# 20 tips for getting your 8 glasses a day...



## Lisa

Here are 20 tips for getting your 8 glasses of day of water that your body needs.  There is also a small article with the tips in this link that is a good read and review for all of us.

FULL ARTICLE

*20 Tips For Getting Your 8 Glasses      of Water Daily*​ _Sometimes drinking our eight glasses of water a day can be      a real challenge Here are 20 tips to help you accomplish that feat! It is      said by many beauty experts that drinking your water is the cheapest, quickest      way to look better! That should motivate us! _

    1. Make a bet with a co-worker to see who can drink more water in the course      of a day. 

    2. Have a big glass of water at every transitional point of the day: when      you first get up, just before leaving the house, when you sit down to work,      etc. 

    3. Make it convenient - keep a big, plastic, insulated water bottle full on      your desk and reach for it all day. 

    4. When you have juice (apple, grape, or orange) fill half the glass with      water. 

    5. When you have a junk-food craving, down a glass of water immediately. You      feel full quickly and avoid the calories, and it lets time pass till the craving      fades. 

    6. Have one glass every hour on the hour while at work. When the work day      is done your water quota is met. 

    7. Substitute a cup of hot water with a drop of honey for tea or coffee. 

    8. While at work, get a 20 ounce cup of ice and keep filling it up from the      office water cooler. The key is drinking with a straw - you take bigger gulps      and drink much more. 

    9. Freeze little bits of peeled lemons, limes, and oranges and use them in      place of ice cubes - it's refreshing and helps get in a serving or two of      fruit. 

    10. After each trip to the restroom, guzzle an eight-ounce glass to replenish      your system. 

    11. Don't allow yourself a diet soda until you've had two to four glasses      of water. You will find that you won't want the soda anymore or that just      half a can is enough. 

    12. Let ounces of water double grams of fat: When eating something containing      10 grams of fat, I drink 20 ounces of water. 

    13. Drink two full glasses at each meal, one before and one after. Also, drink      one glass before each snack so you don't eat as much. 

    14. Carry a small refillable water bottle at all times and drink during downtime;      while waiting in a bank line, sitting on the train, etc. 

    15. Use a beautiful gold-rimmed glass and fill it with cold water from the      tap. 

    16. Drink two glasses of water immediately after waking up. 

    17. Bring a two-liter bottle of water to work and try to drink it all before      you leave work. If you don't finish, drink it in traffic on the way home -      it's like a race. 

    18. Always keep a 24-ounce bottle of water handy while watching TV, doing      laundry, making dinner, etc. 

    19. Add drinking two glasses of water to your daily skincare regimen. Drink,      cleanse, moisturize, etc., then drink again. 

    20. Drink your water out of a big Pyrex measuring cup - it's a good way to      keep track of how much water you are drinking. ​


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## Jonathan Randall

Great information, Lisa!

One thing that I do is make sure that everytime I pass the water fountain at work, whether I am thirsty or not, I drink. Also, I keep a full glass conveniently by my bed. Staying hydrated really has a lot of health benefits, according to health professionals, so everything you can do to improve the quantity of water you drink is good.


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## Lisa

One important thing to remember is that by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  It is important to try and not get thirsty in the first place.


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## bushidomartialarts

lisa, that was really great.  thank you.


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## beau_safken

IU'd love to do that....if I had a bathroom in my back pocket


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## Lisa

beau_safken said:
			
		

> IU'd love to do that....if I had a bathroom in my back pocket



:rofl:  I thought only girls were like that! 

We have increased our water intake here at home by simply not buying other things to drink.  We keep a good stock at hand of bottled water and it is amazing how much more we drink.  We rarely buy pop unless we are having a function and have juice readily available.  Often we all water our orange juice down to 1/2 and 1/2.


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## bobster_ice

Now that is a good article, although, drinking 8 glasses a day...Would it not make you goto the toilet/bath room alot?


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## wee_blondie

bobster_ice said:
			
		

> Now that is a good article, although, drinking 8 glasses a day...Would it not make you goto the toilet/bath room alot?


