[imstuffed]

hey everyone!

I know it's good to drink lots and lots of water and I am doing. But the past couple of days i feel completely dehydrated, chapped lips and all!! I am drinking about 90 fl. ounces of water a day (8 small bottles usually - that is enough right?!) and just can't get rid of the thirst. Does anyone know if this is a common side affect of atkins? I have never experienced this sort of thirst before - but then again I don't think I've stuck to a diet for more than a week before either. In a way it's not so bad because it's easier to drink plenty of water.. at the same time if i'm out and about and forget to bring supplies I can end up feeling pretty crummy

Thanks in advance

[Everlasting]

I'm no expert on atkins, but I know that we take a lot of water in through food. Things like rice/pasta... boiled in water... fruits and veggies with lots of carbs... made of water... etc. Not sure what people eat through atkins but I know it is low carb so you are probably not eating a lot of things that contain the most water. So you have to compromise by drinking it.

Likewise, meat takes more effort to digest I believe, and so you're probably using a lot of water to do that as well.

[imstuffed]

Thanks Chris, I am eating a good bit of veg now but what you're saying does make sense. Will see how long it lasts before i get too worried

[JerseyGyrl]

Excessive thirst can be a prime symptom of Diabetes. Have you had your blood sugar checked lately?

[imstuffed]

Thanks Jerseygirl - and no i havent!! I was at the docs last week but she only checked my blood pressure ... i'll give it a few days and if im still the same i'll get it checked out :/

[getncontrol]

It's possible that you're eating a lot of sodium, depending on your foods. Cheese and bacon are loaded. I always have thirsty days when I indulge in too much high sodium foods. Best of luck to you!

[imstuffed]

Thanks getincontrol. I'm not so bad today.. still a bit thirsty but nothing compared to what i was like before All the same I think i'll bare in mind what jerseygirl said and get my bloodsugars checked next time im at the doctors .. panic over though

[Shells]

Another thing to bear in mind with the thirst is this. It takes a higher metabolic process to metabolize fats than it does to metabolize carbs. The process involves water ... it needs water to take place. If you start off a bit dry (and most people are more dehydrated than they think) ..... and now you need more water in your cells to properly metabolize fats then your body will drive that supply of water up by having your brain tell you that you are thirsty.

Does that make sense??

As for the diabetes there are several signs that go together with that increased thirst, so don't panic just because you are drinking more .... but follow up with your family doctor if if is of concern to you. A low carb diet should make you less likely to be diabetic, especially adult onset diabetic.

[imstuffed]

Thanks shells, that's very interesting and yes it makes sense I am more thirsty in general than i was when i was eating a high carb diet. I have kept it up with my water intake and im not suffering with the thirst as bad as i was when i posted this thread. This makes me think that you've probably hit the nail on the head!