Crystal light (theres a poll in here)
 

Since I have started counting Calories I have been drinking a lot of crystal light, its only 5 cals a serving and tastes pretty decent. My question is do any of you that use it count it towards your water intake for the day? pretty simple question that I was wondering about so I shall keep this post short. Thanks

As Ever
Me

I don't like Crystal Light because if I remember right, it has artificial sweeteners in it. But if I did drink it I would def. count it!

I don't drink it because of the artificial sweeteners either, but I think it's okay to count it. I used to drink a lot of barley tea (unsweetened~it's naturally sweet) and I counted that.

Ok this will be fun...

I count it towards the water, basically because I down it in my cup 52oz cup. The only thing that goes in there is water or Crystal Light. As for what the person above me said, yes it has artificial sweeteners in it, though so does everything else we drink except water or we can go the route of regular sweeteners and how the erode your bodies makeup. We have high fruitose corn syrup or aspartyne. I know the effects of both first hand and unless you down 3 12packs of diet pop like I did a day for 90 or more days, I fell a lot safer with the diet drinks. (smiles) Hi (waiving hand)

I don't drink it only because I'm picky and it's not enough flavor for me, but if I did, I would count it. Why wouldn't you? Whether there are other ingredients mixed in or not, it's still mostly water.

What I do enjoy instead of plain water is mixing in a little pure cranberry juice (not from concentrate, no sweeteners or other juices added at all). It doesn't take much for the flavor--I use about 1/3 cup juice to a 32oz bottle of water. I still count it as water (and try to remember to include the calories in my plan, too!).

In a similar vein, should I count seltzer? I haven't been counting it thus far...

I WISH I could drink crystal light.. it makes water 1000x easier to drink but I don't believe in all the artificial junk it is created from.

Some people do count seltzer, flavored waters, even other beverages like diet sodas etc., toward their "water" for the day. I try only to count "water" because my doctor told me to do that. But, the important thing is that you are getting enough fluids. :)

Jay

Yeah, that was my thinking too - only water should get counted. I just started drinking seltzer a week or two ago, but already I want to stop because it just doesn't feel as pure as "real water." I get a kind that's all-natural and 0 cal, but still...

I would count it!

What is with the artifical sweetner ban? What am I missing?

There are many threads on here about artificial sweeteners! I suggest you do a search. People seem to either use them and see no problem with them or avoid them like the plague.

Some people opt not to use artificial sweeteners for various health reasons, or other personal reasons. I can't use Crystal Light, for example, because I have a severe sensitivity to aspartame. I can, though, use Splenda, and do in moderation. When I drink something artificially sweetened, I don't count it toward my water, but that is only because I don't really drink it all that often. I don't count other things I drink, like coffee, either...just water.

I DO, though, count carbonated waters (I drink some mineral waters that are fabulous, and they are essentially naturally bubbly water, so I count them as water).

Interesting how we all vary!

If I use crystals at all (I've been using lemon juice lately), I usually just use no name sugar free crystals from my grocery store, since they cost less then Crystal Light, and they taste the same.

It's just sugar free juice crystals in water, so I definately count them toward my water intake. I also count tea.

Sometimes it can be hard for me to get my full intake of water or to choose it instead of diet pop, because it seems boring. Juice crystals help me stay healthy by making sure that I get enough water per day. I do try to stick to just one a day, because any more then that gives me a headache.

Originally Posted by just_a_dreamy1:

It's just sugar free juice crystals in water, so I definately count them toward my water intake. I also count tea.

Sometimes it can be hard for me to get my full intake of water or to choose it instead of diet pop, because it seems boring. Juice crystals help me stay healthy by making sure that I get enough water per day. I do try to stick to just one a day, because any more then that gives me a headache.

Where d you get actual juice crystals? Thats scary that juice crystals give you headaches! :(

Originally Posted by SoulBliss:
Where d you get actual juice crystals? Thats scary that juice crystals give you headaches! :(

I'm pretty sure she's just referring to the Crystal Light powder (or store brand)--"crystals" that turn your water into "juice" :^:

Am I the only calorie counter that doesn't count water at all, in any form? It has no calories! I drink when I am thirsty. As long as a person is not chronically dehydrated, why bother worrying about water at all?

I don't really like the taste of any favor of the stuff. But I count coffee and tea towards water.

