Hi Miss Lullu! You are so absolutely right - your skin would improve dramatically with more water, but that's not all! Your hair and nails will be shinier, stronger, and healthier, and you would not BELIEVE how much more energy you would have!! Take my word for it - I went from drinking about eight cups of water a YEAR to drinking 8-12 a day. In fact, it's now almost the only thing I drink... well, that and red wine, but that's a whole 'nother post!
It's an adjustment, like so many other things in getting on a healthy lifestyle - adjusting to the flavor, adjusting to going to the bathroom more... but once you've got it, you'll find you can't live without it. I had to take something of a cold turkey approach. For two weeks, I didn't buy any other beverages, so water was all I had. After about day three, it was already no big deal! I find drinking 8 CUPS of water to be very difficult, but that 4 BOTTLES of water is no big deal. My husband and I picked up a case of Honest Tea green tea (it comes in glass bottles, which you can reuse forever). As we drank the tea (which is really REALLY good for you) we washed the bottles, and we fill them every morning with filtered water. I drink a bottle with my breakfast, a bottle during my workout, two during my workday, and one with dinner. Sometimes I find myself sucking down a whole bottle in a gulp or two. At 16oz each, that's 10 cups of water for the day. I also make sure I have two bottles with me when I'm running errands on my days off. It keeps my energy up to get through the chores, and my mood is SO much better... honestly, sometimes you think you're having a bad day, and you really might just be dehydrated!!
Ok, so the bottom line of this novel is this: I strongly suggest bottles over cups (but not plastic bottles please! The environment will thank you!), and you just have to commit to DOING it - which is easier if you remove the temptation of other beverages.
P.S. Try going without adding flavoring to the water. My experience has been that it keeps you looking for something with a different taste and more sugar, rather that allowing you to learn to enjoy the water for what it is.
P.P.S. If you can do nothing else, at least cut soda out of your diet. THAT by itself will give you a huge improvement!
Hope that helps - I've been there!
Originally Posted by
fingers /img/forum/go_quote.gif ahhh ladies slow down! it is DANGEROUS to drink more than 5 litres of water a day, it can lead to kidney failure and sodium deficiency which can kill you. what you should be aiming for is around 3 litres as a safe amount. most of our daily intake of water comes from food anyway, and it's just as important for your skin to be eating 5 pieces of fruit and veg a day. plleeease stop drinking so much water, it's not good for you. Hi Fingers! That's a good point about the fruit - it IS a good way to get more water in your diet. Just a quick clarification about the drinking too much water, the condition you're referring to is called hyponatraemia or water intoxication, and while it CAN happen, it's extremely rare. You generally would have to drink a huge amount of water in a short period of time, start from a very dehydrated state, or have a preexisting condition. As long as your water intake is spread through the day, it's really difficult to drink too much.
It is true however that not everyone needs the old stand-by "eight cups a day." It really depends on your diet, body chemistry, and activiity level.
Have good day!
