Signs of Proper Hydration
OK... I'm a pretty classic case of the not-drinking-enough-water type. I probably have 40-60 fl. oz of WATER during the day, but I drink other non-caffeinated drinks - a lot of them, and they are not sugary. Some have artificial sweeteners, but I'm not afraid of those. Anyway, I usually do more than an hour of cardio a day including running. I'm nervous about hydration - but drinking pure water makes me queasy, I don't know why. ANYWAY...
When I was pregnant with my 2nd, I was hospitalized for dehydration, but I was getting sick then - sick a LOT. I'm not pregnant now, I pee frequently, and the pee is not dark or cloudy. I also sweat a lot when I'm exercising. I have dry hands, but I think that's because I'm always washing dishes or cleaning diapers (and washing my hands). Does that sound like I am sufficiently hydrated?
i drink 18 oz of flavored water, and one 6 oz glass of water when i wake and before bed, trust me 60 oz is way more then you need. signs of dehydration would be head aches, fatigue, no sweat, dry mouth, no urination for 4-5 hours. I am 100% sure you are fine. why 40 ounces of water? that is more to clean out toxins in your body.
60 oz is about right for me with the amount of exercise I generally get. If your urine is light colored (barring effects from supplements) and your lips aren't dry or cracking, then you're probably doing just fine.
wow, thanks you guys! I read some places that I should have like 128 fl. oz. of pure water a day. I'm not one of those people who is opposed to drinking diet sodas or anything, I just watch my caffeine. I want my body to function normally I guess and I always worry about the dehydration because after I was hospitalized (I was still getting sick then) I held like 27 pounds of water in two weeks!
pee should be almost clear (maybe not first thing in the morning, but the rest of the time). that's the best indicator. most other effects don't show up until you're been dehydrated for some time, but the pee effect is fairly immediate.
If you're sick, buy a hug box of popsicles and eat one whenever you feel like it. It'll keep a constant flow of liquids in you so you won't get dehydrated.
Really? mine has always been dark as hell, but i used to drink 4 liters of drpepper a day. I have since then cut down alot, to like 20 oz a day. I know that soda dehydrates you. i been drinking the vitamin water xxx. do you think that is okay to put in place of water? I could drink a **** load of it
I heard that vitamin water is just a lot of bunk! I mean, it's a sugar drink, but the vitamins really aren't easily absorbed or even all that beneficial!
My pee was never clear unless I was just chugging water all day long. But darnit, I was running to the bathroom like every 30 minutes.
Proper hydration in a healthy person means lightly coloured urine without the pungent smell and no thirst, not even after an 8 hour sleep.
Great - thank you guys. I feel so much better. I should have just trusted that I was peeing enough and that was good, and sweating a lot.... thanks!
I do not keep track of how much water I drink during the day, but I would imagine I've had 30 ounces at least by lunch. I probably have about 60 ounces a day, and my pee is either clear or pale yellow. If it's bright yellow I drink more water!
Bsh0611, you sound good as long as your pee stays a light color! Also, tea is a great way to get more water in your diet, if you like it.
Agree with pgeorgian-
Pee should be clear to very pale yellow. The more color in your pee the less hydrated you are (except for the neon vitamin stuff).
Vitamin water, soda, tee, coffee... wont hurt you but it wont help either. Most act as dieuretics, so they really aren't hydrating you. Plus the sugar and other goodies for your body to process.
What I do to drink more water is add a Nutrilite twist tube which adds flavor and health benefits to your water without the sugar. They have different flavors and functions such as raspberry for joint health with glucosamine, strawberry kiwi for immunity, blueberry with antioxidants and tropical for electrolytes. Increases my water intake because it adds flavor but has the benefit of vitamins.
have you tried drinking water with a slice of lemon in it.. that use to help me.
My pee tends to be clear, except for the first time after I take vitamins, and then it is always bright. I drink water when I have a vitamin... but I don't hear anyone else talking about this?
I agree with water making you nauseous, it happens to me also. As long as what you are drinking in addition to water is a natural beverage (ie. ice tea), it counts as water.
Everyones hydration intake is different. If you are still thirsty after 40 oz drink more.
It sounds like you're fine. You're still getting fluids with your non-caffeinated drinks, and don't forget about the water content in food. The fact that your urine is clear and you go often shows you're getting enough fluids. Your hands are dry because of soap drying them out. Just use lotion.
bsh,
I know exactly what you're going through. I used to drink 3ish cans of soda a day and I was chronically dehydrated. When I drank water it would make me queasy and i'd be off to the bathroom in 20 minutes. I have stopped drinking soda and that helped some. What I realized is that i was just not thirsty, and drinking water when you're not thirsty is tough to do. What really helped me was to drink Gatorade instead of water whenever I excercize or sweat a lot. I found that it made me more thirsty and helped me retain the water that I drank.
I have been drinking more water lately, using a Brita water filter and I have noticed how much better I feel than when I drank a lot of tea. And no, tea is not as good as water, its a diuretic which means you pee out more than you ingested! Not helpful. And honestly although fruit juice has a H2O content it also gives you a massive sugar hit which is not good for your insulin. From my research you need to drink at least half litre of water for every 30 mins of activity.
I'm really surprised how many people are looking for an excuse not to drink water and take short cuts with other drinks. Water is the basis of your body and therefore good health!
.52 ounces for every pound you weigh... is the ideal. And more if you exercise. When I first started trying to attain that, I thought I would float. It tasted bland to me, so I mixed it with mixes for a while, but those got expensive and the chemical compounds in artificial sweeteners bother me anyway. So I weaned myself off of them.
However, after about a month or so I began to crave water... icy, cold and lots of it... especially in the summer. I wake up most mornings so thirsty, I can take down 20 ounces like nothing. Then I'm usually drinking another 20-30 on the way to work. Yesterday, for example, I probably drank about 160 ounces after walking and doing yoga. No, I have no issues with diabetes or thyroid or any other ailments which make you perpetually thirsty. I am just now a big time water lover.
I realized the bottles I used had some aftertaste from anything which might have been in them before (like tap to filtered, for instance), so I found a BPA-free one I liked and I enjoy my water much more. I still love my coffee, and the occasional hot tea, but I never count anything other than just water towards my water intake. I have to say, I feel a TON better with this habit than I did prior as well.
