Water consumption and weight loss

bwilliams93

studies have shown that drinking 8 glasses of water speeds up weight loss

hpsnickers1

I remember watching a show on TV years ago. They did a little test with twin women. Had one drink a lot of water each day for 30 days. The other one didn't. There was no difference in the health of her skin.

It doesn't speed up weight loss. If there is a study that shows this I would love to see it. Until then I don't believe this at all. It might look like water is speeding up weight loss but there could be other factors (like exercise, calorie restriction, etc.) so whose to say it was the water. This is like saying "when combined with an exercise and diet routine these pills will help you lose weight!"

And when the "experts" say to get 48-64oz of water a day they neglect to emphasize that you can about 40% of that through food (at least real, non-processed food).

I take a lesson from my pets. When they get thirsty they go drink some water. And they pee a bright, clear yellow. They don't suck down water all day for fear of getting dehydrated. That is why our bodies have SIGNALS.

I let my body tell me when I need water. (And coffee and tea count. They might be diuretics but you are still consuming a fluid)

And I will not drink while eating dinner. Our stomachs have a specific pH for digesting our food. Drink a ton of water beforehand and you have diluted that digestive acid.
And it never stopped my hunger cravings. What stopped my constant hunger cravings was knocking out the grains/flour/sugar/beans and increasing my fat (I'm 10/25/65 - 10/20/70).

cydonian

I think that it helps in that it gives your body something to digest that is calorie free and refreshing for your body, and fills your stomach up so that you don't eat as much as you normally would. Whether water literally speeds up your weight loss... don't know if I believe that. It's definitely good to intake 8-10 cups of water per day. I was hooked on soda (1 per day generally, but that was too much for me) and it took me a while to wean myself off. I now go all week drinking nothing but water and juice (on occasion) with a rare soda as a treat on the weekend. Anyway, I would definitely recommend that you drink lots of water... if nothing else, it's good for your body and you'll see it in your skin, as well.

HMonsterX

Water not only keeps you hydrated but it also helps with hunger cravings and flushes the waste from your body.

^^This is what I was going to say, and the caffeine in Coffee will dehydrate you more

Sigh...


Here we go again!

You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
adj.
Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n.
A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo


Getting more fluid will help flush out excess water weight, but it doesn't have to be neat water. Neat water isn't some magical fat burner.

Strobins05

I don't know if drinking speeds the weight loss - but I have learned the following from drinking nothing but water (and two cups of black coffee) every day:

1. Water is way better for your teeth than any soda (diet soda is the worst cause of enamel erosion)
2. Frequent urination flushes out the system, including the by-products of burning fat
3. Keeps the skin healthy
4. Keeps me from adding a snack to my lunch - just drink an extra glass and you're full

MAJOR DITTO TO THE ABOVE...

^^^Major, Major!!!!

BobbyClerici

I cited one - see above...:yawn:

rfarinha

Like BobbyClerici said... and drinking COLD water burns more calories.

However, as far as actual "weight loss", drinking water actually helps prevent water retention and bloating, which makes the scale move north. When you aren't retaining water, and the scale is moving south, then it's a win win and helps keep me motivated!

RaeLB

You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

THIS ^^^

I just researched this last night cause I can never drink enough water because I drink most of my calories (milk, juice, ensure, etc). Then after I researched I found out it is 8 cups of water from various sources!
Here is a summary:

http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/how-much-water-should-I-drink.aspx

allishaFaye

it is good to drink water, it flushes you out and fills you up. i have the hardest time to drink water though

ATT949

A lot of places urge dieters to drink water and for good reason - it can help you lose weight. If you have a stomach with lots of water, you feel full, and will tend to eat less. Many sites don't explain why they recommend 8 cups/day but the only reasons I've seen given are that it fills you up. And that's a good thing.

My take on it — if you need to drink water to control your urge to eat, do it because being overweight is much worse than drinking water all day. If you don't need help controlling you appetite, why bother? Most of us have the urination thing down pretty well, right?

That comes across as a bias but it's one I've had for a while and part of it comes 'cause I grew up in a place where the drinking water wasn't that great (in Bermuda we used to catch the rainwater on our roof and store it in a tank under the house. Water tanks had mold and bacteria so we put guppies in the water tank to get rid of things like mosquitoes. Mold, stale water, and guppy…remnants — yummy!).

Fast forward to now and it appears that there's no medical evidence to drink the infamous 8 cups a day.

Yes, that flies in the face of "what everyone knows" but, heh, that's how life is some times. Everyone knows that stomach ulcers come from too much acid in the stomach, right? Wrong. It's a virus - a fellow won a Nobel prize when he proved it even though he had been denounced for his beliefs!. Another example - even the best scientific minds accept the fact that the human body will survive going faster than 10 MPH in a steam engine but it wasn't always that way. In the early 1800's, scientists were convinced that people would be killed if they were in a train going that speed. So, times change and we learn, right?

OK, references anyone?

This paper, written by a Dartmouth MD, professor, and author of a book on kidneys has 100 footnotes.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2002/aug/080802.html


And here's another link to a different version:

http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/283/5/R993.full


Even Snopes gets in on this:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp


Is there value in drinking 8 cups of water? Yes, it can help control the urge to eat.

Do you have to drink 8 cups a day to lose weight? Nope.

