I miss the old program (at least the 80's version, the 70's version was much stricter. You had to have liver once a week, if I remember correctly). I wish the 80's plan was still available. It was exchange-based. You were given a certain number exchanges (servings) of each food group, and then optional calories or flexible exchanges to spend (much like flex points).

I didn't realize it at the time, but I think points were harder for me, because I was likely to spend my points o fruits/starches and other high-carb foods. High carb foods (even good ones like fruit) increase my hunger/appetite (I didn't know that until fairly recently).

With the exchange plans, the "healthy guidelines" weren't optional, they were just built into the program.

I do agree that the one-size-fits-all distribution of the exchanges had it's disadvantages. Some people do better on low-fat, some people do better on low-carb, and with the points system people are able to find the distribution that works best for them.

Exchange plans have their merits too, though. I find that the exchange plan reminds me to keep nutrition and "balance" in mind - and when I forget, it does a good part of that work for me.

Oh yes....coffee/tea and dehydration. Well it's a myth, sort of. To illustrate the point, if you drink 1 liter of coffee the water it makes you lose is like what...10 ml? I'm guessing here, all I remember is that the water loss is minuscule and tea and coffee count as liquids alright.

I've read a lot of things about this and talked to a lot of people, such as my doctor, as well. The main idea is that plain water is best, but you get water through other sources than just drinking, like fruits and veggies do add water because they are mostly made of it. When it comes to caffeine, like everything, moderation is good, have you tried the decaffeinated teas? Anyway, all of my life I've been a thirsty person, I've drank lots of water most of the time, like ten to fifteen glasses a day, but there were times where I drank mostly diet pop all day and I noticed a difference in my mouth, my lips would be drier, my throat, I'd be pretty sluggish when I woke up, when I mentioned it to my doctor he said that it probably was because I wasn't drinking as much water. I know that I feel better when I drink primarily water with a few other things throughout the day.

i wouldnt reccomend counting beer or soda or juice as water intake.

I'm pretty sure beer, soda and juice contain water

The actual recommendation is for "fluid", not specifically water. Many, many years ago, doctors started just saying water because it was easier than explaining what counted as fluid. If only they had known...

Also consider this.. If you drink a glass of water and at the same time you eat a bowl of blueberries and they get all mixed up in your stomach, doesn't your body still recognize the water? If you drink a beverage other than plain water, your body still recognized the water in it. More importantly, it recognized that it is a fluid.

On a side note, this is a one year old thread so I'm closing