Everyone keeps talking about all the water they are/aren't drinking each day. Is it REALLY that important to drink so much water or what? I just don't feel thirsty. I only drink water when 1. I'm working out or 2. I'm thirsty. What do you guys think?

I have no idea, and I've wondered the same all day reading on this board

Water is important...not only does it hydrate you - but - more often times than not, when you feel hungry, it is just the effects of dehydration kicking in. Furthermore, drinking water helps to flush your system if you have had too much sodium in your diet and.....crazy as it sounds, is the best tool for getting rid of that additional water weight. I'm not the scientist around here, but I have read all of this info over and over again, used it in my own life, and get at least 8 glasses, if not 10 a day in...sometimes I even drink the Grape Flavored Aquafina Flavor Splash - it counts as water and gives me a little change of pace. I have good results as long as I am getting my water in each day.

Bottom line, do it.

Not only that but it also helps flush out fat, toxins AND raises your metabolism.

every process in your body needs water and if you dont drink enough these processes dont function as well as the should.. and your body will store as much water as it can if you dont drink enough which means you weight more on the saces.. and that in never good i read a post about water yesterday somewhere on here and it was very informative .. maybe you could find it in the search??

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040...ed-weight-loss

That, for starters.

I find that I lose so much better and so much faster when I drink my water. It just makes my body run better.

Yup, everything they said, plus I've read more than once that if you are feeling thirsty, it's too late--you're likely already dehydrated. You should be drinking enough so that your body doesn't have to tell you it needs more (feeling thirsty).

One thing to point out, though, is that there is no magic amount of water that is right for everyone. Yes, I think we all need to drink plenty of water, but what is "plenty" for one person may not even be enough for another. It depends on a lot of things, like how much sodium you take in, how much caffeine you take in, any medications you may be on, whether or not you're exercising (both cardio and strength training, as you need to replenish what you sweat out during cardio, and your muscles need water to repair after lifting weights), how many fruits/veggies you eat (some people get more water than others just through a healthier diet rich in fruits and veggies), etc. The standard "8 cups a day" doesn't work for everyone--some people may need more, some less, but if you're feeling thirsty every day, I'd vote for more

That is a really great question. I had always wondered just how important it was. I know I feel better when I drink more of it. This is all really great info!

As a dissenter, I never really cared much about drinking water. I TRY to have a glass when I eat lunch, a glass when I eat dinner and a glass if I work out. The rest of the day - tea or herbal tea. I just don't really like water that much. Didn't stop me from losing 70 lbs or keeping it off for 3 years, you gotta do what works for you!

But I know you well enough to know you're eating lots of water-rich foods, too

Just because you don't focus on drinking a ton of water doesn't mean you're not getting enough since water can come from many sources other than just strictly a glass of plain water (fruits, veggies, dairy, tea, soup, juice, yadda yadda yadda). How much water one actually needs is a highly individual, and the only way to really know if you're getting enough ishow you feel. If you're thirsty (other than after having just eaten something salty ), then you're probably not getting enough water from your diet and other beverages, so you may need to add more.

For me, more is better. Not only do I feel better when I drink lots of water, but also my skin is less dry (I have had eczema all my life, and drinking lots of water helps, especially in the cold seasons). I don't necessarily intentionally count the amount of water I drink (and I don't drink it plain--I add lemon juice), butI have a 6-serving bottle I drink from, so I know I drink 1.5-2 bottles a day just while at work (so 9-12 servings). At home, I drink skim milk and diet soda mostly.

Lots of good points already. I drink water even when I am not thirsty, at least 3 liters a day! I find the more drink the more I loose!

Water IS important, for all the reasons mentioned. And especially if you're exercising or sweating up a storm, you need to pay attention to your hydration.

But after the reading I've done on the research, I think that we sometimes pay much to much emphasis on people chugging water as THE way to hydrate.

Water is in all our food, and everything we drink. When the recommendations first came out about hydration and needing the equivalent of 8, 8 ounce glasses of liquid, it seems that it this was understood... but those recommendations quickly got distorted into "those glasses must be water."

The recent research suggest no real evidence that this must be taken in as water. See this link for more info. It's a summary of the research with a link to the journal article. It's pretty readable!

In fact, the research also suggests that caffeine doesn't have the diuretic effects once feared, and caffeinated can be included in this intake.

So, what does all that mean? If you love drinking water, please don't stop (but do know you can overdo it in some extreme cases)! But if, like the original poster, you don't feel thirsty, I wouldn't worry about it. You are probably getting enough liquid in lots of other ways in daily life. Do pay attention to hydration in the heat and around exercise.

Anyway, that's my two cents...

Ad added note from a resident "mountain girl"- altitude also affects the amount of water you need. At sea level, I can get by with a glass, maybe two, a day. At home (6500 elevation) I need atleast 6, without working out.

So, there's yet another point for disparity in water requirements.

Water is one of the few things that you can put in your mouth while trying to lose weight where more is better. To throw some numbers at you, the body is 83% water, the muscles are 75% water, the brain 74%, and even the bones are 22% water. Your body is amazingly efficient at keeping hydration stable and thus any excess will be peed out, but keeping fresh water coming via water rich foods and drinking can only help your body to work at maximum efficiency. Nearly every function requires water from digestion and absorbtion of nutrients to the flushing of toxins by the kidneys and liver, and most importantly to use here at 3FC, the metabolic process and flushing of fat. So, in short, try to drink water if you can.