Do you lose weight faster by drinking 8 cups a day? Could be but that information wasn't available when Dr. V, above, did his study.

Trinaw

I now buy the la croix which has the soda feel but is bubbly/flavored water. It has no sodium, calories or fake sweetners. It comes in really good flavors too. That has been helping me switch up from regular water:) Good luck.

ATT949

Water not only keeps you hydrated but it also helps with hunger cravings and flushes the waste from your body.

^^This is what I was going to say, and the caffeine in Coffee will dehydrate you more (which may make you hungry as well as thirsty). So drink up on the water and limit your caffeine intake!!!

In computing, there's a neat expression - "Measurable but insignificant."

it's common knowledge that coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a diuretic. The issue, it would seem, is how much of a diuretic effect does caffeine have. And it's important 'cause caffeine is in a lot of things.

And, science tells us that the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee has a minimal diuretic effect for people who are not regular consumers of caffeine and has an insignificant diuretic effect on people who drink coffee regularly.

What we sometimes forget is that we assume because we can detect a substance in food, we naturally assume that substance has an impact. That can be the case but, with caffeine, as with many other things, the impact is…"Measurable but insignificant.

HMonsterX

ATT, some people just don't want to be told the truth. They have their little myths, and they will believe them no matter what we say...

ValMcB

I have a big glass that holds 4 cups. I fill it up in the morning and try to have it gone by lunch. Some days it is easier than others for some reason. But I know I have to drink 2 of those a day and my goal is to finish 3.

Depends on what I am doing, too. If I am busy I forget to drink. It is just a learning experience and now that I am in the habit, it is very easy to finish more than 2 of them a day. I have started staying away from the additives and flavorings. I don't want the artificial sweeteners any more than I have to. And I'm worried about BPA's so never drink bottled water unless it is the only option.

And for some reason I find I drink more when I use a straw! I know that sounds dumb, but try it, makes it very easy to suck it down faster!

mugsisme

My physical therapist told me that "THEY" have changed the requirements. You are supposed to take your body weight, cut it in half, and drink that much in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds, you need to drink 100 ozs of water while someone who weighs 100 pounds needs to drink 50 oz.

I also heard that liquid is liquid; doesn't have to be actual water. Tea, soup, etc, it is all the same. I do find on the days I drink a lot, if I don't pee a lot I am actually heavier until I get rid of the excess fluid.

Dmborgstrom

Awesome info everyone! Can someone tell me where I can get MIO? Do you get it at the grocery store?

Target, Walmart and most grocery stores have it. It is kinda expensive but it lasts for a very long time. You can choose to only put in a drop or two, or a whole squirt to color the water. I personally like it very diluted, so there is only a hint of flavor.

It is usually located by the Kool-aid or flavor packets.

rajivdubey

I have experienced a direct co-relation between weight loss and water intake. More water you drink more you lose.

I drink 10-12 glasses a day.

No! Soda, Coffee, Diet Coke is NOT water!

researchanna

When its cold you can always drink hot water

adlwilmot

I really don't know about this one. I have NEVER drunk loads and loads in a day. When I'm in extremely hot environments, I drink more, when I'm in colder environments I drink less. Therefore I figure my body signals when I need to drink. With this in mind I sneered at the "8 cups of water" recommendation on here, as I also heard about that twin study a couple of years back. However, after very poor weight loss during the first 5 weeks on here I decided I'd give it a go to see if it works.

I've found that yes, the scales are showing a lower figure, but why exactly, cannot be said for sure. Is it because my body is getting rid of all stored water now that it thinks it will get lots each day? Is it because the water is speeding up my metabolism and burning fat? Is it because I'm eating less cos I'm full of water? Well the first two I cannot answer, but I can answer the last one and that's a big fat NO! My diary tells me I'm eating the same and I'll tell you I'm eating the same. Filling myself up with water does not work for me. My stomach isn't that stupid.

Drinking this amount of water has the downside that I'm peeing like a race horse (excuse the rather English metaphor!) which means I'm constantly getting interrupted to go to the toilet, or am going about my business busting for a pee on a regular basis. Is that a good thing? I think not.

BUT..... once thing I have noticed is that the skin on my face is a lot clearer, more smooth, and has a lot less blemishes all of a sudden. I haven't changed any of my facial routine, so there are now variables there. My diet has always been relatively healthy, so I can't see that how that has affected my skin. I'm exercising now so that could be the cause, but with this one I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the water.

So... I'm not convinced it aids weight loss, BUT, it definitely flushes out the system. I'm going to continue drinking large amounts for as long as I can be bothered to go to the toilet 10 times a day. When I get sick of that, I'll go back to drinking when my body tells me to.

*touches face in wonder....*

castadiva

Since it has become cold out I try my hardest to drink water but I would rather have something hot. But I have noticed that weight loss has been slower since I slowed down on the water. So I decided to try something different, I use flavoring for my water (generic brand about 10 cals per packet) And since I have started adding that and have been able to up my water to about 9-10 glasses a day (or about 140 ozs a day) the weight seems to be on the move again This is what works for me

Herbal teas can be good for getting your water requirement in without the chill factor and without adding chemical flavourings. Personally, I like Peppermint or Lemon and Ginger, but there're heaps of flavours around - you could buy a selection box to sample until you find the right one for you.