When did the Water-Drinking Craze Start Up?

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It's almost addictive.

I drink so much water every day, I swear if I go off just one day it throws me out of wack. But like I usually drink over 100 oz a day

That started about a decade ago
 
Drinking lots of water has been a thing for a while now.
Several years ago it was said to “drink eight, 8 oz glasses of water everyday.” That was years ago. I believe they (whoever they is) walked that back just a tad… so maybe 1/2 gallon per day isn’t required after all.

Then there was the deal about “don’t drink ice water, room temp is better” yadayada.

Then they say, it doesn’t have to be straight water, but other fluids are ok as long as they aren’t straight sugar water like sodas and such, etc.

Now they’re saying more people are walking around more “dehydrated” than they should be, which is probably true, but I think there is a balance there. If all you drink is coffee, sweet iced tea, sodas and energy drinks and then switch to beer after 5pm every day… I guess you could say you’re getting “plenty of fluids” but probably not the “best kind”.
Based on those beverages, you also could be dehydrated despite “getting plenty of fluids” throughout the day.

I remember an early mountaineering trip (above 8,000 feet - maybe even lower - you lose A LOT of water just living); the leader said, “When you pee, look at it. It should be Gin clear. If it’s not, drink more water. The yellower your pee, the more dehydrated you are. If you haven’t crapped in the last 2 days, you’re badly dehydrated.”

I remember a swim coach in the late ‘70’s getting us out of the Kessing Pool and having us go into Woollen Gym, toweling off, and laying down on benches for 10 minutes or so. He told us, “If you’re sweating, bring a water bottle to practice starting this afternoon. If you’re not sweating, bring a water bottle starting this afternoon. If you’re sweating, you’re losing water; if you’re breathing, you’re losing water.”
 
I've been thinking about it. I don't think I drank much water as a child either. Some soda, but mostly sweet tea or milk. I went to water many years ago. Probably about 30 years. It may have started when my fridge had a water dispenser. Also, started carrying around a large UNC cup. Water was generally available most places when I needed a refill. Now, I always keep a jug of water around me. Generally, room temperature. Never really been a bottle water drinker.
 
Based on those beverages, you also could be dehydrated despite “getting plenty of fluids” throughout the day.

I remember an early mountaineering trip (above 8,000 feet - maybe even lower - you lose A LOT of water just living); the leader said, “When you pee, look at it. It should be Gin clear. If it’s not, drink more water. The yellower your pee, the more dehydrated you are. If you haven’t crapped in the last 2 days, you’re badly dehydrated.”

I remember a swim coach in the late ‘70’s getting us out of the Kessing Pool and having us go into Woollen Gym, toweling off, and laying down on benches for 10 minutes or so. He told us, “If you’re sweating, bring a water bottle to practice starting this afternoon. If you’re not sweating, bring a water bottle starting this afternoon. If you’re sweating, you’re losing water; if you’re breathing, you’re losing water.”
Coaches are rarely wrong about things like that. And he/she was correct. A lot of liquids we drink may have a lot of water in them, but they may not be so healthy. The bit about the color of your urine is correct too. The clearer it is, the better. If it’s not clear, drink more gin! 😜
 
I literally do not remember our coaches for basketball, tennis, or track even having a water cooler around practice (1970s). Seems like somewhere around that time a few high school football players died during August practices and some coaches of that sport started sort of pushing water.

Internet says that Gatorade was invented in 1965 at the U of FL (duh...GATOR-ade). I seem to have the dimmest memory of it being around back in the 1970s.
 
I didn’t grow up drinking sodas, not because my parents were aware but because we were poor. Sodas were a treat, not a thirst quencher. There was always a large Tupperware pitcher of cold water in the fridge. Pretty much the only milk I consumed was over cereal.

I like to drink water out of those half liter plastic bottles, but I refill them over and over from the dispenser on the refrigerator door. I am yet to find a fancy water bottle I like to drink from. They are too bulky or heavy or uncomfortable/awkward to drink from. It’s also easy to monitor my water consumption by keeping up with how many of those half liter bottles I’ve had each day.
 
I didn’t grow up drinking sodas, not because my parents were aware but because we were poor. Sodas were a treat, not a thirst quencher. There was always a large Tupperware pitcher of cold water in the fridge. Pretty much the only milk I consumed was over cereal.

I like to drink water out of those half liter plastic bottles, but I refill them over and over from the dispenser on the refrigerator door. I am yet to find a fancy water bottle I like to drink from. They are too bulky or heavy or uncomfortable/awkward to drink from. It’s also easy to monitor my water consumption by keeping up with how many of those half liter bottles I’ve had each day.
Yeah. My brother and I were allowed to split one soft drink a day. We had a big bottle of cold water in the fridge as well. We had milk because we had a cow and we also drank the Koolaid.
 
In middle school in the 90’s I remember girls in class with big tumblers of water. Staying well hydrated helped keep the zits away, supposedly

I also remember just hitting the water fountains at elementary, middle and high school when thirsty.
 
I also remember just hitting the water fountains at elementary, middle and high school when thirsty.
Yep, there were always lines at the water fountains after recess. Kickball, foursquare and tetherball make a kid very thirsty!
 
Yeah. My brother and I were allowed to split one soft drink a day. We had a big bottle of cold water in the fridge as well. We had milk because we had a cow and we also drank the Koolaid.
Powdered Milk was cheaper than bottled milk. Mom use to do stuff like make half and half (powdered and whole milk) and put it back in the bottle.. No way you could disguise that stinky powdered milk
 
The "water-drinking craze," particularly referring to the significant rise in bottled water consumption, began to take off in the late 1980s and really exploded in popularity during the 1990s with major companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola entering the market with brands like Aquafina and Dasani, respectively, heavily marketing the idea of increased hydration through bottled water
Was coming to post this exactly...though I would quibble a bit and say it happened in the mid to late 90s. The beverage companies noticed there was an emerging customer segment in bottled water and started pouring millions into advertising and PR (that's when all the health advocates started talking about 8 glasses a day).

I will say that growing up, water fountains were the go-to source after running around on the field or the court. Then get home and chug down some OJ or milk.
 
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