Do you drink enough water each day?

January 27, 2011 1:42am CST
I am currently on the low carb atkins diet to shift my extra Christmas and new years weight but the biggest thing I am struggling with is drinking 8 glasses of water day. I put a tiny bit of sugar free squash into it so it is not the actual drinking that is the problem but the constant need to go to the toilet! It's like being pregnant again, having to get up through the night and I feel like I can't even leave the house as I need to be near a toilet. Thankfully I don't have much weight to lose so won't be on this diet for long but apparently you are always supposed to drink this amount, do you?
4 people like this
34 responses
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
I drink more than eight glasses of water a day and I don't have that need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I am curious though as to how many times you've had to go in the night. Because you are on a low-carb diet and placing sugar in your water. Have you consulted a doctor before you went on this diet? Its just that I come from a family of diabetics and the only time that I have to really go many times in the night to pee is when I have had too many sugar drinks in the day. One of the triggers in diabetics is taking carbohydrates from their diet. So, not to scare you have a check up. Drinking water or increasing your liquid intake shouldn't disrupt your sleep during the night.
1 person likes this
28 Jan 11
I had to go to the bathroom about ten times the other night, I lost count so not sure exactly. I will get that checked out as I have been going more often recently even before I increased my water intake, I had my daughter 8 months ago though and was checked for diabetes all through the pregnancy but having a baby does strange things to the body so I will get this checked as I have also been feeling light headed. Thank you for your concern and I am glad you were honest and let me know about this potential problem.
• United States
27 Jan 11
I try my hardest to drink plenty of water everyday. It's good for your skin.
28 Jan 11
Not much sun in Scotland at the moment, cold and cloudy, but when it is dry I will go out with the pram and the dog and have a long walk.
27 Jan 11
Yes I am too trying to improve my skin.
• United States
27 Jan 11
So is a little amount of sunlight.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Jan 11
I've made a conscious effort to start drinking 8 glasses of water this year (I hope talking about it is not going to jinx it lol...I always start and forget about it in a month or two).So far...so good.It isn't for a particular diet or anything but just because I think it's good for me and I've heard drinking lots of fluid will keep the skin hydrated too. But like you've pointed out, the down side is having to pee very often...and I hate that especially since I do not like using public toilets and I'm often in places where I cannot find a toilet.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Jan 11
I'm doing 8 glasses of water a day. I have it like medicine...lol or else I'm bound to forget. A friend of mine gave me another tip. Fill a bottle of water in the morning and finish it by the end of the day. Sips, gulps...you choose.
28 Jan 11
Oh yes, I hate public toilets too, they smell and are dirty. Good luck with you're water drinking, I am going to try 6 glasses plus a cup of tea per day and see if that stops me going to the toilet as much.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
3 Feb 11
I am pretty sure that I do drink enough water every day. I work in a restaurant, and I got tired of drinking soda or tea a long time ago, so I started drinking water most of the time while I at work. I also drink a lot of water at night while I am at home, so I don't think I have to worry that I am not drinking enough water...
• United States
11 Feb 11
I work in a restaurant that has a drive-thru window, and working the drive-thru, along with working in the kitchen at times, is a major part of my job. It gets HOT in both areas, especially during the summer, so I usually have no trouble wanting to drink enough. LOL
4 Feb 11
Working in a busy restaurant would be quite tiring especially if you are on your feet all day so it would be very beneficial for you to drink enough water so good on you for doing so.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
30 Jan 11
Well, that is what the doctor's recommended to intake daily. But I can't follow that daily because I sometimes drink more than that. Sometimes I drink lower than the normal number of glasses to drink...
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
31 Jan 11
You right, friend. It's really hard to maintain that particular health conscious...
30 Jan 11
yes it is very difficult to get the right amount each day, I guess as long as we don't have way too little way too much we will be okay.
@adhyz82 (36249)
• Indonesia
27 Jan 11
i think i always drink enough 8 glass a day.. i do know the effect water for my life.. i am always thirsty and thats why water is evry important for me
@adhyz82 (36249)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 11
you know,your disccusion make me understand the meaning of dringking water 8 glass a day... thanks
27 Jan 11
I think you have it right, if you are thirsty then it shows you need to drink the water.
@katcarneo (1433)
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
I try to, but I think I often fall short of the healthy amount of water intake. I can say I'm just lazy to drink water. I'd only drink when I feel really, really thirsty. After a meal I can drink just about half a glass and that would be okay. As a result of this bad habit I got meself a urinary tract infection just recently. The doctor wants me to drink 250ml every hour now. I try to do it but sometimes when I get to busy I forget the doctor's advice.
@katcarneo (1433)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
Well then that's good, you'll be prompted to drink more! And as they say, it's good to drink a lot of water before any meal so that you'd feel full before you even start and therefore maintain your ideal weight.
27 Jan 11
I drink about 500ml water first thing in the morning before even having any breakfast and I find this sets me up for the day of drinking as it oddly makes me thirstier.
@derek_a (10874)
29 Jan 11
I drink as much water as I can, but sometimes I just forget. I have tried all sorts to get myself to remember, but even the bottle on my desk tends to get ignored! _Derek
29 Jan 11
thank you for you're response, yes I used to have water on y desk at work and it would be poured away at the end of the day! I think the first time in my life that I drank enough water each day was when I was pregnant with my son and I was 27.