 
Thats half the point!  Its important to flush your system (pardon the pun)

Being Scottish I like any excuse for a drink - cheers! I'm off for a pint (of finest deeside spring water)

:boing1:


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## trueaspirer

Great tips, they'll come in handy. Only thing - drinking water only makes me more hungry, not less. Also I usually drink a lot less than 8 glasses of water a day, and I'm fine...maybe it differs from person to person.


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## splazzatch

I recently read an article that recomended drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. I have been doing that each day for a week now (128 ounces per day) and so far if I space it out I don't urinate any more than normal and I am more hungry than I was before. 


What do you guys think?


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## terryl965

Never heard of that do you have the article or where did you get that info. at?
Terry


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## Jonathan Randall

splazzatch said:
			
		

> I recently read an article that recomended drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. I have been doing that each day for a week now (128 ounces per day) and so far if I space it out I don't urinate any more than normal and I am more hungry than I was before.
> 
> 
> What do you guys think?


 
*I think that you should check with your Physician* BEFORE embarking on such a course. Over-hydrating, according to medical literature, can be dangerous. I advise you to stop until and unless your DOCTOR says to continue.

*** Disclaimer - I am not a doctor ***


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## BrandiJo

splazzatch said:
			
		

> I recently read an article that recomended drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. I have been doing that each day for a week now (128 ounces per day) and so far if I space it out I don't urinate any more than normal and I am more hungry than I was before.
> 
> 
> What do you guys think?



over hydration is a concern, but i have heard that you should drink half your weight in oz as well, in my concepts of wellness class.


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## shesulsa

splazzatch said:
			
		

> I recently read an article that recomended drinking half your body weight in ounces per day. I have been doing that each day for a week now (128 ounces per day) and so far if I space it out I don't urinate any more than normal and I am more hungry than I was before.
> 
> 
> What do you guys think?


My mother did this and depleted herself of electrolytes to the point where she has a heart arhythmia and bordered on renal failure.

_*I*_ think a person should talk to their doctor about H2O saturation and electrolyte balance for their individual fitness level, fat percentage and size before embarking on such a dangerous journey.


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## MJS

IMO, I think it would be a bit excessive, but thats just me.  Here are a few links I came across.

http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/faculty/pbird/keepingfit/ARTICLE/toomuchwater.htm

http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/dailystar/78296.php

http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/drinking_too_much.html


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## Jonathan Randall

shesulsa said:
			
		

> My mother did this and depleted herself of electrolytes to the point where she has a heart arhythmia and bordered on renal failure.
> 
> _*I*_ think a person should talk to their doctor about H2O saturation and electrolyte balance for their individual fitness level, fat percentage and size before embarking on such a dangerous journey.


 
:asian:


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## Jade Tigress

As already stated, drinking too much water can be very dangerous. Please reconsider your amount of intake splazzatch. You can drink a healthy amount of water without endangering yourself.


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## BrandiJo

i wasnt awhere it was that big of a danger, we have to do this for a required class on campus, we never went in and consulted a dr, and we never had worried about electorlites or any of that stuff..kinda scary​


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## Jade Tigress

BrandiJo said:
			
		

> i wasnt awhere it was that big of a danger, we have to do this for a required class on campus, we never went in and consulted a dr, and we never had worried about electorlites or any of that stuff..kinda scary​



It's very scary because no one would normally think they could drink too much water. But there are serious, serious health consequences to it.


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## shesulsa

Jade Tigress said:
			
		

> It's very scary because no one would normally think they could drink too much water. But there are serious, serious health consequences to it.



Yes, indeed.  And once electrolytes are seriously out of whack, it can be a constant battle to keep them in balance and heart medicine is usually prescribed.

Teachers in college who require actually doing this as part of a class should be reprimanded, in my opinion, by the ethics committee of their college / university.


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## fireman00

1/2 your weight in oz of water should be fine, especially if when excersising; for me that's 100 oz of h2o a day. I wind up using the facilities about every 1 1/2 hours.

"...

At least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day for all adults, most of whom lose about two to three quarts  (64 to 96 oz) of water every day. Athletes, people who live or work in hot environments, and people who perspire heavily lose more water and need to drink even more to keep up with the loss. "

Link to full article http://www.webmd.com/content/article/41/1671_50514.htm


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## splazzatch

I didn't realize that it was such a big deal or even possible to drink to much water. 

