Water vs other liquids question

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One thing I'm having trouble finding and answer to is if you want to keep with the "drink lots of water" to help weight loss methodology, what about the water in other beverages? Yes, I know, pure water is the best, but I'm really looking from a scientific standpoint, as in:

If I consume 64 ounces of pure water a day, or I consume, say 100 ounces of 0 calorie iced tea, am I getting my "water" content that will help to burn calories, or is there something in the additives (agreed, that anything with sodium will add to retention) that basically nullifies the weight lose benefit of the water?

Seems to me that from a science perspective it would be more about consuming "liquids", as long as the calories were in line with your diet plan, rather than the consumption of pure water?

Thoughts?
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Replies

  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    You are getting your hydration. It doesn't need to be pure water. Your body will still process the water in the tea and use it for required metabolic processes. You're right, it's more about consuming liquids, even the liquids from foods like fruit count towards your hydration needs.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't drink water for its "weight loss effect" but for its general hydration effect on our body? I think we drink it to keep our bodies hydrated and healthy, not because its a magical weight-loss drug:) As for you other question, other liquids count, its just that some containing caffeine or alcohol will actually have a diuretic effect.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    One thing I'm having trouble finding and answer to is if you want to keep with the "drink lots of water" to help weight loss methodology, what about the water in other beverages? Yes, I know, pure water is the best, but I'm really looking from a scientific standpoint, as in:

    If I consume 64 ounces of pure water a day, or I consume, say 100 ounces of 0 calorie iced tea, am I getting my "water" content that will help to burn calories, or is there something in the additives (agreed, that anything with sodium will add to retention) that basically nullifies the weight lose benefit of the water?

    Seems to me that from a science perspective it would be more about consuming "liquids", as long as the calories were in line with your diet plan, rather than the consumption of pure water?

    Thoughts?
    The goal is hydration. As long as the liquid hydrates, it counts.

    Just make sure if it has calories, you count them.
    some containing caffeine or alcohol will actually have a diuretic effect.

    You have to ingest a LOT of caffeine for this to make a difference.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
    The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.
  • pghdev
    pghdev Posts: 7
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you

    Are you certain about that, though? Say a typical light beer, 90 calories is 97% water (which I believe is somewhat accurate), and you consume 8 of them (regardless of the moral/body negative impacts *grin*), would that be like getting your 8+ glasses of water?
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't drink water for its "weight loss effect" but for its general hydration effect on our body? I think we drink it to keep our bodies hydrated and healthy, not because its a magical weight-loss drug:) As for you other question, other liquids count, its just that some containing caffeine or alcohol will actually have a diuretic effect.
    you're right to an extent. water does help with weight loss but only to the point of providing our muscles and whatnot the potential to function properly, beyond that it just makes you pee more
  • MississippiMama87
    MississippiMama87 Posts: 204 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you

    ^ This. Anything but alcohol. Just make sure it's calorie-free or you are keeping up with the cals.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
    The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.

    I've always wondered about beer. I've read nothing about this but my guess would be that beer would actually serve to hydrate a little. It has such a low alcohol content but I don't know. Someday I'll actually look it up.
  • lildynarider
    lildynarider Posts: 78 Member
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    [/quote]The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.
    [/quote]

    LOL I agree
  • njmark72
    njmark72 Posts: 99 Member
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    I have been following MyFitnessPal's calorie recommendations for 4 months and 1 week. I have also been walking at least 4 times per week 4 miles at a time. I have lost 70lbs in that short time. Started at 265.2 and am now 195.4. I drink DIET COKE and DIET DR. PEPPER every day!

    I also drink water from time to time, but I mostly drink diet soda. The moral to the story is and will always be.... If you burn more calories than you take in you will lose weight.... If you take in more calories than you burn you will gain weight.

    VERY SIMPLE!

    Good Luck!
    Mark

    62262086.png
  • pghdev
    pghdev Posts: 7
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    I have been following MyFitnessPal's calorie recommendations for 4 months and 1 week. I have also been walking at least 4 times per week 4 miles at a time. I have lost 70lbs in that short time. Started at 265.2 and am now 195.4. I drink DIET COKE and DIET DR. PEPPER every day!

