunch, a glass during the afternoon, and then 16 ounces at dinner. My glasses just happen to hold 16 ounces and 8 ounces is just a larger size juice glass.

There's always discussion over whether it has to be all water or if any liquid counts. I'm in the any liquid -- I just try to stay hydrated. There's also now information that drinking all of this water doesn't do anything other than make you go to the bathroom a lot. However, I have noticed that I tend to lose weight more easily when I drink the water, so I'm sticking with it. Maybe it is truly just keeping my tummy feeling full, maybe it flushes out the bad stuff (whatever that may be), but I wouldn't stress over the exact amount too much.

I stumbled across an interesting article on WebMD about "The Biggest Loser" diet plan. It had lots of interesting stuff in it for other reasons. On the subject of water it said that in T.B.L. plan 48-64 oz. of water was basic. The recommendation of 48-64 oz seems sensible and a volume I can live with.

Heidi and Kristi, I think you are both making the point that I have to pay attention to my body. Good point.

I guess just like exercise, and everything else in life, the answer has to be specific to me and not one-size-fits-all.

I have seen 64 ounces everywhere as the goal for water consumption, so I bought a container to keep in the frig. Every morning I fill it, squeeze in (with a hand squeezer) either one whole lemon, lime or tangerine and a tbls. of splenda. That has been a fantastic solution for me. I have finished every day for the past 2 1/2 weeks and today it was gone by 4:30pm. I keep thermo tall cup with a lid with me everywhere and take 2 in the car if I'll be running errands.

It has been a great addition to the healthy eating.

bbrides, I like your idea of flavoring up the water slightly with some fresh juice. I need to try that out.

Kristy