The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[PJinCali]

I need some advice about drinking the appropriate amount of water or other liquids.

I can't do it! I get a headache from drinking all this water and I feel like it is going to come back up when I force it.

I purchased some crystal light to add to the water but get the same reaction. I was addicted to Diet Pepsi but only drink that 2 times a day because of the caffeine.

Will one of you veterens please help me with this? I am on day 3 and am not having a problem sticking to the rest of the program requirments.

This message board has been a godsend! You are all so insprirational.

Thank you very much for whatever help you can send my way.

PJ

[Arklahoma]

I have been on the plan about 10 weeks and I have had many difficulties getting all of my water in. It's only been in the last couple of weeks that I have been successful gettin my water in ... That's right, almost eight weeks of not getting the required amount of H20. I've tried hot tea, hot water with lemon, cold water with lemon, room temp water, water with davinci syrups, crystal light, etc. I just have never enjoyed water and I have struggled the entire time.

With all of that being said, I really tried hard every day. As a nurse, I know water is important, and I know that I need it, but it just wasn't coming very easily. I have finally reached the point where I'm not struggling and I am able to get my 64 oz in. I doubt that I'll ever be one of those MF that can drink upwards of 100 oz to 1/2 their body weight in oz every day. I think perseverance was the key for me. I still don't enjoy the water but I keep telling myself that this is the healthiest thing for me and keep after it.

Best of Luck!

[PJinCali]

Thank you so much for your fast reply

I am not going to give up. I will keep trying and will try the lemon water too (hot, cold & room temp).

I am determined to be successful on this program. Your messages are so inspirational, I love reading all your feedback on the boards.

Thanks again,

PJ

[Arklahoma]

Thanks for the compliment, PJ! I hope that you can be successful with the water a lot faster than it took me to acclimate. It's so important and our bodies need it. Can't wait to hear from you and see how you've done.

[dede4wd]

Hi PJ,

I was in the same boat as you (except that it was Diet COKE). I was also way short on water in the beginning, but it was slowing my losses. I weaned myself off soda with those flavored Dasani waters, but they don't count (neither does the crystal light). I cut everything up into smaller bites (or gulps)...

I just sipped the 12oz water bottles...I made sure I got 1 bottle in between every meal time...5 in total. It took some doing for about 12 days...but now it's second nature. When I first started the nurse at the doc's office said my pee might come out jello soon if I didn't start drinking more and she was very worried about my kidneys. I just trained myself, and didn't force it...I wish you luck, this was a HUGE hurdle for me, but now I'm up to 84 oz...and only 1 Diet coke!

DeDe

[Arklahoma]

Way to go, DeDe! I'm down to one Diet Coke per day, too. Tis very yummy with a squirt of SF Cherry Syrup.

[ktrout]

I went cold turkey on diet coke when I started, no fun at all ! I have a 1 liter water bottle that seems to live in my hand. It does take effort to drink so much water but the payoff is huge. I found it easiest to ramp up slowly to 4 liters a day. Now it's just a habit. I find that I keep track and try to be almost done with my second liter by lunch and third liter by dinner. If I finish the 4th liter (usually) in the evening, it's a bonus. When I spent a year in the Middle East we didn't have the option of gradually increasing water intake. Our corpman would stand there and hand us all a liter and not let us leave until we chugged it. Of course we were sweating it right back out so drinking 6-8 liters a day was normal.

[Pashta]

I listened in on the Doctor Call last night with the main guy of Medifast, Doctor Anderson, and he said Crystal Light flavored water is FINE and DOES count for your daily requirement of 64 ounces. He said plain water is preferable, but whatever it takes to get you to drink your liquid and stay ON PLAN is perfectly fine!

He also said that the diet colas are bad news because of the acids in them, it interferes with women's absorption of calcium. I don't drink them luckily, I usually am having one glass a day of fruit flavored sparkling water, none of those acids or sodium or anything. Yum.

[ascicles]

How to drink plenty of water in four easy steps...

1. Go to your local college town.
2. Buy a beer bong.
3. Fill it up with water.
4. CHUG CHUG CHUG

You'll get through 64oz. in a matter of seconds!

[Lauren]

Hey, PJ-

I was never a big water drinker prior to MF, and I also am I diet soda queen. I have found the best way to get a ton of water in each day is to A) Get a 24 oz "sports bottle," the one with the lift top that can be pulled up or down
B) Try to fill that bottle with room temp water - very cold water can sometimes be harder to tolerate in large quantities
C) Because you're drinking from the little spout, I find it easer to "chug" it down, and make a point to get the first 24 oz in within the first 3 -4 hours of your day. Refill it and drink the next within the next 3 hours, and then refill it and drink it again.

Each 24 oz refill is another 3 glasses of water, so if you drink down the bottle 3 times, you've had 72 oz of water. I tend to drink way more than that, but this would be sufficient.

By the way, I still totally drink my Diet Pepsi - I usually have a 20oz bottle completed by mid-afternoon, and may have 1-2 more cans by later at night. The soda fulfills my need for flavor, when I can't have food, so I refuse to stop drinking it! :-)

Maybe this won't work for you, PJ, but there is just something about the 24 oz sports bottle that makes the water go down more easily for me. Give it a shot!

Good luck!

Lauren

[Tiolazz]

When I first started I added lemon juice and one packet of splenda, tasted like lemonaid, now I have no problem, I probably drink 120 oz per day, just by keeping the bottle on my desk, in front of my face all day long...

[jump4joy]

Hi,

I take supplements (pills) and spread them thoughout my day...my pill-holder has four compartments so I'm sure to have a big glass of H2O four times a day. I found a great lightly-flavored water that I LOVE called Fruit2O, and I drink three or four 16 oz. bottles every day. Before I found the Fruit2O, I had somewhat of a hard time drinking all my water. I hate carbonation, so diet drinks are out. The Fruit2O has zero everything on it's nutritional info...but the taste is GREAT....just a very light and refreshing hint of fruit flavor. I like the strawberry, raspberry, and grape best.

[Shana]

I'm a life long water fanatic - on average, I've been drinking a gallon (or more) a day since before I was a pre-teen, BUT I cannot, repeat, CANNOT drink unfiltered tap water. Period. I could be dehydrated & turning into dust, and I still wouldn't be able to stomach the taste of tap water (yeah, I'm a water snob).
If you aren't already, try drinking bottled water or buying a Pur pitcher - Pur gives a much better taste (in my opinion) and the triple filtration (blue filter) takes out a ton of gunk.

You might also find it easier to drink 64oz if you put it in a glass with ice and a straw and sip on it throughout the day - that way you're not chugging it and it is less likely to produce the feeling of it needing to come back up.

[bamamomof5]

I have to add my 2 cents worth here! I went to walmart and found a GREAT watter bottle it hold 2 liters and is PINK with a pop top! I fill it every AM and keep it joined to my hip all dat long! By my Supper it is gone and then I have a personal contest when I refil it and see how much I can drink before bed. I also tell myself things like I have to have half of this gone before I come home from taking the kids to school... or else. I have to drink to X line before this show is over ... or else. I haven't had to give myself an "or else" yet, probably becase I would have to think to hard to come up with some torture for myself... GOOD LUCK!

[Pashta]

Oh yeah totally agree with you Shana, I'm a "water snob" too! LOL!

We have a water cooler and get big 5 gallon things of spring water for it. Now I'm even a snob to Pur or Brita water. :P