How Long for Body to Adjust to Drinking More Water?

garyandkimber

Any thoughts on how long it takes your body to adjust to drinking more water?

I have never been big on fluids, which I know is so unhealthy. So this year I am making it a goal to up my water intake to at least 5 glasses a day. (May increase it more at a later point.)

I know that people can gain water weight at first, but I was disappointed when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that I am up 1.5 pounds from my Dec. 31 weight.

I have a "lightly active" lifestyle, try to do something active every day, and make it to the gym for a workout probably 4 times a week. I have been staying in my net calorie range for losing 1 pound/wk (1500).

I can't think of any good reason for the weight gain, except maybe the additional water? But it seems like 9 days should be enough time for my body to adjust to the extra fluids. Thoughts???

SergeantSausage

What's to adjust?

Drink when you're thirsty. Don't force it.

Don't buy into the hype that there's some magic quota you have to hit.

It's nonsense.

sijomial

Seems like forcing yourself to chug down water is the new religion!
Do you really want to obsess over something that your body will naturally regulate for you?

Showing any signs of dehydration?
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056

If not, drink when you are thirsty.

RodaRose

4-5 glasses is fine, depending on what you are eating. Give the scale time to catch up with you. Take pictures and measurements when you are starting out so that you can see progress two or three months from now in ways that are much more important than the readings on the scale.

Sued0nim

If your urine is around the colour of pale straw you don't need to drink more

Sued0nim

lawlifehanna

I personally feel a lot better in my body when I drink lots of water. And by lots, I mean 1-4 0,5l bottles a day, plus several (5+) cups. When I don't do this, I feel the effects in a few days or a week. I'm sluggish, I eat more, my bathroom routines (you know what I mean) get messed up. I go back to "normal" after a few days of drinking enough water for me. I haven't been weighing myself regularly long enough to say how this affects my weight. My point is, if you don't actually feel better in your own body after a week or two (just to be sure) after drinking more water and you don't like it, just drop it. Just don't be surprised if you feel worse without noticing you felt better in the first place. That's what happened to me when I first started drinking a lot more water.

Another thought: in addition to water, you also talk about "fluids" generally. You're not drinking extra fluids that have calories, are you? Especially if you're not logging them in your food diary, that could be one reason for weight gain.

Also, 1,5lbs? Don't even worry about it. That's little enough to be daily fluctuation and could be caused by anything from time of month to not having gone to the bathroom lately. And if your 1,5lb gain is actually from just water, then accept it and move on. Water will not turn to fat in your body. There are no calories in water, it will not make you gain fat (or muscle, for that matter).

TimothyFish

For me, it takes about an hour or so for my body to "adjust" to more water. Any your body doesn't need will come out the other end rather quickly.

Liftng4Lis

You are not gaining weight because you're drinking more water, as water flushes our system. You can be "up" in the 10 days for multiple reasons, such as TOM or too much sodium, inaccurate logging, etc.

bwogilvie

garyandkimber wrote: »

I know that people can gain water weight at first, but I was disappointed when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that I am up 1.5 pounds from my Dec. 31 weight.

Have you weighed yourself in between? 1.5 pounds is within the normal range of fluctuations. If you were unusually low on Dec. 31, you might have lost fat but still weigh more ten days later. I weighed 149.0 on Dec. 18, and 151.6 on Dec. 25, a whopping 2.6 pounds more, but that's because Dec. 18 was unusually low and Dec. 25 was unusually high. I wouldn't know that unless I weighed daily.

Drinking additional water might be responsible. You might also have more partially digested food in your intestines, or you might be retaining water from an unusual workout, or saltier food, or one of any of a number of reasons. I wouldn't worry about it.

SLLRunner

garyandkimber wrote: »

Any thoughts on how long it takes your body to adjust to drinking more water?

I have never been big on fluids, which I know is so unhealthy. So this year I am making it a goal to up my water intake to at least 5 glasses a day. (May increase it more at a later point.)

I know that people can gain water weight at first, but I was disappointed when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that I am up 1.5 pounds from my Dec. 31 weight.

I have a "lightly active" lifestyle, try to do something active every day, and make it to the gym for a workout probably 4 times a week. I have been staying in my net calorie range for losing 1 pound/wk (1500).

I can't think of any good reason for the weight gain, except maybe the additional water? But it seems like 9 days should be enough time for my body to adjust to the extra fluids. Thoughts???

Your body doesn't adjust to fluids, and you didn't gain from water either. Weight naturally fluctuates. It's only been a week since you've started dieting? I suggest patience.

a_candler

I don't understand when people say don't force the water, drink when thirsty. A lot if people are chronically dehydrated and often confuse thirst for hunger. I typically drank 0 water prior and 1-2 cups coffee , horrible I know. I now strive for 3-4 liters a day and find myself w less cravings and just feeling better. I would highly encourage to try to reach the 8+ goal especially if working out.

Aviva92

I don't think water weight is caused by drinking excess water. It's the opposite. Drinking water eliminates water weight, doesn't cause it.

Aviva92

http://www.wikihow.com/Drop-Water-Weight

zenaxe

Try to focus more on fat loss rather than weight loss. Weight does tend to fluctuate if you retain fluids for a number of reasons ie too much sodium and otherwise....actual fat lbs whether gained or lost are measured by 3500 calories. So unless you ate more than 3500 calories you didn't gain any fat weight so your 1.5 lbs weight gain is not fat. Again weight loss tells a story but it's really fat loss we are talking about. Stay focused and in calorie deficit and you should see the results you're looking for....good luck ~!~

sgthaggard

rabbitjb wrote: »

That chart works until you throw in a multi-vitamin. Then you can count on your pee to be a fluorescent yellow regardless of how hydrated you are.

davisjenn

I never drank water either well I never drank anything really. I started drinking lots more water and at first it was Soooo hard and forced , I too gained water weight. But I kept at it and now my body craves water I drink all day long. No more water weight and I feel so much better. What also helps keep the water weight down in the beginning is cutting down on your sodium intake.

garyandkimber

Thanks for the thoughts.

I'm sure I was at least moderately dehydrated. I never really drank anything between meals, and just a glass of water or milk per meal. My husband suggested that I try drinking more water because I frequently have migraine headaches.

After more than a week of making a conscious effort to drink 5-6 glasses of water each day, I notice that I feel thirsty much more often. But my stomach also feels bloated more often (although less so than last week). That's why I thought the weight gain must be from the water (in addition to the fact that I've been good about watching my calories and exercising).

Just wondering if I still needed to give my body more time to get the hang of having more water.

Kalikel

This water thing is so out of control. Drink water when you're thirsty. That's it!

Unless you have some medical or psychological issue influencing your sense of thirst, you'll drink enough! Really.

We tend to make mountains out of molehills on this water issue. Just drink it and find some other thing to work on while you do.

a_candler

Perhaps you need more than 5 cups. Are you exercising daily? Sweating out water could still leave your body needing more.