I Hate Water

Updated on May 26, 2010
H.S. asks from Kings Mills, OH
19 answers

I'm in the midst of a new lifestyle change with diet and exercise. I'm really struggling with beverages more so than food choices. I want to cut out all calories in things I drink and stick to only water. It's hard for me to drink, especially in the morning. I can only drink lots of it at night, then I don't want to since I don't want to wake up having to pee. And I can't stand how it makes me feel when it swooshes in my stomach while I walk. It makes me nauseous. I have heard that if you stick to it, you will eventually get use to it and start to hate the taste of sugary drinks. I want that and need that to happen. I don't want to crave Coke and frappaccino's anymore. How long do you think it will take me to love water?

Second question, what are your thoughts on V8 Fusion? Does it really have a benefit? Does it really have a serving of fruits and veggies? Does it make a good substitute for actually eating the raw veggies and fruits?

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I don't like water either. Try putting just a drop of flavorings and extracts in it, and see if that helps you. Good luck! Cutting out coke is HARD, I'm doing it right now!

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J.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Do you even hate the taste of bottles spring water?
I feel so bad for you that you can't drink water because you don't like the taste. I LOVE water, but my family always only drank water, with juice on special occasions, so maybe it IS an acquired taste.
Starbucks water is triple filtered and personally I think it is the best water around, so try that!

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

Strikes me that you'd get that swooshy stomach with any liquid, yes? So it sounds like it's more the water itself that repels you.

I never liked soft drinks, thank heaven, though I never cared too much for water, either. But I've gradually eliminated most other beverages for various reasons, and water has become my beverage of choice for almost every circumstance. I think that happened gradually over a few years, as I dropped other drinks that left me with heartburn, or nervousness, or other unpleasantness – then I learned I had developed type II diabetes, so there went all sweetened drinks.

Here are my two best tips:

1: Some water tastes much fresher, cleaner, and "sweeter" than other water. Most bottled waters taste plastic or metallic to me. I have ended up with a reverse-osmosis filter, and storage in glass jars, and I do like my water now. I carry it with me because I notice the difference from other sources. Over time, the filter is cheaper than bottled water.

2: My acupuncturist assures me that 8 glasses a day is somebody's arbitrary idea that became a "rule," and it is not ideal for everyone. Many people do just fine on considerably less, and a few people need more. He claims it's actually unhealthy, and certainly unpleasant, to force yourself to drink more water than your system desires. Since I have stopped forcing myself to drink 8 glasses daily, I enjoy it a great deal more.

Finally, consider giving up just one other drink a day and substituting water for a week or so. Then make it two drinks, then three. You may find this a fairly painless way to become accustomed to the pleasures of pure, clean water.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

I do like water, but I agree, it has a taste. I have lived in a lot of places and sometimes is okay and sometimes it is terrible. I use a filter and that helps. You can also get water from the water machines like you see outside of grocery stores and fill up big jugs of it. That is much more cost effective and "green" than buying only bottled water. We had to do that in Phoenix where the water smelled like rotten eggs.

I like to put slices of orange in my water. I dont like lemon at all, lime is ok, but orange really helps fix the yucky taste for me. You can keep it in the fridge in a pitcher. Mine also has to be ice cold, never just cool. For the sloshiness in your stomach (hate that!) when I get that I make sure to put just a little something in my stomach. A couple of crackers or something. Whatever starchy thing is on your new diet change might make a difference for you too.

I am not much of an expert of the V8 stuff, but I do believe it has a full serving of fruits and veggies as far as the vitamin content. But I think it is just like other juices and is lacking the fiber. The fiber in the whole fruits and veggies is important because 1) you need fiber, and 2) something about the way fruits/veggies are put together with the fiber in them helps you absorb all the nutrients properly and your body doesn't do that in juice form. That is my understanding of it anyway. So it is a good way to supplement, but should not completely take the place of, your daily fruit/veggie requirement. Have you tried mixing just a little bit of V8 with mostly water, to see if that helps you like the water better?

1 mom found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Jacksonville on

I sometimes put lemons or berries in the water pitcher, it has a strainer top and drink a berry flavored water.
It took me a long time to get used to it and sometimes I still just want a cold Dr. Pepper, my poison. I can't drink it in the morning either. I do try to get a glass in during our break in the am and again in the afternoon.
I have not tried the fusion drink.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I can't stand how water tastes (ugh ugh ugh). Anyone who says water doesn't "taste" has either never moved (every city's water tastes differently, and regions are waaaaaay different) and is just accustomed to it the way smokers are accustomed to the smell of smoke, or has no sense of taste to speak of. Then you start adding all the different chemicals that are added to water and it gets really foul. Drinking water 99% of the time makes me want to throw up. I can sip on it politely at a restaurant... but I can eat bugs politely as well.

So if you're like me (granted I'm also a "super taster"), you may never be able to tolerate water except for in extreme circumstance.

There are things to do that alter the taste enough to make it palatable. Citrus (personally I prefer lime over lemon) is a common one. Cranberry works as well (but it's a diuretic, so careful there).

One trick is carbonated water. Not fabulous for your bones (no worse than any other carbonation), but San Pellegrino over ice with lime... yummy... and calorie free.

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L.K.

answers from Chicago on

My husband drinks his water with a splash of cranberry/grape. It is actually really good. If you drink your water not ice cold it goes down easier and your body absorbs it quicker. Also, you can try to make ice tea/sun tea.In regards to V8 Fusion, we love it! The cranberry one is excellent so is the pomegranete.Some taste more like veggies than others.If you are looking for a substitue for your frappaccino's , try making iced coffee.I use the left over coffee from our pot in the morning. I add one teaspoon of sugar and a splash of flavored creamer and stir it all up in a tall glass and chill it in the fridge. Later in the day I have a fun free iced coffee. Oh, by the way Propel water is excellent too!