I read the article in the current issue of blackbelt magazine where it talks about increasing your reaction time.


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## shesulsa

Most people neglect counting the water contained in food as part of their intake.  The broth in soup counts, the juice in fruits and vegetables counts, the juice in your steak and chicken counts.

The "eight glasses per day" (according to a nutritionist we consulted for Mom, the heart patient) should be in addition to the ideal average food diet which includes lots of juicy fruits and veggies.  This plus the juice we get from our diets should come close to half our weight in ounces and should be appropriate for the average lifestyle.  Athletes may need a bit more, but again, the *important thing is electrolyte balance*.

If you drink iced tea, that counts towards your "8 glasses" whereas coffee, energy drinks and other heavily caffeinated drinks count against.

Caffeine and sugar deplete hydration - avoid them during training.

That's what a nutritionist told us.


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## Touch Of Death

Don't over use re-usable plastic containers for they are germ beds. I heared it on the John Tesh radio show.
Sean


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## Cryozombie

Touch Of Death said:
			
		

> Don't over use re-usable plastic containers for they are germ beds. I heared it on the John Tesh radio show.
> Sean



Really?  Is this true?  Germs grow in the plastic?  I use a plastic Gatorade bottle for water, and I only change it out for a new one like once a month... hmm...

Prehaps I should find somthing else...


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## Touch Of Death

Technopunk said:
			
		

> Really? Is this true? Germs grow in the plastic? I use a plastic Gatorade bottle for water, and I only change it out for a new one like once a month... hmm...
> 
> Prehaps I should find somthing else...


Cracks develope in the plastic especialy after being washed in the dishwasher.
Sean


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## Lisa

Touch Of Death said:
			
		

> Don't over use re-usable plastic containers for they are germ beds. I heared it on the John Tesh radio show.
> Sean



I heard the same thing.  I used to reuse my bottles too, but I don't anymore.


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## Ninjamom

Lisa said:
			
		

> 17. Bring a two-liter bottle of water to work and try to drink it all before you leave work. If you don't finish, drink it in traffic on the way home - it's like a race.


Errrrr........ my daily commute from my last job was an hour and a half each way, in Washington, DC traffic.  If I drank that much on my way home it really *would* be a race


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## Cryozombie

Touch Of Death said:
			
		

> Cracks develope in the plastic especialy after being washed in the dishwasher.
> Sean


 
I just rinse mine in the sink... same issue?


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## KenpoSterre

if you use the a water bottle(like danasni, springwater, etc.) will grow germs that can make you sick and CAN *KILL YOU*! Do not reuse them. In a recent study it found out that 97% percent of student athletes had potentially dangerous germs growing in their water bottle. More than half of them walkshed them out with soap of put them in the dishwasher.

My science teach freaked when she saw a student who was refilling her water bottle. Needles to say eveoryone in th hall got a lecture aobut the dangers of waterbottles and the bottle is now broken in the dumpster...


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## shesulsa

KenpoSterre said:
			
		

> if you use the a water bottle(like danasni, springwater, etc.) will grow germs that can make you sick and CAN *KILL YOU*! Do not reuse them. In a recent study it found out that 97% percent of student athletes had potentially dangerous germs growing in their water bottle. More than half of them walkshed them out with soap of put them in the dishwasher.
> 
> My science teach freaked when she saw a student who was refilling her water bottle. Needles to say eveoryone in th hall got a lecture aobut the dangers of waterbottles and the bottle is now broken in the dumpster...


This is an urban legend.

Most water bottles are not washed properly nor allowed to dry thoroughly which is a very important part in the cleaning process.


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## buyu

i know that different sized ppl drink different amounts and ppl doing different activities and livin in different enviroments all must drink different amounts so how can they just generalise the amount of intake you should have a day 
Water bottles so what happens with the ones you buy espeacilly for the purpose of carrying water,Im army and we carry mostly water bottles so i hope your wrong bout these bottles any way i also use a camel bak pack with pure flow system which apparently kills off the germs so this could be an answer for yall
thanks for the info on over saturation


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## Lisa

I learned today in a seminar that 1% dehydration lowers your performance by 4-5%.  I thought that was a baffling amount and really made me think.  You lose, on average, up to a litre of water when exercising vigorously for 1 hour.  If you are 5 percent dehydrated, you are performing 20% less then you could be.  Remember the "three big glugs" rule.  Every 10 minutes of vigorous exercise should be followed by "three big glugs" of water.


