Perhaps you are trying to drink too much at one time. Most experts agree that the recommended daily water intake should be done throughout the day. The 2 paragraphs marked with *'s has some good suggestions about how to drink the recommended amount without gagging. Hope this helps. How much water should I drink on an average day? At least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day for all adults, most of whom lose about two to three quarts of water every day. Athletes, people who live or work in hot environments, and people who perspire heavily lose more water and need to drink even more to keep up with the loss. Drinking fluids helps to maintain your body, which is primarily made up of water. By weight, men are about 60% water and women are about 55% water. Yet many people are walking around mildly dehydrated simply because thirst is a poor indicator of fluid needs, especially as they age. Mild dehydration can decrease one's energy level and mental functioning and increase stress on the body. The three rules of thumb when it comes to water are: -Drink twice as much as it takes to quench your thirst. -Drink frequently throughout the day to prevent dehydration. -Drink at least eight glasses daily or one cup for every 20 pounds of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person who does not exercise or work in hot climates needs 7.5 cups. You can count fruit juices and bottled water in your tally. However, beverages such as coffee or alcohol have a mild diuretic effect, which promotes urination and therefore water loss. Green tea is another way to add fluids, and this beverage is chock-full of phytonutrients that may help lower your risk of developing cancer. ****One way to ensure you have those eight glasses each day is to fill a pitcher with your allotment of water and keep it on your desk at work or on the kitchen table at home. You also can fill eight glasses and place them in a convenient spot out of the way, such as on the kitchen counter or dining room table. Your goal is then clearly marked, and that goal is reached when the pitcher or glasses are empty. If you are a student, make it a point to take 10 large gulps of water every time you pass a water fountain at school. The best indicator that you're drinking enough water is when your urine is pale yellow to clear. A dark yellow color is a sign your body is dehydrated and is concentrating the urine in an effort to conserve water.****

Also, your aversion to the water could be due to the water itself. All too often, tap water tastes awful and is full of harmful chemicals. Try bottled water and see if it makes a difference.

Another consideration as well is your salt balance. Experts do recommend drinking plenty of water, but you also need to be aware of this salt balance. Just as the human body is composed of a high percentage of water, so it also has a lot of salts in it. There are different kinds of salts, not just Sodium Chloride. There are Magnesium and Potassium salts in your body as well. These salts serve as electrolytes - and help with the transmission of nerve signals. Whether you exercise or not, drinking heaps of water causes your body to increase its water removal - in the form of urine. While keeping plenty of water up is beneficial, the increased output of your kidneys removing excess water can drain your salt levels unless you are replenishing them as well. That's the idea behind sports drinks like Gatorade - they have these salts in them, as well as glucose and water. Whether they are healthy or effective, I don't know. Symptoms of low salt balance can include muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and fainting, and in extreme cases, seizures. I'm not advocating heading down to the local ranch and finding yourself a salt lick for your salt levels - it is more to do with your diet. Drinking lots of water is good, but needs to be part of a balanced, healthy diet that maintains your salt levels and gives you an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals.

The amount of water you need to drink may vary considerably based on your diet and other factors. If your diet is high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, you'll be obtaining a lot of water from your foods. If your diet is low in those foods but high in foods such as meat, bread, and potato chips, you'll be getting relatively little water from your diet and you'll have to make up for the shortfall by drinking more. A diet high in salt (which often corresponds to a diet with lots of canned and convenience foods) will raise your drinking requirement as well. If you're perspiring a lot - from heat, exercise, or other factors - you need to drink more. Health conditions, weight, and other circumstances an also affect your total water requirements. So the "eight glasses a day" rule is merely a rough average, and some of that water can come from food sources. If your overall health is good, your diet is rich with fruits and vegetables, you rarely feel thirsty, and your urine is clear to slightly yellow, you're probably getting adequate water. If you're interested in more accurately estimating how much water you take in each day, you can keep a food and drink diary, find a table that lists the percentage of water in the foods you eat, and add up the water content of everything you eat and drink over a 24-hour period.

Current thinking is to drink to quench thirst. Excessive water consumption can wash away many nutrients and antioxidants. A really excessive amount can make you seriously ill. If you are gagging, you're body is trying to tell you to back off.

...You dont havta drink "water"... Just fluid ounces...as long as its not like pop, or kool-aid...or something real sugary... Drink Juice, and green tea, or any tea...milk, water. And spread it out through the day, sure its good to drink water...but it doesnt HAVTA be just water. Cut it down to 8 oz...every hour or something. LoL, dont push yourself....and you know your getting enough liquid as long as you pee alot, or your not feeling "sick down there"... Headaches are also a sign of dehydration, and tummy aches. I drink lots of tea, green tea, herbal tea...mainly hot...I love tea! thats how I get most of my water in.

i choose to take better care of my body.

drinking water is good but too much is not good . drink 6 cups a day !