I'm a bit confused re: the water requirements. I want to make sure I'm staying hydrated b/c my kidneys tend to SCREAM when I don't get enough water and yet drinking H20 is one of the hardest things for me to do.

I think I've probably been dehydrated my entire life. Since starting this diet I've never had to go to the bathroom more!

According to my consult I'm supposed to have 72 oz of water/day. Does this include the HNS drinks? There's no way I can drink 72 oz + 3-5 HNS/day.

My center always said it does NOT include the hns. My center also said even things like crystal light did not replace my water intake. So I could have it but still had to get my water in. I hated water when I started but now I drink 120-160 oz of H2O per day! Plus my 3 hns and a creamy

argh...I had no idea...I had meant to ask yesterday when I went to WI. I guess I'd better get to drinking!

Getting the water in is an important, but tricky habit to get started. I find i'm most successful when I give myself time windows like 16 oz before I get to work, 16oz by lunch, 16 oz by the time i get home from work and 16oz before dinner, 16 before bed etc.

I'm now up to about 12.5-15 8 oz glasses a day, but thats something you can work up to.

The rule that has always worked for me is I don't let myself go to bed until i've had at least 10 cups. Otherwise, I sit there and chug all the water I need which makes me have to go to the bathroom alot during the night, which is the punishment that makes me to do it more steadily throughout the day.

So I guess what I'm saying is my advice is to break it up into bits and accomplish them piece by piece.

I do the same thing goal aug...otherwise I could never get in as much as I do

This seems to be the method that's working for me although I always feel like I have a glass in hand. *sigh*....and I'm always running the bathroom..lol...In fact I was just in a meeting and had to run out to go... :X. I must have a bladder the size of a peanut!

In the beginning it is hard to get in the habit of drinking so much water, but now I am up to 120oz at least a day. You also feel like you are in the bathroom more than you are not...if that makes any sense. Your body will get used to the amount of water you drink and eventually you won't spend so much time in the bathroom. It does get easier, but having some sort of goal for your water intake is very helpful. Just think, when you make all those trips to the bathroom you are flushing out all the bad stuff. So the more water you drink the better!!!

Absolutely! When I first started drinking, 8 cups felt like a lot! i was getting up from my desk so much i thought my co-workers would start making fun- seriously like 8 times in a work day!

Now i drink much more and i only go like twice, so it's true your body gets used to it and it gets better - just work your way up.

My center told me that you should drink a minimum of 8-8oz glasses of water a day only when you are at your goal weight. For every 25 lbs you need to lose, you need to drink 8oz more. And if you exercise, you need to drink 8oz more for every 15min. I end up drinking 15-20 8oz glasses of water a day.

I have a 64oz juice bottle that I fill up every morning and I drink from that all day. If I leave the house it goes with me That way I'm better able to track my water intake. And if I have to refill it during the day I know I'm doing good!

I use a straw and it makes it so much easier to drink lots of water!

Yes I fill a 2 quart water thermos and make sure that I drain it every day ...and the straw *REALLY* works! I also bought the 'go' cups and with the straw they really encourage me to drink. Plus they keep the water cool. I guess it's a mental thing....!! Great ideas!

Every time I fix an HNS, I also fix a 16 oz glass of water. That gets in 8 8oz by the mid-afternoon - then I top it off w/another 16 oz glass for dinner, and that puts me in at 80 oz for the day! After 2 months, I find I'm thirsty constantly for water - I think I'm getting in closer to 100 oz a day now w/out even having to focus on doing it anymore.

Thanks for all the great ideas! Drinking with a straw definitely helps me!

If you can nab one, get the starbucks insulated Venti tumbler cup - it looks like the cups they give you cold drinks in, but it's one you keep, made out of BPA free plastic, the venti size is 20 oz, and I carry mine with me EVERYWHERE because it has a straw and a screwtop, so it doesn't spill. I do 4-5 venti's a day which is 10-12.5 cups of water. I love it!

Link: http://www.starbucksstore.com/produc...asp?SKU=222227