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## SFC JeffJ

Lisa said:


> I learned today in a seminar that 1% dehydration lowers your performance by 4-5%.  I thought that was a baffling amount and really made me think.  You lose, on average, up to a litre of water when exercising vigorously for 1 hour.  If you are 5 percent dehydrated, you are performing 20% less then you could be.  Remember the "three big glugs" rule.  Every 10 minutes of vigorous exercise should be followed by "three big glugs" of water.


Wow is all I have to say!  Thanks for sharing that Lisa!


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## thetruth

I understand the concept of loading before strenuous exercise and totally understand drinking more when it is hot but can anyone tell be if there are any studies that have been done to suggest that 8 glasses of water is required for everyday people.  

Just Curious
Cheers
Sam:asian:


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## searcher

thetruth said:


> I understand the concept of loading before strenuous exercise and totally understand drinking more when it is hot but can anyone tell be if there are any studies that have been done to suggest that 8 glasses of water is required for everyday people.
> 
> Just Curious
> Cheers
> Sam:asian:


 
Actually according to ACE(American Council on Exercise), eight cups is the bare minimum that a person should take in.   I have seen studies that suggest you should take in one cup for every ten pounds of body weight for a moderately active person.   This is to help avoid accumulative dehydration.


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## woot

To get the appropriate amount of water per day you there are 2 methods. The first is you could divide your weight by half. for example 195 lbs./2=97.5 (that would be ounces).  Divide that by 8 and you get the number of glasses per day (roughly 12 glasses).

or 

Take your weight in pounds convert to kilograms (multiply by 2.2) then divide by your age.

195 x 2.2 = 429
429/34 = 12.6 glasses (8 oz. glasses)


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## TallAdam85

i need to drink more water but am lazy and often drink more pop but starting to drink propel


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## tellner

I've seen this "Eight glasses a day" thing for decades. The earliest record of it of which I'm aware is from the mid nineteenth century. But I haven't yet seen anything resembling real research saying that a normally active person eating a regular diet needs to drink a half gallon of water in addition to what comes in one's food. 

It's just one of those things that everybody knows is true even when it isn't.


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## Logan

This might be of interest:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7326437.stm


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## Empty Hands

tellner said:


> But I haven't yet seen anything resembling real research saying that a normally active person eating a regular diet needs to drink a half gallon of water in addition to what comes in one's food.



Funny you should say that, I've seen a bunch of articles on just this topic recently.

http://www.slate.com/id/2188159/


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## Fiendlover

Lisa said:


> 15. Use a beautiful gold-rimmed glass and fill it with cold water from the tap.


 
im curious.  how does this help to drink more water?  "ohhhh this is pretty!  i think im going to drink water in it today!"

does that really work?  how do they decide that it does?  why not a silver rimmed glass................?  :nuke:


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## Marginal

thetruth said:


> I understand the concept of loading before strenuous exercise and totally understand drinking more when it is hot but can anyone tell be if there are any studies that have been done to suggest that 8 glasses of water is required for everyday people.
> 
> Just Curious
> Cheers
> Sam:asian:


The whole 8 glasses standard was the random proclamation of a 17th century king. It has no scientific merit.


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## shirobanryunotora

Hi Lisa-wow,looks like you got most covered though no.6 may be an issue for some as may overwork the kidneys and cause energy loss etc whilst no.16 and no.9 go well together too or just squeeze half a lemon in.The slightly acidic nature of citrus will help flush out toxins gathered overnight etc.

Keep in mind too that drinking soon after a meal though will dilute stomach acid and slow down digestion.From memory wait an hour or so after eating.

Agree too that overhydration may be an issue for some esp.those with lowered immune systems,kidney issues and those not so active etc.Wouldnt hurt to get some advice from your health advisor if you have any concerns.


