When I was diagnosed with CHF I was told I needed to control the amount of fluid I drank. this was really tough for me because I was a coffee-holic and I loved Cola products to. I was told not to take in more then two liters of fluid a day (this may be different for you, go by your doctors instructions). Two liters was nothing for me, I would drink a 2-liter coke a day besides a couple pots of coffee, soups and whatever else.

I had a hard time keeping track of how much fluid I drank to, so I devised this simple little technique.

You may be allowed more or less then two liters but work in two liter increments. Do this by filling a two liter bottle (soft drink type) with water. If your going to have a cup of tea, pour water from the two-liter bottle into your tea cup first. Then, dump the water out of the tea cup and pour your tea or drink into your cup. The amount remaining in your two liter bottle is the amount you have left for the day (if your on a two liter restriction). If your going to have a bowl of soup, pour water from the two liter bottle into the soup bowl first. Then the same as the first drink we had dump the water out of the bowl and pour your soup in. We have now subtracted from the two liter bottle the tea and the soup. What remains in the bottle is what fluids we have left for the day.

Perform this same way of measuring with all your fluids through-out the day and when the bottle is empty, your done with fluids for the day.