Right I have a problem, I forget to drink water. I have about 6 cups of black coffee a day, but sometimes no water on it's own all day.
will this harm my kidneys. I found when I was drinking loads i retained it and felt bloated.why and how much should i drink and what can i do to stop retaining it
fiona

Fiona,

I try to drink between 2 and 3 litres of water a day. When I'm at work I just keep refilling a 500ml water bottle and sip it through the day. At home, I have a water filter jug and fill my glass up when I go into the kitchen.

Are you drinking decaff coffee or ordinary? Coffee is a diuretic and so may leave you a bit dehydrated.

Pauline's post is so very true. Coffee is a diuretic and so you need even more water to counteract its effects.

I also have a 500 ml bottle which I keep refilling with water. Its sitting beside my computer as I type. I try to have around 2 litres of water a day, minimum. Your body needs it and if you are not fully hydrated you will tend not to lose.

Hi Fiona - I really understand where you are coming from - before starting on this WOL I used to just drink the occasional cup of tea at work, and then red wine on an evening! ... not a glass of plain water would pass my lips!!! Looking back i wonder how my kidneys didnt decide to throw in the towel!

But now i try to drink at least 2-3 litres a day - I find that I find it easier to drink sparkling water as plain is just too boring - i take a 2 litre bottle of water into work with me and fill out a pint glass and drink it a bit at a time - it does help and my water intake has increased!

Hope that was of some help!

Lindy

Fiona - the more you drink the less you'll retain!!!!

One trick if you're drinking tap water is to take 8 hairbands and either transfer them from left to right wrist as you drink each glassful or put them over the cold tap and everytime you drink a glass move the band to the hot tap!

Kellyuk what a great idea I am giving that a try, thanks

can i drink coffee

I was like you, never drank water I was a 2 litre a day diet coke drinker. Then I read all the benefits of drinking water so I started. The first week I was so bloated it hurt, but then my body got use to it and now i drink at least 3 litres of water a day (5 litres on days i do 2 workouts which is 3 times a week).

My bevarage of choice is coffee....I never realized that I never drank much water until I started this on Jan 1 and read I had to drink 2-4 litters a day. I thought to myself there is noway I can do that. I'd float....

I find myself today drinking 2-4 litters without to much trouble. Some day over the 2+. I always have a bottle of water near me. I take a bottle with me in the car also.

I get up more during the night, but a small price to pay.

Coffee does have a small amount of carbs in it so be careful with what you may add to your coffee, like creams, sugars etc. I drink my plan.

You may all be interested in reading this article as to why you should be drinking your water

I use paper clips at work, 8-9 of them for each 330 ml glass I use... and move them along!

I am pretty lucky that I don't drink tea/coffe/juice/milk/squash etc never have only ever drunk water - although I have upped it since starting LC to just shy of 5 pints (2.6 litres)

Thanks Demi, great article link

Drink that water and cut back on coffee where possible. I have never given it up entirely, but do restrict myself to two cups of black coffee a day. Others have given lots of reasons why you should drink water as the liquid of preference. You can easily get used to it.

yeah i found that . i take a 500ml bottle to water and make make sure i fill it at least 4times in work .but i had to give up drinking other things theres no way i could manage 2.5 of water then 8 cups of coffee id explode i think lol