Some advice about water is simply all wet

In 1990, when I lost more than 100 pounds, I remember my weight-loss group dietitian stating emphatically that we should drink eight to 10 glasses of water every day. That program was so committed to drinking water that the food diary included a pre-printed check-off list for each glass I drank that day.

That dietitian was right about one thing: everyone needs to drink water every day. But it appears that she might have been wrong when it came to quantity.

The reason why we need to drink water is simple: to replace water we lose. But many studies have shown that since we don't lose the same amount of water every day (water loss depends on activity levels, weight, even outdoor temperature and humidity) each of us requires different water amounts. Water requirements also depend on what other liquids, whether coffee, tea, soft drinks or sport drinks, we consume.

Several Web sites I explored suggest a consumption formula of half-ounce of water per pound of body weight. So divide your weight by 2. If, for example, you weigh 140 pounds, you need 70 fluid ounces, or about 9 cups per day.

It's fairly safe to assume that we get one-third to one-half that water from food (for example, a navel orange supplies about ½ cup of water) and drinks like coffee or soda. Based on that, a 140-pound person would need about six 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Drinking more that that only creates more bathroom visits.

If you don't want to do the math, listen to your body. Most authorities agree that if you're thirsty, drink a glass of water (unless that thirst comes after heavy outdoor exercise during a hot day, then restoring lost electrolytes becomes an issue). Thirst is the body's way of letting you know you need fluids, sort of like a car's engine light going on. When you're not thirsty, don't force yourself to drink; don't worry, you're probably fine.

In other water news, it appears that drinking water before a meal to curb hunger is just bunk. Professor Barbara Rolls with the nutrition studies program at Pennsylvania State University recently wrote: "… we have found in four separate studies that drinking up to 16 ounces of water either before or during a meal did not impact food intake."

Rolls suggests that instead of drinking water before a meal to feel full, consider putting high-water-content vegetables, fruits and pastas on your plate. These types of foods add volume and weight to the meal, and their natural fiber content creates a sense of fullness.

Try this recipe: The following recipe uses tomatoes, pasta and lean ground beef and definitely fills me up quickly. Using reduced-fat cheese and fiber-boosted pasta makes this a lean but still very tasty one-pan meal.

Macaroni, Beef and Cheddar Skillet Supper

1½ pounds 95-percent lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

6 garlic cloves, minced and pressed through a garlic press

2 cups (about 7 ounces) multigrain, higher fiber elbow macaroni (such as Barilla Plus)

1 can (28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes (such as Muir Glen organic)

2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth

1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat extra-sharp, shredded cheddar cheese

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and when hot add ground beef, cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove beef and set aside. Return skillet to heat and add onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook, covered, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add macaroni, crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano, black pepper, and cooked beef to skillet and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves four.

Nutrition values per serving (without added salt): 557 calories (22.5 percent from fat), 13.9 g fat (6.3 g saturated), 51.4 g carbohydrate, g fiber, 52.8 g protein, 35 mg cholesterol, 1,127 mg sodium.

SaltSense: Canned tomatoes, cheese and broth supply 90-percent of the sodium in this recipe. Using a no-salt-added canned tomatoes and chicken broth reduced sodium per serving to 349 mg.