@sheetalnr (586)
• India
30 Jan 11
I do try to drink the normal 8 glasses of water everyday. But yes, it's not possible all the time.
30 Jan 11
thanks for you're comment, it's good that you manage it most of the time, I think every little helps when it comes to our health, we can't have the perfect diet all the time.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
28 Jan 11
I don't drink as much water as they say you should and I still have to go to the bathroom every couple of hours. That is part of the reason I don't drink more. They say you should drink more so you don't get a bladder infection, but I never do.
28 Jan 11
I have to admit that drinking all this water is supposed to be really good for me but I have not noticed any difference in health yet but I will see if that changes.
• China
28 Jan 11
No i don't drink enough water each day. I know i should drink more water. Other wise i will face kidney problem. Actually i try my best to drink more water but i don't know why i don't like to drink much water.
29 Jan 11
maybe start just drinking one extra glass a day and take you're time working up to 8 glasses.
• Philippines
30 Jan 11
I don't think it's good to drink so much water in a day. Something about washing away the salt in your body or something that's necessary to be healthy. But do take note that the foods we eat contain lots of water themselves. So that in itself could be part of the 8 glasses of water to be consumed.
30 Jan 11
While I was on a low carb diet I had to get most of my water from drinking water as the foods on that diet do not have enough water in them to be sufficient.
@raj7shot (838)
• India
28 Jan 11
I am drinking enough water in a day.Water is essential for our health.Since it is used for metabolism activity of our body we should drink enough water daily.
28 Jan 11
Thank you for you're response, happy mylotting!!!
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
I drink like 3 liters of water a day, it is my doctor's requirement to neutralize my hyperacidity.I struggle to finish that within a day.You are right, my main problem is the frequent visit to the toilet.I hate going back and forth like 8 to ten times a day-it just frustrates me especially when i leave the house, i have to be on the lookout for available restrooms on the way.I stopped by fast food chains and malls just to relieve me.It has been this way for like 3 years now and sadly, i dont get used to it. I can't substitute water for any juices as they react to my stomach even milk so all i drink is water just plain water.LOL!
27 Jan 11
I feel really sorry for you, I guess I am moaning about nothing as I at least have the choice to drink a large amount or not. Maybe they will find a tablet or something to cure you're stomach problems.
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
tablets doesn't work for me too-all i get are negative reactions from these medicines.
@nyka08 (403)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
to tell you honestly, i only drink a couple of glasses of water everyday, and i don't think i'm able to meet the required amount of 8 glasses per day. but i think i am able to compensate by eating water. what i meant with "eating water" is that eating with lots of fruits and vegetables with lots of water in them. some examples are the watermelon and melons, cucumbers, oranges and the like. i've read in an article in a magazine that water from fruits and vegetables are more retained in the body than just drinking water (you constantly have to go to the toilet), thus making you more hydrated.
28 Jan 11
I have lots of those types of fruit and vegetables too usually but the diet I was on I could only have a very restricted amount of veg and no fruit was allowed at all, I am now off of that diet and back to eating my usual foods.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
27 Jan 11
That must be tough! I am not on a diet(although I think I should be), but I think that's a bit difficult to be near a toilet all the time. The logistics would be challenging, specially if you have a job like mine that has to be out all the time. You'd be constantly looking for a toilet. Anyway, aside from that, it sounds like an easy diet to follow(if ever I decide to put myself on one). Goodluck!
27 Jan 11
Thank, I have stopped the diet already and just ate some home made ice cream, full of calories! I am going to continue to drink water but not quite as much, there is no point when it is making me stay in all the time and get up through the night, I'm exhausted.
• India
28 Jan 11
I drink enough water everyday and It has become a habit now a days.
28 Jan 11
thanks for your post, happy mylotting!
@aeiou78 (3445)
• Malaysia
28 Jan 11
Drinking too much of water can poison and kill us. There was a case in United Kingdom. A teenager was drinking too much of water and passed away. Too much of water in our body can thinner our blood which will fail to deliver sufficient of oxygen to our brain. I think 8 glasses of water a day will be good enough for us. After drinking so much of water within a day, it should be normal to go to the toilet often. ha! ha! ha! I am a man. I never have a chance to experience the moment when a woman pregnant. Sorry.
28 Jan 11
I don't think I was drinking so much that I would die but it did feel like a bit too much, I think everyone's body is different and 8 glasses is just too much for me so I am going to have 6 plus a cup of tea a day.
28 Jan 11
I would love to shove away some of my christmas, new year, and to be honest all year round weight. I used to drink quite a lot of water when i was young and very very fit. But i have not done this in many years and to me water is just plain and boring, even though i know it is good for me. I would not bother about the amount of times i would need to go to the toilet, especially if the weight did start to drop off me. Iwill have to really start drinking water again, hopefully it will help, best to start off slowly and work my way up. But atleast i would get there in the end. Hope your diet goes well, hope that i too can drop quite a few pounds.
28 Jan 11
I put a little sugar free squash in my water as I would not be able to drink it either on its own.
• United States
27 Jan 11
I think I drink enough. Water is something I enjoy drinking. I don't quite drink 8 glasses a day but I think I get close. I just like that it tastes pure and not like it has chemicals or a prepackaged taste. Good luck on your diet, I worked with someone who lost a lot of weight in that diet.
27 Jan 11
I have stopped the diet now as it was not for me although I have lost 5 and a half pounds in 3 days! I enjoy drinking it too but just don't like the after effects of having to go to the toilet all the time.