drinking water

[shrubs82]

I have started hitting the gym and running in preparation for a hopeful academy start date in july/august. In the past four weeks I have increased my water intake to a little under 1 gallon a day. Besides the constant urinating, I feel that I am a lot more thirsty through out the day, even with drinking the water. Is there a reason for this or am I just going nuts?

[cobravenom1]

You are nuts:eek:!!!

How about drinking when you are thirsty. Hydate prior to any workouts. Those concepts always worked for me:D.

[noelchabanel]

Maybe you are drinking just a little too much :D. Too much water messes up the balance of minerals in your body. The 8 glasses a day thing has been shown to be a myth. http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp
just drink when you are thirsty and of course if you are sweating a lot, drink a bit more.

[shrubs82]

I do drink when I am thirsty and keep hydrated for workouts, I drink a lot during the day anyway because I am constantly on the phones talking so it does get dry. Plus it is allergy time in North Florida so that could very well be doing it. If that is the case sorry for this ridiculous post! Flame on!!!

[cobravenom1]

I do drink when I am thirsty and keep hydrated for workouts, I drink a lot during the day anyway because I am constantly on the phones talking so it does get dry. Plus it is allergy time in North Florida so that could very well be doing it. If that is the case sorry for this ridiculous post! Flame on!!!

No need to apologize Bro.:p It's a perfectly reasonable question. If I drank a gallon of water a day:eek:, my patrol car would be parked at the rest-room for most of my shift.:D

[noelchabanel]

I do drink when I am thirsty and keep hydrated for workouts, I drink a lot during the day anyway because I am constantly on the phones talking so it does get dry. Plus it is allergy time in North Florida so that could very well be doing it. If that is the case sorry for this ridiculous post! Flame on!!!

Seriously though, It's not that ridiculous a question, I have heard of people who carry a gallon jug around and try to finish it daily. They must have more than one bathroom at home ;). For people who have kidney problems or who take certain medications, that can actually sometimes be dangerous.

Also, some allergy medications can dehydrate you, that also may be why you are more thirsty.

No need to worry about flames with all that water :D

Good job working out, keep it up!

[elbacanazo920]

Exactly as said The more you sweat the more water your body will need and also remember that if your pee is clear than that means that you are hyderated.

[InTheEnd]

A cup of water or juice with a meal and two cups of water after an intense workout should suffice. Don't drink to much water.

[Control372]

Found this for ya

Question: Can You Drink Too Much Water?

Answer: You've probably heard that it's important to 'drink plenty of fluids' or simply 'drink lots of water'. There are excellent reasons for drinking water, but have you ever wondered if it's possible to drink too much water. Here's what you need to know:

Can You Really Drink Too Much Water?

In a word, yes. Drinking too much water can lead to a condition known as water intoxication and to a related problem resulting from the dilution of sodium in the body, hyponatremia. Water intoxication is most commonly seen in infants under six months of age and sometimes in athletes. A baby can get water intoxication as a result of drinking several bottles of water a day or from drinking infant formula that has been diluted too much. Athletes can also suffer from water intoxication. Athletes sweat heavily, losing both water and electrolytes. Water intoxication and hyponatremia result when a dehydrated person drinks too much water without the accompanying electrolytes.

What Happens During Water Intoxication?

When too much water enters the body's cells, the tissues swell with the excess fluid. Your cells maintain a specific concentration gradient, so excess water outside the cells (the serum) draws sodium from within the cells out into the serum in an attempt to re-establish the necessary concentration. As more water accumulates, the serum sodium concentration drops -- a condition known as hyponatremia. The other way cells try to regain the electrolyte balance is for water outside the cells to rush into the cells via osmosis. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from higher to lower concentration is called osmosis. Although electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells than outside, the water outside the cells is 'more concentrated' or 'less dilute' since it contains fewer electrolytes. Both electrolytes and water move across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Theoretically, cells could swell to the point of bursting.

From the cell's point of view, water intoxication produces the same effects as would result from drowning in fresh water. Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days.

It's Not How Much You Drink, It's How Fast You Drink It!

The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day! You are unlikely to suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to intaking an enormous volume at one time. As a general guideline, most adults need about three quarts of fluid each day. Much of that water comes from food, so 8-12 eight ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake. You may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, if you are exercising, or if you are taking certain medications. The bottom line is this: it's possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition.

[Titansfanmjfink]

Another thing you may find is that your diet affects how much water you need, and how your body processes it. For example, if you drink a lot of caffeine (like I do), you should drink more water... caffeine actually dehydrates you. Also, if you have a lot of sodium in your diet, you should drink more water. But don't think you should drink only water. Theres a lot to be said for drink real juice and milk... though it does make weight loss a little tougher if that's your goal.

My suggestion is to buy a scale that measures not only weight, but total body water as well. It will measure how much water is in your body, and really helped me realize that I need to drink about a gallon a day to stay properly hydrated (more if I workout hard). But then again, I weigh 270.

[MarineMp]

Drink Water! You will be surprised at how just water helps you shed the weight. 2-3 liters a day is recommended.

[xndr]

It takes several weeks for your body to adjust to your new intake of water if you are not used to drinking that much. Your body will soon adjust and you'll notice that you don't have to urinate AS much. General rule of thumb... if you're thirsty your body is already becoming dehydrated.

When I'm training I stick to a water intake schedule much like one would stick to an eating schedule when dieting. It's difficult at first but if you always keep a bottle of water with you it's not too bad. Keeping a schedule helps your bladder become more adjusted as well ;)