water advice please I HATE water!!!

[Creek]

If you can buy fresh mint (or better yet, grow it), try crushing a mint sprig and pouring your ice water over that. Not only does this give water a nice refreshing taste, it helps with ketosis breath.

No fresh mint? Make your own mint tea by purchasing tea bags that list only peppermint leaves as ingredients. The grocery store in my area puts the mint tea bags in the same spot as regular tea. To make a gallon of mint iced tea, put six mint tea bags in a quart of hot water to steep. When the water is room temperature, squeeze out the bags and put the tea in a gallon pitcher and fill with cold water.

[losetocruise]

a slice of lemon floating in the water gives it a mild flavor. you don't have to squeeze the juice into it or anything. Just let it float in the water like fine restaraunts do

[carbless_in_seattle]

Like someone else said. I fill a giant glass of water and take gulps in between my mornning sips of coffee. Can't really help with any tricks...it's like exercising..you just gotta force yourself to do it.

I think drinking a lot of tea is pretty much like drinking water. Maybe I'm wrong.

[booklady]

I am the one that posted about losing a half pound a day with water and without I lose that a week.
FOR ME, it is true. That is why I always say that when I write it.
FOR ME, the last million times I did this plan I was unwilling to give up my diet soda or crystal light or ice tea and this time I made the decsion that I could not live like this anymore and would do whatever it took to get this wieght off.
So, I drink anywhere from 140 ounces on a bad day when we are running around and not at home, to around 200 ounces when I am home. Yesterday was 192 ounces.
Let me tell you this. I hated water with a passion. My husband drinks it all day and has tried for twenty six years to get me to drink water, ICK, I would not do it unless I had to.
I have talked to people who like to drink coffee or have in the past or do smoke, and most told me they did not like it when they started but wanted to so bad they just did it until they liked it.
Well, I decided the only thing I had not tried was only drinking water. I have drank water with the soda and lost ok, but the last few times I "tried" low carb, I did not lose much at all. I am at 17 pounds in 12 days and have seen as little as 5 in the frist several weeks my last few attempts.
So, this time I decided to give up the caffiene, and Sherri convinced me to give up sweetners, which I had thought about giving up anyway over the years, as I knew it was not good, but had my head in the sand, and I have learned over the last twelve days to love water. NEVER thought it would happen. But once I took away all sweet tastes in my life and only eat pure unprocessed meats,with the exception of bacon a few days a week, salads , allowed veggies, eggs , I have seen the weight fly off. I gave up dairy too, but have done that before but still drank the diet soda and all that and did get my water in but not always the gallon, but I would try for that gallon.
I had to be ready to do it and I can only say what worked for ME. I never thought I could sit in a restaurant and drink water with my meal, but I have done it twice and lived thorugh it , lol. That was in the first few days and now I could do it and enjoy it. Ice water is a treat to me now as I usually drink it room temp.
You can learn to love water, but probably if you are as big a water hater as I was, you have to give up the other things to really learn to love it. I cannot see me going back on the soda now. I used to drink a two liter bottle a day of diet dr pepper and then if we ate out I would have soda out too. So, if I can go off my favorate drink and learn to love water, ANYONE can, I hated water so much, and now I love it. I drink it right out of the tap most days, do not even drink it cold. I would NEVER have done that before.
So, that is my experience, but you have to figure out what works for you.
I wish you the best and did not mean to freak you out.
For the record, I am losing a pound a day at this point. Not sure for how long, but for the last week it has been that high. I only share my experiences in case it could help someone else, but never want to upset anyone !!
I do want to add that my doctor supports my low carb diet but urged me to drink a lot of water as he has many patients on low carb and the only ones that have any health problems are the ones that do not drink water and they got stones, so he warned me to drink plenty of water. I also feel to flush out the toxins and the fat you need to drink enough fluids to do that, so that is something to consider.
One other point, after the first few days, the bathroom visits are not as bad as your body gets used to the water!!!
Stephie

[Chicklady]

Your loss looks greatr anyway, so if you're thinking water will increase your loss, I'd guess it won't. However, it IS important to drink your water on this diet because your body will no longer store water. I set aside four 20 ounce bottles i fill and refrig at night to chill for the next day. If they aren't going down fast enough, I add a splash of live apple cider vinegar

[TheDogAteMyName]

I wish there was some way to make you like water Have you tried drinking it through a straw? That way more goes down faster. I love Pellegrino with a splash of lemon.

[Greeneggs&ham]

Originally Posted by Chicklady

If they aren't going down fast enough, I add a splash of live apple cider vinegar

I must say that I would never have considered that. My dad used to preach about the wondrous effects of vinegar and I like to use it on salads and such so I may have to give it a try.

As for me, water is becoming acceptable as my only source of hydration. I still miss something "sweet" during breakfast (i.e. Crystal Light), but I'm determined to make it through Induction with water only. The first few days, I would add one squeeze of RealLemon although I assume too much might result in added hidden carbs (?).

I agree with a previous poster that filtered water (I have a Pur filter on the faucet and keep a 3-gallon container filled in the fridge) does almost have a sweet taste, although that may be a result of not tasting anything sweeter in several days!

[booklady]

It does get easier and now that I am through my first two weeks I am not missing the soda except for a rare moment now and then, but those moments are getting few and far between. I drank it for so many years that is it a memory that I have to get past. I am sure not much differant that giving up any other addiction.
I do love the cold water now and it feels good to be drinking water for my health.
I have no doubt that if I can do it, and many other people have done it , you will get to that point too !! Just take it one glass at a time and soon it will be second nature.
Stephie

[wilsondikoko]

Dear Booklady,

The first real diet I was on years ago preached water. It was so hard for me to drink it but once I go through the "barrier", I was craving it. Today I hardly drink anything but WATER. If I am home, I hardly use glasses. Instead I drink out of 1 liter bottles of water to insure that I get my proper intake. Keep going, you will get to like it!

GoingDutch

[jimmyolsenblues]

copied from...............
Atkins - Acceptable Foods

Acceptable Beverages
Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day, including:

* Filtered water
* Mineral water
* Spring water
* Tap water


Additionally, you can have the following:

* Clear broth/bouillon (not all brands; read the label)
* Club soda
* Cream, heavy or light (limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content)
* Decaffeinated or regular coffee or tea*
* Diet soda made with sucralose (Splenda™); be sure to count the carbs
* Essence-flavored seltzer (must say "no calories")
* Herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added)
* Lemon juice or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce); limit to two to three tablespoons

* Caffeine can cause cravings or blood sugar spikes with some people. If you’re one of them, you should drink only decaffeinated beverages. If you don’t have a problem with caffeine, you may drink one or two caffeinated beverages a day, because evolving research indicates there may actually be health benefits to a limited amount of caffeine. However, if you have a true caffeine addiction, it will be best to break it during Induction, because any food addiction can cause problems if it isn’t taken care of. Once you’ve broken the addiction and moved on to OWL, you can carefully try adding caffeinated beverages back into your food intake, as long as it doesn’t trigger the addiction again.