From: shagan@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Susan R. Hagan)
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet
Subject: Re: Importance of water when dieting
Date: 22 Jan 93 20:55:20 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

npm@dale.cts.com (Nancy Milligan) writes:

>Jeanetter Barnes (xxjean@peridot.lerc.nasa.gov) wrote:

>think that your body can't tell the difference between water that's
>just water, and the water in coffee.  But it isn't because I've got
>scientific proof on my side, just my own sense of reality.

Well, when you mix water with a substance that dehydrates you, like
caffeine or carbonation, aren't you defeating the purpose?

In Weight Watchers, they tell us to drink 6-8 8 oz glasses of water a
day to flush impurities from our system, to keep us well hydrated, and
to keep us feeling full.

Water is important to the body.  It helps your skin retain its moisture 
and elasticity.  I generally feel better all over when I do this.  A few
years ago, I tried increasing my water intake to 64 oz a day and after
a month I had lost about 5 pounds - and I didn't do anything else.  I
don't know why it happened, but it did.  Unfortunately, I didn't stick
with it - which is why I'm in WW now, I need regular motivation.

I've heard some pretty strong assertions that there is no scientific proof
that drinking water is beneficial.  I'll reserve judgement until I've had
the time to take a look for myself, but I wonder how closely those people
actually follow the literature on that subject in the first place.

Anyway, to make water more palatable try the following ideas:

1.  Find out if you prefer your water chilled or room temperature.  Sometimes
    its much easier to drink it one way or the other depending on how you
    feel.  

2.  Try adding lemon or lime to the water - makes it go down much easier.

3.  Drink it though a straw - its easier to mindlessly sip on something
    than to face it head on and drink it down.

4.  Drink an 8 oz glass of water with every meal.  8 oz isn't much
    to drink in one sitting and after 3 of them, you almost 1/2 done.
    
5.  Try to make a schedule for yourself.  I have a glass in the morning
    after my tea, then a glass with lunch, then a glass at around 3,
    then a glass with dinner, then a glass in the evening (if I exercise
    that evening, I'll have two or three).  

    I know - thats only 5 glasses - but my glasses are between 10 and 12 
    ounces instead of 8.  I do this because if I can drink 8 oz, then
    I can usually get another 2-4 ounces down pretty easily also.  It
    makes it seem easier.

6.  According to my Weight Watchers leader, seltzer counts as water, but
    I'm not sure I agree with her.  I was told that carbonation dehydrates
    so drinking carbonated water defeats the purpose.  Those are only
    opinions though.  I don't have any facts to back it up.

7.  Make your water seem more like a "cocktail" when you're at home.
    Put it in a nice glass, with lots of ice, then squeeze lemons and
    limes in it and put in a straw.  (This is how I used to drink it
    when I was a bartender and had all this stuff handy).

Let us know how it goes.



-- 
Susan R. Hagan (shagan@gandalf.rutgers.edu) 
Publications Coordinator - User Services
Rutgers University Computing Services
From: brooksp@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Peter Brooks)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 18:58:48 GMT
Subject: Re: skin
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server