Originally Posted by Tealeaf:
Am I the only calorie counter that doesn't count water at all, in any form? It has no calories! I drink when I am thirsty. As long as a person is not chronically dehydrated, why bother worrying about water at all?

Some [professionals, studies, scientists, doctors, fill in your definition of "they" here] say that if you're feeling thirsty, you're already dehydrated, that you should be drinking enough to not feel thirsty in the first place. Also, feelings of thirst can be misinterpreted by the body as feelings of hunger, thereby making people want to eat more when not drinking plenty of water. Some (and this was recently in an episode of The Biggest Loser) say that drinking plenty of water can help to increase your metabolism.

Personally, I'd rather drink too much water than not enough--it also helps to keep my skin clear, and it gets me off my butt from my desk at work to go to the bathroom more often :p

Also, I don't really intentionally "count" my water servings; it just so happens that the bottle I drink my water from is about 4 servings, so I know if I have 2 bottles, it's 8 servings. I notice I do feel better all around (less hungry, less sluggish, etc.) when I drink at least 8 servings of water a day. Just like almost anything else, I'm sure there are those who are more sensitive (and those who are less sensitive) to changes in their water intake than others.

I don't count coffee, tea, diet soda, Crystal Light-or anything that isn't just water, as water.

They all have water in them...but they also have artificial sweeteners or caffeine, or colorings, or the steeped beans/tea leaves...so they aren't just water.

Originally Posted by aphil:
They all have water in them...but they also have artificial sweeteners or caffeine, or colorings, or the steeped beans/tea leaves...so they aren't just water.

I guess I think of it more along the lines of if I drank a plain cup of water and then ate a sugar-free candy (with artificial sweeteners), I would still count the water as water. Mixing that sugar-free candy (in the form of Crystal Light) into my water doesn't make the water not be water anymore :shrug:

Crazy how we all think about the same seemingly-simple thing so differently :dizzy:

I was unsure whether I should count it or not, I drink about 5 glasses of water a day , and I drink crystal light with at least 2 meals a day and was unsure if it was ok to count it as some of my water intake or if I should make myself drink some pure water, as with everything in life I think it should be balanced, so I think I will count it but drink water as well just incase ;)

Originally Posted by Tealeaf:
Am I the only calorie counter that doesn't count water at all, in any form?

You are not alone, Tealeaf! I don't count either...but I drink a lot of fluids ranging from herbal tea, water to diet soda.

SoulBliss - jillybean is right about the juice crystals. They are the same as Crystal Light, just no name.
I believe the artificial sweetener is the reason that drinking more then one packet gives me a headache.
TeaLeaf - The reason that I count my water is to ensure that I get enough to stay hydrated. It's easy to forget...or drink too much of other liquids, like diet pop.

Jill - I think the thinking on your "sugar free candy + water" idea is mostly correct, unless there is something about that candy that makes your body require MORE water. So, for example, I wouldn't count salty broth as water, even though its just water with salt in it...the salt would make my body require more water, so some of the water in the broth is negated by the broth making me need more water.

I know that this is what a lot of people think about caffeinated drinks...they have a diuretic effect, so some of the water they contain is negated as your body's water excretion increases...not ALL of the water, mind...but some of the water.

Originally Posted by mandalinn82:
Jill - I think the thinking on your "sugar free candy + water" idea is mostly correct, unless there is something about that candy that makes your body require MORE water. So, for example, I wouldn't count salty broth as water, even though its just water with salt in it...the salt would make my body require more water, so some of the water in the broth is negated by the broth making me need more water.

I know that this is what a lot of people think about caffeinated drinks...they have a diuretic effect, so some of the water they contain is negated as your body's water excretion increases...not ALL of the water, mind...but some of the water.

Oh, no, I completely agree--I was just referring to the Crystal Light here with my candy example. It's possible I'm out of touch with today's Crystal Light since I so rarely drink it, but I don't believe it is loaded with sodium nor caffeine. Of course, I could be wrong, but my point was really in regard to the artificial sweeteners.