    I also drink water from time to time, but I mostly drink diet soda. The moral to the story is and will always be.... If you burn more calories than you take in you will lose weight.... If you take in more calories than you burn you will gain weight.

    VERY SIMPLE!

    Good Luck!
    Mark

    62262086.png

    Agreed. I'm way good on the weight loss and calorie work, but I don't drink water. But now that I've seen so many of these "add tons of water and get that extra "boost" to your weight loss" things I was thinking of it from the perspective that if I can burn an extra handful of calories because I add pure water to my diet instead of the diet ice tea, light beer or diet pepsi, would it work?
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you

    Are you certain about that, though? Say a typical light beer, 90 calories is 97% water (which I believe is somewhat accurate), and you consume 8 of them (regardless of the moral/body negative impacts *grin*), would that be like getting your 8+ glasses of water?
    alcohol dehydrates you, im sure that in the case of beer you are still getting some hydration from the liquid but not enough to count in my opinion. i have nothing to back this up, only speaking from personal experience; ive drank only beer for a full day a few times and i always felt really dehydrated, would be curious to see a study if someone has a link
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
    The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.

    I've always wondered about beer. I've read nothing about this but my guess would be that beer would actually serve to hydrate a little. It has such a low alcohol content but I don't know. Someday I'll actually look it up.
    "Think that the alcohol in beer will dry you out? Think again. Researchers at the Granada University in Spain have found that beer can provide better hydration than water in some instances, like after a workout. Professor Manuel Garzon, the head of this study on beer and fitness, asked students to sweat it out in 104°F weather. Then he gave half of the students water and the other half beer. He found that the students who had a pint were slightly more hydrated. "

    I'm taking this as gospel because it fits so neatly with my post-lawnmowing ritual.
  • FlamingJune67
    FlamingJune67 Posts: 96 Member
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    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
    The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.

    I've always wondered about beer. I've read nothing about this but my guess would be that beer would actually serve to hydrate a little. It has such a low alcohol content but I don't know. Someday I'll actually look it up.

    On long voyages (back in the old days) sailors, passengers, children, everyone would drink beer as their only hydration because it stayed sanitary longer than water. Granted the alcohol content was very low, but still...
  • jferg70
    jferg70 Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    I have been following MyFitnessPal's calorie recommendations for 4 months and 1 week. I have also been walking at least 4 times per week 4 miles at a time. I have lost 70lbs in that short time. Started at 265.2 and am now 195.4. I drink DIET COKE and DIET DR. PEPPER every day!

    I also drink water from time to time, but I mostly drink diet soda. The moral to the story is and will always be.... If you burn more calories than you take in you will lose weight.... If you take in more calories than you burn you will gain weight.

    VERY SIMPLE!

    Good Luck!
    Mark

    62262086.png

    I agree with you 100%; it's about burning more calories than we take in, but I've also heard that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda actually serve to increase your appetite. Whether that's true or not, I'm not sure. I think it would affect each individual differently since our metabolisms are unique to each of us. I'm glad it's worked for you and congratulations on the life change! keep up the good work!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Your body doesn't particularly know or care if the water comes in it's own in a glass, mixed with some sugar/flavourings/caffeine in a drink, or in the boiled carrots.

    From what I've seen, current thinking is that the best way to judge your fluid intake using a very sophisticated system that has taken a massive amount of time to develop...
    If you're thirsty, have a drink ;).
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    agreed, you just have to watch for hidden calories.

    even the sodium and caffeine content dont effect how much a beverage hydrates you all that much. the one outlier is alcohol IMO, i wouldnt count on any alcoholic drink to hydrate you
    The well-known scientists on Dual Survival poured out a beer rather than save it for hydration because it wouldn't actually hydrate. It seemed vaguely blasphemous.

    I've always wondered about beer. I've read nothing about this but my guess would be that beer would actually serve to hydrate a little. It has such a low alcohol content but I don't know. Someday I'll actually look it up.

    On long voyages (back in the old days) sailors, passengers, children, everyone would drink beer as their only hydration because it stayed sanitary longer than water. Granted the alcohol content was very low, but still...
    I'm pretty sure that for much of our civilized past people subsisted on beer and wine because they couldn't sanitize water and disentary (sp?) was deadly.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
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    Just make sure any calories you drink are taken into account.