How important is water, and how much should I have?
From the Atkins Nutritionals Web Site:
On any eating regimen, a minimum of 64 ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses, of water per day is the usual recommendation. Many people, particularly women, suffer from inadequate hydration, so it is important to be diligent about drinking water throughout the day. Water consumption will also help flush toxins from your body and combat such problems as constipation and bad breath. Note that coffee, tea and diet sodas do not apply to the daily minimum.
Collective Wisdom
Newer studies have shown that the long-held axoim that water taken as coffee, tea and diet sodas, cannot be counted against a daily total intake, may be overstated. Though Atkins Nutritionals has not changed it's stance on this subject, some Atkins dieters do count some of the diet sodas, decaf coffee, etc, that they drink as a part of their daily water total. The ideal is to drink the 64 ounces as plain water. However, if that point needs to be stretched, that is better than going off Atkins and retaining excess weight. Common sense and moderation are in order.
