By Holly McCord, R.D., Julie Upton, R.D., and Catherine Broihier, M.S., R.D.

There was a study from Purdue University that "revealed" what dietitians have known for decades: You get a lot of water from your food. Even a slice of white bread, for example, contains 1 3/4 teaspoons water.

Soon, every newscast said, "Forget about drinking six glasses a day." The take-home message? Just drink if you're thirsty; you'll get the rest of your fluid from food.

The problem is people don't always drink when they're thirsty. There are days when people are so busy they come to the end of the day and realize they haven't had much to drink (or eat) since morning.

Follow this advise: Keep the six-glasses-a-day rule, not as a do-or-die goal, but simply as a tool to remind you to drink enough fluid to make up for any shortfall from your food.

Here are some tips to help you meet your water quota of six 8-oz glasses per day:

• Start the day with water — before you have breakfast. You'll already be on your way to your goal, and your body can really use the water after a long, dry night.
• Keep it cool: Pre-chilled water is handy, and therefore you're more likely to drink it. No need to buy bottles of water if you don't want to. Instead, fill a pitcher with 48 oz. of water each morning and try to empty the pitcher by bedtime each evening.
• Drink a glass of water each time you brush your teeth during the day.
• Don't leave home without it. Keep a refillable water bottle handy in the fridge and get in the habit of grabbing it on your way out the door. It's nice to have a drink at hand when you need it — this way you'll always be ready.
• Have a glass of water whenever you have a snack or meal.

Copyright(c) 2006 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Rodale Inc.