I'm really struggling to drink 64 oz. of water. I've always heard it gets easier the longer you do it, but that's just not the case w/me. I drank lots of water w/each of my pregnancies (all 5 of them), . I drank lots of water while I breastfed (almost 3 years total), and while on the alli plan (10 months). If you add all that up, that's several years, and I still almost threw up this morning when I started drinking water. Some days I do ok, but most days I have a hard time drinking 64 oz. Are there any alternatives? Would unsweetened decaf tea count? What about Kool-Aid (I sweeten mine w/Splenda.) I need some ideas.

Yes, you can use other beverages.  And the newest guidelines for water say that foods, like fruits and vegetables, that contain a lot of water also count.  Personally, I'm a purist and prefer beverages.  If you could alternate a beverage like ice tea then water then club soda then Kool-Aid that would be good too.  It's never a good idea to force yourself to eat or drink something you don't like.  But I'm not a fan of consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners etc.

With the cooler weather if you have a lot of soups, that will boost fluid intake.  If you're doing a good job on the fruits and veggies that's a big help too.

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian