Does the water you use to make your drinks count as daily water intake? I'm doing my very best to drink at least 8 x 8oz glasses of water per day. It is a huge challenge for me because before IP I could literally go a few days without having ANY water. I'm doing quite well with the water and have been getting in my required 8 along with any water used to mix packets but just wondering if that water can be counted too.

I was told No, it does not count.

I try to drink 8 to 10 oz every hour I am awake. It works out pretty well for me. If you do better with flavors try putting just a little dash of crystal light in a 2 liter pitcher and chilling it. It will make it less boring and you can count that. JUST barely flavor it.

You can also put lemon slices, peppermint extract, fresh mint, cucumber, lime, orange extract, or flavored stevia drops in the water to make it taste better. All of those would still let it count as water.

I also use a hydration bottle by contigo. I recently learned about this, 2x in the same day in fact! The person who turned me on to it said it was the best thing and I think she was right! It has an auto seal valve, a belt clip, some have storage pockets, and it really helps you drink more! You have to consciously press a button while you drink so, your mind doesn't really process stop drinking as fast. Here is an example bottle. I just got a 3 pack at costco.

http://www.gocontigo.com/autoseal-wa...tle-32-oz.html

Last, find a temperature you like to drink water at. For me, I need cold. Warm is probably better in some people's opinions but, I won't drink it. Cold, that I can drink! My sisters are the opposite. They can't manage cold water it is always room temp.

HAHAHA yup, those are my water bottles too! LOVE THEM!

I was told no as well and I agree getting in your 64oz of water (or atleast thats what my guy is telling me to do) is a lot. But he also told me that you can use Stevia to flavor your water instead of using the Crystal Lite packets since they have sugar in them. I'll switch between the Lemon Drop one and the Orange Flavor for my water and then some of the chocolate to put in my chocolate pudding. I think they have other flavors as well but so far I have only used those 3.

Thought you all could appreciate this tid bit of information....

Prof. Dr. Carlos Alexandre Fett Faculty of Physical education at UFMT with masters in nutrition at UFMT Laboratory of Medical fitness and Metabolism -

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FINISH DRINKING A CAN OF SODA **

First 10 minutes: 10 spoonfuls of sugar strike your body, 100% of the recommended total daily allowance. You do not vomit immediately from the extreme sweetness, because the phosphoric acid cuts the taste.

20 minutes: The sugar level in the blood explodes, bringing about an insulin spurt. The liver responds transforming all the sugar that receives into fat (which is a lot at this particular moment).

40 minutes: The caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, the blood pressure raises, the liver responds pumping more sugar in the blood current. The receivers of adenosine (not sure if that is the right word as I translated this article) in the brain are blocked to avoid dizziness.

45 minutes: The body increases the production of dopamine, stimulating the centers of pleasure in the body. (Physically, it works like with the heroin.)

50 minutes: The phosphoric acid pushes calcium, magnesium and zinc to the large intestine, increasing metabolism. The high doses of sugar and other sweeteners increase the excretion of calcium in the urine, that is to say, you are urinating your bones, one of the causes of the OSTEOPOROSIS.

60 minutes: The diuretic properties of caffeine go into action. You urinate. Now it is guaranteed that you will eliminate more calcium, magnesium and zinc, of which your bones would need. As your sugar high drops you will undergo a sugar shock. You become irritated. You will already have eliminated everything what was in the refreshment, but not without first also eliminating things which your organism will need.

And this is what some give their children? This is why diabetes and obesity exist at such young ages, AVOID giving sodas as a reward for finishing his food (hamburgers, hot dog, pizza, etc) especially coke. Do you really love your children? Think about this before drinking sodas.

whoa...great post, Elizabeth. I can't believe all the crap I've put into my body over the years. No more.

another common question and ... some eye-opening info about soda or pop as we call it in my neck of the woods