how much H2O in 1 day

How much water/ day should we be drinking?

Tricia: It really is an individual thing, Violet posted a link to a fluid calculator a few days ago: http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm It says I need 117.5 oz a day. I do about 16 cups (128 oz) a day so I guess I am on target! Now how far out are you? Most say AT LEAST 64 oz (or 8 cups) day.... ************************************** I send this to postops in my groups: Focus on Fluids One of the main challenges for a gastric bypass patient over time is to maintain hydration. Your body needs just as much fluid after the surgery as it did before surgery, yet the new stomach pouch limits you to 1-2 ounces at a time. (NO MORE GUZZLING!) Maintenance of fluid intake may also be difficult because of the necessity to take in food or fluids, and not both at once. You must compensate for this by taking small amounts of fluid on a near-constant basis. Usually this means that you should carry your fluid source with you at all times. *** We cannot overemphasize that the liquid must be a caffeine, carbonation & calorie-free. Patients who use fruit juice or other calorie-containing liquids for hydration may experience inadequate weight loss because of the calories in these fluids, and can experience dumping syndrome from the sugar. Caffeine is a possible appetite-stimulant, diuretic and irritant and can potentially cause ulcers in the new pouch and add to dehydration and low-iron blood (which we already poorly absorb iron post-op). Carbonation can possibly cause gastric irritation, if carbonated beverage also contains phosphorus it may act to leach calcium out of bones, and some feel it may stretch pouch/stoma. Drinking at least 64 ounces of fluids post-op is a necessity. Water is the body's best source, and serves the purpose to aid digestion and absorption of food; it regulates temperature and circulation, carries nutrients and O2 to the cells of the body and removes toxins and waste. Dehydration can cause/aggravate constipation, kidney stones, urinary infections, high or low blood pressure, difficulty controlling diabetes and migraines. Dizziness, clumsiness, muscle cramps in arms and legs, dark yellow urine, fatigue, irritability, are sunken eyes, low blood pressure and fainting, bloating, and a fast, weak pulse -- are signs that dehydration is setting in. Fluids should be consumed on a near-constant basis, but not during meals and not soon following food. If you drink during your meal, you will tend to wash the food out of the stomach pouch, and consume more food than is desirable. It may seem strange at first to eat without drinking but it works fine. A good tip here is to actually not have any fluid on the table while you are eating. In addition to reducing your overall food intake, this new habit will encourage you to chew more thoroughly before swallowing, because you will not count on the fluid to wash down half-chewed food. Also note that soup is kind of like drinking liquids with food - soup is not an absolute "no-no" but recognize that it should not be a regular part of your diet. Liquids should not be consumed for about an hour after eating. This is because the food actually forms a plug that blocks the outlet from the pouch until it has all passed through. If you drink liquids on top of this plug it will create a very uncomfortable sensation and may also force food downstream more quickly than it should go. A brief review on coordinating liquids and food: ~ Sip liquids constantly, even just before eating. Don't drink liquids while eating. ~ Don't drink liquids until about one hour after completing your meal. ~ When the stomach pouch is mature (six months or more after surgery) it is useful to wait two or three hours after eating before consuming liquid. If you must choose between liquids and food (frequently true in the first months after gastric bypass) - choose liquids! ***TIP Keep a journal of each hour in a day for the first week of fluids. Write down what you drink in the hour and what activity you do! You should move every 1-2 hrs even if it is just walking around the house to avoid respiratory or circulation problems. This helps keep you mindful! Remember you cannot catch up on fluids later in the day OR take a 2 L soda bottle empty and fill it each time you sip some fluid with same amount this is a great visual as to how far to go and how much u have drank, set midday to have it 1/2 gone!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also saved this article (I am sorry I can not remember the source)... WATER HOW 8 GLASSES A DAY KEEPS THE FAT AWAY (and a whole lot more)........... Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Although most of us take it for granted, water may be the only true "magic potion" for permanent weight loss. Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extra-cellular spaces (outside the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs, and hands. Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the los****er at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns. The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs, i.e. plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released. If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy - just drink more water. As it's forced through the kidneys, it takes away sodium. The overweight person needs more water than the thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know tha****er is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the overweight person needs more water. Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that follows weight loss - shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy, and resilien****er helps rid the body of waste. During the weight loss, the body has more waste to get rid of because all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste. Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. Result: constipation! But, when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function usually returns. Summary: facts abou****er and weight loss: Retained water shows up as excess weight. To get rid of excess water - drink more water. Drinking water is essential to weight loss. So how much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink should also be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry. Water should preferably be cold because it is absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water. Some evidence also suggests that drinking cold water can actually help burn calories. When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point". Well, what does that mean? Endocrine gland function improves. Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost. More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat. Natural thirst returns. There is a loss of hunger almost overnight. If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again, and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To remedy this situation you'll have to go back and force another "breakthrough". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

Thanks for all that info. I definitely need to work on my water intake. A week from tomorrow I will be six months out and I only started drinking water this week. I tried after the surgery about a week but I couldnt get it down. So this whole time I have been having 2-3 diet sodas/day. Needless to say, my buddy went crazy on me and told me to eliminate it and drink water. Although my nutritionist (dont like her) told me i could have diet soda, my buddy said our surgeon says absolutely NO WAY. So I started the water 2 days ago and of course my weight has increased now, I am just hoping it will go back down before next fri when I have my 6 mo visit. I am proud to say that I havent drank anything bu****er since and although its only 2 days ago... big accomplishment for me!

I get about 64-75 oz a day..... Debra P

Thanks... i need to aim for that. I just get so full from 1 good sip. Ugh. LOL nice figure guy