Hi Keelygal,

I count tea as water. I keep a 16 oz. glass at my desk. Sometimes it's just water, but, most of the time it is either my own lemonade or white tea (see below)

Lemonade - I keep the minute maid frozen fresh squeezed lemon juice in the fridge at work - I fill my glass (about an inch from the top) with ice water then squirt in some lemon juice and add splenda or sativa powder.

White Tea - I fill my glass (about an inch from the top) with ice water then squirt in 1/2 a dropper of white tea extract that has natural blueberry flavoring and add splenda or sativa powder.

Sometimes I make a Lemonade/white tea combo since the white tea extract has so many good things for me and taste so good, while the lemon water is a great diuretic.

Hope this helps. - Goldie

The white tea extract I use is from InVite http://www.invitehealth.com/

I buy a 1.5 liter water bottle and use one of the Crystal Light "to go" packs in it. It keeps the Crystal light from tasting over-whelming, but it spices the water up a little. I also steep 2 or 3 tea bags of my favorite herbal tea, put it in a 1.5 liter water bottle, then add water until the bottle's full...

It's how I get my water in on the days where I just CAN'T drink plain water...and I count it toward my water intake for the day. After all, the main ingredient is water.

I'll put cucumber slices in my water and let it dilute into the taste of the water...Believe me, it's fantastic. VERY refreshing. I'm tempted to try it with some random fruits and such...

I recently discovered homemade lemonade that is fantastic! The juice from 2 lemons, approx 2 cups of water (I use more) & a touch of splenda to taste. If you make up a pitcher at a time (about 6 lemons) then you can just keep it in the fridge cold.

Hi,

I make up a large container of iced green tea. six bag of tea to a little less than 2 qrt hot water, steep for a 5 minutes or so and then add lots of ice. Great way to get both the advantages of green tea and the water. Slice of lemon and you are set!!!

You can count up to 1/2 of your water requirement in drinks that have no caffeine and no alcohol.

Crystal lite counts for up to 1/2 the requirement officially.

Remember that even the milk you drink counts for 1/2 the water requirement.

I use a bit of the "chug-a-lug" principle to help me get my water in - first thing in the morning,before lunch and dinner and before a work-out I chug-a-lug a LARGE glass of water. That takes care of almost half of my required water. Also, I have a small glass of water (flavored, or a hot beverage) before I eat any snacks. This also helps me gauge whether or not I'm truly hungry or just thirsty.

thanks Kelly S, didn't know about the milk, I make my oatmeal w/1% milk.

thanks for the info and inspiration Bethel, congrats on your super weight loss. I'm going to try drinking a glass before each meal.

Yep, even coffee and caffeinated beverages should count. I disagree strongly with Weight Watchers official stance on this, because unless anything you drink, except alcoholic beverages (which even then sometimes count, but it's a lot more complicated) counts towards your fluid requirements.

There are so many diet myths out there regarding how much water a person "needs," and most of them are untrue. My mother was hospitalized with water intoxication and now has permanent kidney damage because she followed her WW leader's advice and did not count coffee as part of her water intake. She was only drinking about 1 gallon of liquid a day in total, but it was too much. If you are taking a blood pressure medication, eating a low sodium diet, or otherwise tend toward electrolyte imbalances, it is very important that you talk to your doctor about your fluid requirements.

Despite what WW's official position is, kidney specialists will tell you that it does not matter what your water contains, even cafeine. Even though cafeine (if not used regularly) has diuretic properties, it does not cause a water deficit. You do not have to drink extra water to compensate for a cup of coffee (at worst a cup of coffee may be equivalent to a slightly smaller quatity of water. Say 7 oz, instead). Research has shown that with regular consumption, the difference between coffee and water is negligible.

It is not true that your body has to "process" the water in foods and beverages any differently than plain water. In fact, plain water isn't even plain water, unless you're drinking distilled (which tastes yucky to most people). There is always stuff in your water, such as minerals and particulates. Your body uses the water from food and coffee as it easily as it does tap water.

actually I work for a urologist and you need only 6-8 8oz glasses a day...and there still is much debate on the caffeine issue. My new residents have done research on both sides of the argument.

W/W just says that caffeinated beverages don't count...many leaders have gone on to say (which is not W/W sanctioned) that you need to add a cup of water for every caffeinated beverage. This needs to be dealt with in my mind....

Technically your urine should be a light straw color...too deep yellow and you are dehydrated...clear you are over hydrated.

And your water should be spread out (and like the last poster said if you have reason to eat a extra low sodium diet or bp meds talk to your doctor) over the course of the day to avoid the electrolyte imbalance.

If caffienated drinks didn't keep you somewhat hydrated, I know at least one person who should have toppled over long ago. The ONLY thing she drinks is diet coke. I did say ONLY.

I on the other hand drink around 2.5 liters, plus diet soda, tea or coffee here or there. (But I like water and am taking medications that make me thirsty.)

It's been a while since anyone posted here but I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth - I add flavorings to water sometimes - like vanilla, banana, any of them work great. It doesn't take much and it adds a lot. Personally I hate water, so I have to add something or I just won't drink it. I don't add any sweetener, just the flavorings. It does the trick!

I put a large sprig of sweet mint and sliced lemon into cold water and let it steep - it tastes very refreshing and is 0 points.

In winter I make cinnamon chai and steep with apple slices and splenda. It tastes like apple cider and it's only one point for an entire jug - just zap in the microwave to heat each glass!