I stay away from artificial sweetners as well. Partly due to the fact one can of diet pop gives me a migraine for 2 days (asperatame is known to cause migraines in migraine sensitive people) Partly because of all the other stuff that is said about it, its not necessary so i would rather be safe then sorry

I count any fluid, flavored or not. Actually I don't count anything, I just drink as much as I want. But as far as knowing I'm replenishing my body fluids, I don't care where it comes from. I do drink lots of water, but that's because I like it. Few things are more refreshing than a glass of ice cold water :T

For one thing, the original guidelines are for fluid, not specifically water. I think the common reference to water is to make it easier for people to grasp or because it's readily available, but the body needs to be replenished with fluid. This fluid can come from anything - water, milk, oranges, green beans, roots and berries :lol: On average, 80% of the fluid we need comes from water and other beverages, and 20% comes from food.

I personally think it's crazy not to count a flavored beverage just because it contains a few other ingredients other than water. Our bodies are too smart for that. Otherwise, by that same reasoning, any glass of pure water that you drink along with any food would not count. After all, when it reaches your stomach there's more in there than just water.

If you drop a slice of lemon in your water, does it not still count? If you ate 4 strawberries and washed them down with a glass of water, you'd count the water. If you pureed those strawberries and mixed them into your water, would you not still count your water? Did the water cease to exist? :shrug:

I do count it towards my water intake and my calorie intake because i use the packets and just dump them into my bottle of water. It taste good and its low fat. my fav one is the wild strawberry that has caffeine in it because then i get caffeine but i dont have to drink a pop and i cut down on that

Originally Posted by Suzanne 3FC:
I count any fluid, flavored or not. Actually I don't count anything, I just drink as much as I want. But as far as knowing I'm replenishing my body fluids, I don't care where it comes from. I do drink lots of water, but that's because I like it. Few things are more refreshing than a glass of ice cold water :T

For one thing, the original guidelines are for fluid, not specifically water. I think the common reference to water is to make it easier for people to grasp or because it's readily available, but the body needs to be replenished with fluid. This fluid can come from anything - water, milk, oranges, green beans, roots and berries :lol: On average, 80% of the fluid we need comes from water and other beverages, and 20% comes from food.

I personally think it's crazy not to count a flavored beverage just because it contains a few other ingredients other than water. Our bodies are too smart for that. Otherwise, by that same reasoning, any glass of pure water that you drink along with any food would not count. After all, when it reaches your stomach there's more in there than just water.

If you drop a slice of lemon in your water, does it not still count? If you ate 4 strawberries and washed them down with a glass of water, you'd count the water. If you pureed those strawberries and mixed them into your water, would you not still count your water? Did the water cease to exist? :shrug:

I agree with you for the most part with one exception: I don't "count" caffeinated beverages since caffeine is a mild diuretic and will basically remove some or much of the liquid you drank it with from your body. I try to make sure I've had plenty of fluids without caffeine before I have any caffeinated diet sodas.

I drink the little packets of Crystal Light that you can mix in a water bottle, like letsdoitthistime mentioned. I only drink 1 packet per day though. I try to keep artificial sweetners to a minimum but I don't ban them altogether. And YES I do count them towards my water intake. Although I don't really keep track of water, I just try to get in 4-5 water bottles full of water or Crystal Light every day.

The reason I hesitate to count all beverages is as Jill mentioned: some beverages just don't hydrate you. In my freshman year of college, my mom gave me a case of individual bottles of orange juice (it was real orange juice, not orange-flavored stuff, but one of those kinds that doesn't need to be refrigerated until open - like Welch's or something). I started carrying them around instead of water bottles and drinking them constantly, because I thought it would be healthier and give me more vitamins.

Then one day in class, I passed out - face first - onto the floor (from a standing position - ouch! Fortunately nothing but a few bruises). I went to the office to sit down and had more orange juice to get me going - figured it was low blood sugar from not eating a full breakfast or something. A few hours later, I passed out again, so I went to the doctor. He quickly figured out that I was severely dehydrated, and hooked me up to an IV with saline solution to get some fluid back in me. After about a gallon of the solution had gone in, he said I was free to use the bathroom, because he thought I was probably desperate and that my bladder about to burst. Not so - I told him I felt fine, and he was astonished. He said he had never seen someone so dehydrated!

So... that's the long story for why I am wary about counting things other than water. Juice can be very high in sugar, which means it's not as hydrating as water alone.

I use the walmart brand because they don't have any calories and yes, I count them as my water intake. But recently, since cutting out a lot of sweets, I find them to be too sweet and I would rather drink plain water. But they go great when eating a meal and you don't want to drink water with it.