<p>Sweat tea sounds like a good idea on some of the long bike rides I do. I was riding with a friend one time on a hot day, 40 miles into a 70 mile day. We stopped, and I bought a cold V-8, the randonneurs’ favorite. He said, “But it’s so salty.” I gave him a look. “That’s the idea,” I replied.</p>
<p>My kid is in big city in Europe and she misses the big American size portion.</p>
<p>Bay- that’s just not correct. I don’t enjoy drinking water all that much and to stay hydrated, I do drink weak iced tea or other flavored drinks- not to mention some alcohol! What works for you might not be all that easy or even necessary for someone else. </p>
<p>I specifically said they don’t “need” caloric drinks. What you are describing is what you like, not what you need. </p>
<p>IMO…one doesn’t drink water because they ‘like’ it…one drinks it because it is just about the best and cleanest way to hydrate. Maybe one of the issues with increasing girth is the concept that drinking something has to be some sort of sensual experience. That said, it’s pretty easy to flavor water. Add 1/4 Starbucks refresher to a 16 oz glass and it’s flavored enough to not taste like water. This way you can consume 64 oz of H2O and only one slightly sugared beverage.</p>
<p>Our PCP put it rather clearly …it used to be kids would be outside playing from after school until dark. If they came in with ‘I’m hungry’ the pretty standard response was…dinner is in X so come back then. A simple hunger pang did not need immediate relief. </p>
<p>If you live in a hot climate, it’s important to find something to drink that you like, or else you don’t drink enough. I don’t drink sugar, but I sure like something that has a taste! On my long runs (over 90 minutes), I put Nuun in my water.</p>
<p>Dietz is on to something, actually. People are using drinks to keep their kids quiet. Yesterday I saw an overweight toddler siting in a grocery cart who was handed a bottle of milk when she started squirming. She was also too old to be drinking anything out of a bottle.</p>
<p>People eat more and are less active and are heavier today. Duh. I don’t really know why anyone needs a survey or study to prove the obvious, anyway. </p>
<p>Count me in as another one who really struggles to hydrate enough - I consider myself very lucky if I get in 64 oz in a day - it’s usually less than that. I am still recovering from a very serious septic infection that hospitalized me for five days, and when I was released to go home was told to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I just do not like plain water, and actually first thing in the morning, it can make me gag. The one fortunate thing I have going for me is I prefer not to have any caffeine so I’m not tempted by coffee, iced tea, etc.</p>
<p>But a couple of years ago, I discovered flavored Stevia drops (I prefer lemon). I buy them at the health food store and place 5-6 drops in 16 oz. of water. It really does help me drink more. I had a diet coke a couple of nights ago for the first time in several months. It hit the spot, but when I was done I thought, “I wish I’d had my lemon drops with me instead.” (I was picking up a sandwich from the deli since H was out for dinner; otherwise I wouldn’t have been tempted by the soda).</p>
<p>Why do you think you need 64 oz per day? I doubt I drink that much, and I am very active. </p>
<p>If you are thirsty, drink. Otherwise, you probably don’t need to. People get a lot of their fluids from the foods they eat. </p>
<p>It’s a bit bizarre that people feel they must be told when to drink, what to drink, and how much. Animals manage just fine without such direction. Humans can do it too, I’m almost positive. </p>
<p>Humans get confused and some humans do need direction. Not studies though. Those are basically useless imho. This stuff is really pretty simple but following the directions is where some humans get into trouble because eating is addictive and you can’t just quit cold turkey. I could never drink 64oz of anything in one day. Not even coffee although some days may be close. Water? Not a chance.</p>
<p>Yes, animals manage just fine. Then again, no animal (I’m aware off) drinks another animals’ milk. They don’t even drink their own species’ milk past a certain growth stage. And, again as far as I know, osteoporosis is not a big issue in the animal kingdom. I don’t know of any animal that grazes through the Sahara looking for a 64 oz big gulp or pre-packaged pork rinds. Nor are they bombarded with commercials for Hot Pockets, sugar free Snack Wells or Ding Dongs. They don’t get up in the middle of the night with a hankering for Krispy Cremes or nachos. We have lost the connection to our intuitive selves, that connection that would naturally keep us from doing many of the things we do to harm our bodies. </p>
<p>Another major difference between humans in developed countries and non-human animals is that we eat for pleasure and generally not for survival. They don’t have many choices whereas we do. </p>
<p>Plus, let’s not pretend that there weren’t major deficiencies in diet before the modern era. Scurvy is one that jumps to mind. (Oh, and fwiw, scurvy occurs in non-human animals as well.) It’s also a myth that somehow non-human animals don’t suffer from nutritional deficiencies. They do. So no, they’re not told what to eat but that doesn’t mean they eat a proper diet. </p>
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<p>If I drank according to my thirst level, I’d probably drink about 32 oz. a day. I can go until early afternoon before I feel thirsty some days. This is not enough. How do I know? I won’t get into the details, but let’s just say I can tell by my bathroom routines.</p>
<p>I generally don’t drink much before late afternoon either. Just a cup of coffee in the morning. </p>
<p>I feel perfectly fine with my routine and am healthy so I don’t see reason to think much about it. </p>
<p>“Yes, animals manage just fine. Then again, no animal (I’m aware off) drinks another animals’ milk”</p>
<p>You obviously did not live on a farm. 
Let me guess you do not have pets? </p>
<p>Oh BB: how my husband wishes I didn’t have pets. 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 bunnies…an uncounted number of chickens (which BTW…I just had to trim a few of their claws…WTH…who knew!!!)…3 geese, a snake and a semi feral cat. Does that count as having pets ? I’ve been owned by a total of 8 cats so far. And, while they were somewhat interested in milk…I really doubt they’d have chased down a domestic cow or water buffalo to satisfy a craving. :)</p>
<p>I have actually spent many a summer on a farm. Yes, small animals will sometime be fed (by humans) another animals milk … usually for survival purposes. The National Geographic stories showing the tiger suckling the monkey, or the doggie suckling the orphaned deer does not extend that behavior into the young’uns adulthood. The milk which domestic pets drink are given to them by their human companions. b-( </p>
<p>Don’t want to derail the topic…</p>
<p>I still think we have moved far from our intuition when it comes to eating. My guess, some of the stuff we currently feed on overrides or blocks our natural ability to say …enough.</p>
<p>My cat does not like animal milk, just like me and my kids. I stopped giving it to my kids once they stopped wanting it, which was pretty soon after they were weaned from formula. They all drink water with every meal. They are all healthy, and my S is tall (over 6 ft).</p>
<p>I was told once that it is usually optimal to drink half your weight in pounds, in ounces of water. So, if you weigh 150 lbs, you should aim for 75 ounces of water in a day. I love to drink water and almost always have a glass of water or a bottle of water nearby and I figure it can’t hurt. Sometimes if I feel a small headache coming on, I’ll just drink a big glass of water and that helps. </p>
<p>There is something called water intoxication, which happens if you really, really overdo it. It has happened to people drinking gallons of water trying to flush out anything that would show up in a drug test. </p>
<p>Well, I drink milk everyday. Lots of it. I could probably drink a gallon each week at minimum by myself because I like it so much. I’m healthy and tall, as well. You like what you like. :shrug:</p>
<p>I believe what’s the most important is that one is still getting the liquids they need, not that they ONLY drink water. Not everyone enjoys plain water. I don’t care for plain water all day everyday. That’s why I drink lemonade or Arnold Palmers. My sweet juices are all 50-50 mixes of water and the juice to 70-30 of water to juice. I don’t feel bad that I drink my sugar. I’m just happy I’m drinking enough. </p>