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## shirobanryunotora

thetruth said:


> I understand the concept of loading before strenuous exercise and totally understand drinking more when it is hot but can anyone tell be if there are any studies that have been done to suggest that 8 glasses of water is required for everyday people.
> 
> Just Curious
> Cheers
> Sam:asian:


Hi-In regards to studies on the body's usage and requirements of water there is a listing in the Bibliography section of the book"Your bodies many cries for water" by F.Batmanghelidj M.D.(and yes his nickname is Dr.Batman!!) I think the book is now available via the www.watercure.com site.

Dr.Batman...apparently was one of the many incarcerated by those controlling the 1979 revolution in Iran and only released after showing the "Judges" the results of his inner prison study on water treatment of pepticulcer disease.He was eventually invited to present his discovery in 1989 to fellow scientists at the "3rd interscience World Conference on Inflammation,Antirheumatics,Analgesics and Immunomodulators".

The annual volume "Science in medicine simplified" collates the studies and research of water and metabolism though am unsure how publicily available this volume is. 

His book is simply written though also containing the science and study references necessary to research this topic.Definitely a good read for those with such an interest-till the next rr.


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## Stealthy

shirobanryunotora said:


> I think the book is now available via the www.watercure.com site.


 
Looks like a good read thanks for the heads up.


Nothing quite like drinking H2O. Having spent many of my early years on a farm with rain water for drinking city life comes with one serious drawback, no fresh water.

Bottled drinking water comes with a plethora of chemicals to cut down on the risk of disease and thus legal suits.


This is what I use to rectify the dilemma.

http://www.lifestylelogic.com.au/sh...d=161&osCsid=8045d89dd2348dd6068a4aa51ec727fc


While a little research may turn up what seems to be "problems" associated with drinking H20, I found that a LOT of research then turns those results on their heads.

This is an extract from and the link to World Health Organization - Geneva 2004. "Health risks from drinking demineralised water".

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/nutdemineralized.pdf

"*unsatisfactory organoleptic properities*"

Which as scary as it sounds simply means unsatisfactory taste.

Naturally I disagree and am yet to hear a person complain about the taste of fresh rainwater.


"Every time" I distill 4 liters of water I am left with a glass of brown mush which goes straight down the drain rather than in my belly.

Each to their own but this is how I breath life to otherwise pretty horrid town water.

With Respect,
Stealthy.


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## Gyakuto

Marginal said:


> The whole 8 glasses standard was the random proclamation of a 17th century king. It has no scientific merit.


As a physiologist, 2-2.5litres of fluid is what we’d expect a person to drink. This includes fluid contained in ones food. I believe the diuretic affect of coffee and tea is no where near equal to the volume ingested, so even they count!

The habit of carrying around a bottle of water and sipping throughout the day is testament to the incredible marketing of bottled water companies.

I drink 8-9 litres of fluid a day!


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## isshinryuronin

My main method of staying hydrated is a shocking, little-known technique (I think from Shangri-La or Tibet):

I drink whenever I'm thirsty.


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## seasoned

I've said this before, " we don't die of old age" as much as from toxic overload.....drink water throughout the day.


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## Gyakuto

isshinryuronin said:


> My main method of staying hydrated is a shocking, little-known technique (I think from Shangri-La or Tibet):
> 
> I drink whenever I'm thirsty.


I used this technique too. I had two kidney stones😖. It seems my thirst wasn’t ‘keeping up’ with my requirements!


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## Dirty Dog

isshinryuronin said:


> My main method of staying hydrated is a shocking, little-known technique (I think from Shangri-La or Tibet):
> 
> I drink whenever I'm thirsty.


Feeling thirsty means you're already mildly dehydrated. Your best bet is to drink before you feel thirsty.


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## isshinryuronin

Gyakuto said:


> I used this technique too. I had two kidney stones😖. It seems my thirst wasn’t ‘keeping up’ with my requirements!





Dirty Dog said:


> Feeling thirsty means you're already mildly dehydrated. Your best bet is to drink before you feel thirsty.


You guys are right.  A couple of additional glasses to supplement the times one feels thirsty seems wise.  Better a little too much than too little.


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## Gyakuto

One tip is to purchase and use a 500ml (nearly a pint) mug and drink nothing less! It’s 9am here and I’ve already drunk a litre (2 pints-ish)


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