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

Bleh! I know what you mean. I'm pregnant and just starting to drink water again. I drink it after meals (not with) and that reduces the sloshing, lol.
I only drink bottled water and it has to be cold in the morning, and room temp. during the day (yes, I am THAT picky!)
I also drink caffeine-free iced tea. It adds some anti-oxidants and more flavor.
Not sure about the V8. I hate juice too. lol.

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B.C.

answers from Joplin on

Well, I am sorry you don't like it, I am one of the few who love ice water, but I have had "bad water" before, when I lived in Wisconsin the smell of the tap water was terrible! I do like to add the sugar free drink mixes to water, my favorite is the lemonade, we can drink gallons of it in a day...definitely helps for it to be ice cold. I know not everyone is ok with artificial sweeteners, but I am just used to the taste now, and as to how it may affect my health, I consider it to be my one vice, goodness knows it isn't as bad as some I could have.
Lots of luck!

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K.W.

answers from Rockford on

I hate the taste of cold water and I've found drinking hot water works well for me. I know this may sound weird but I warm it up like I'm making tea and just drink it plain like that. Somehow the warm water just feels comforting and soothing and is the only way I can get my 8 + cups in a day.

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

We either drink La Croix (flavored seltzer water) or a generic version of it. No sugar. But lots of bubbles. I started drinking it instead of pop and now I can't stand pop because it's just too sugary. Maybe try some seltzer water -- flavored or unflavored with a lemon wedge in it! (I don't like water at all either!)

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

I don't like water either.
A few things you could try are:
Carbonated water (with or without flavor, I like lemon or lime, you can just add a slice)
Diluted juice (I dilute 1 part juice to 4-6 parts water, it give it just enough taste for me, works better with carbonated water for me)
Tea/herbal/fruit infusions. These can be storebought or make yourself e.g. with ginger, dried fruit, fruit shavings and peel (citrus, apple, cranberry)

I am not a big fan of the fancy juices. They don't offer many of the benefits of actually eating the fruit/veggies (especially fiber) and are relatively high in calories. I do occasionally buy them as a treat though, to get over a hunger pang or for a sweet tooth fix (flavored non-fat steamed milk works great for that too).
Good luck!

K.C.

answers from Dallas on

i have hated water ever since i had to drink out of a nasty canteen during navy boot camp. now, during my pregnancy to get my water intake, i drink extremely cold carbonated water (like perrier) most people think it's gross, but it's fizzy like pop without the added stuff. and helps witht he swooshy feeling for me.
v8 is good, but don't overdo it. like another mom said, no substitute for fresh veggies/fruit.

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D.S.

answers from Tulsa on

my son wont drink water so I went to the health food store and bought a vanilla creme drop to put in it. there is no sugar in it. I put 6 drops in his wate and he drinks it fine. they have other flavors too.

C.C.

answers from Fresno on

I hate drinking water, too! Bleh. I drink diet everything - I looooove Coke Zero. But it has caffeine, so I know it's not exactly the best thing to drink. Recently I started buying those zero calorie carbonated flavored waters at the grocery store. Tasty and wonderful! Also, I can drink water if it's in tea form. Maybe try that?

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K.T.

answers from Minneapolis on

I hate water too. Mostly because the city water has a taste to it, and I can't stop thinking about the prescription drugs, hormones, and chemicals in it!!! [Google "prescription drugs in our water", "chemicals in public water", "hormones in drinking water", and "male fish reproductive organs pollution" and you'll find plenty of information about it]
Have you tried reverse-osmosis water? That is a process that takes everything out of water...it is the cleanest water you can get. I am okay with that water, but I also get the "swooshing" in my stomach and I have to pee a lot more, so it is still difficult for me to commit to it.
One thing that helps as someone else has suggested is adding lime. I also like to add orange. Carbonated water with a little bit of orange juice and ice is a pretty refreshing drink. Other juices could be added as a stepping stone. Any water you drink is better than none.

I have not tried v8 fusion yet. I can tell you though that excluding things from your diet [even your favorite pop] is not a good idea in the long run because it is so hard to stick to it. There is no substitute for fresh fruits and veggies!

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K.R.

answers from San Diego on

(1) We do Crystal Light to make water palatable. (maybe do half your water intake this way so you don't overdo it on the aspartame/artificial sweeteners)

(2 & 3) At restaurants, I always ask for a lemon in my water--I think it tastes better that way... and I drink it with a STRAW--I'll drink a lot more and quickly with a straw.

(4) Take a bottle of water in the car and challenge yourself to drink it (or half) by the time you reach your destination.

I am really bad at drinking water too... but I've found my body works will with 6 cups a day and I don't need 8--it just makes me pee a lot and that's just annoying ;-)

V8 Fusion is yummy to me and yes it counts. real veggies will contain more minerals/vitamins and such and in their most useful form, but it's hard to eat lots of veggies, so I count it any way I can get it! FYI the "light" version is simply diluted with water. So buy the regular and dilute it yourself if you want to save money.

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R.Y.

answers from New York on

V8 fusion tastes pretty good and is not as sweet as most all fruit juices. I have trouble drinking plain water too. What about with just a splash of juice in it for flavor?

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L.M.

answers from New York on

I don't understand the swooshes in the stomach. However, one thing that may help is to add a slice of lemon, lime or orange. You may also want to try drinking some iced herbal tea.

Can't help you much with the V8 fusion, but it isn't a substitue for raw veggies and fruits because your only getting the juice not all fiber.

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