Do I need to drink water?

Options
AgentHegarty
AgentHegarty Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
I'm finding that I just don't drink much water in any given day. I have two cups of black coffee (no cream/sugar) in the morning, and then barley any liquid throughout the day. I'm not sure why...just not terribly thirsty. Any thoughts about if drinking my 8 glasses of water a day will increase my weight loss?
«134

Replies

  • xSophia19
    xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
    Options
    YES! water will increase your weightloss! trust me!!! It speeds up your metabolism =) i wouldnt be 3 stone lighter today if i hadnt of drank 8 glasses of water a day!! i love water! always carry a bottle around with you! that 2 glasses down once youve finished a 500ml bottle, 4 of those a day and you will be well on your way to your goal weight..

    hope this helped :)
  • bwishau
    bwishau Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    I used to be the same way (i hated water) - but I have found that if I don't drink at least 8 glasses a day, not only do I not lose weight, I gain!

    Everyone is different, but drinking at least 8 glasses a day makes a huge difference for me!
  • AgentHegarty
    AgentHegarty Posts: 2
    Options
    Hmmm. Interesting! Okay. I'll give it a try. Thanks!!
  • kopmom
    kopmom Posts: 491 Member
    Options
    I'm finding that I just don't drink much water in any given day. I have two cups of black coffee (no cream/sugar) in the morning, and then barley any liquid throughout the day. I'm not sure why...just not terribly thirsty. Any thoughts about if drinking my 8 glasses of water a day will increase my weight loss?

    I am the same way, could have wrote your post. I really need to get better with drinking water
  • malachor
    malachor Posts: 8
    Options
    Probably not. Drinking water could make you feel better (not for my wife and I though) but increase weight loss is unlikely.
    It will probably assist your body in removing "impurities" quicker.
    Also, water does weight 8lbs a gallon (16 cups) so drinking lots will make the scale go up.

    The human body is very flexible and will utilize moisture in the foods you eat. The only thing my wife and I notice is if we don't have enough water with caffeine we can get a headache, but that is probably dehydration caused by the caffeine.

    Water Calculator;
    http://www.csgnetwork.com/humanh2owater.html
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    Options
    It's not going to increase your weight loss but it will help you to stay healthy and hydrated. Your body needs water, not coffee, not soda, not juice. Water.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Options
    It's kind of a no brainer.
  • _Shelley_
    _Shelley_ Posts: 206
    Options
    I drink at LEAST half of my body weight in oz of water per day...so roughly 70-100oz. I carry around a 56oz water bottle and fill it up twice a day.

    I love it! It helps curb my cravings (I drink a glass of water or about 10 sips from my water bottle whenever I get a bad craving), eat regularly, and has really helped my deminish my migraines. Yes, I pee constantly but it doesn't bother me. I don't drink juice, soda, or dairy products.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Options
    Your body needs water, not coffee, not soda, not juice. Water.

    Crap.

    Coffee, soda, juice are all 99% water. Your body doesnt need PURE water at all. Just water.

    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 tea/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
  • kimbux
    kimbux Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    Drink water BEFORE your are thirsty.... if you wait till you are thirsty, then you are already starting to dehydrate.
  • ScatteredThoughts
    ScatteredThoughts Posts: 3,562 Member
    Options
    Drink water BEFORE your are thirsty.... if you wait till you are thirsty, then you are already starting to dehydrate.


    Am I starved if I wait until I am hungry to eat?

    Am I sleep deprived if I wait until I am tired to rest?

    ...and so on.



    OP - My weight loss has been fine with an average of 2 to 3 cups of water per day. 8 cups of "pure" water a day is hardly a necessity for everyone. As mentioned before, you body is quite capable of using water from other sources.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Options
    Also, water does weight 8lbs a gallon (16 cups) so drinking lots will make the scale go up.

    This is a terrible argument against drinking water. Everything you put in your body will make the scale "go up." If you know that the number of the scale is from excess water and waste products in your body, who cares? It will go back down when you go to the bathroom....

    Your piss can tell you if you're truly dehydrated. Here's color chart for reference.
    http://www.urinecolors.com/dehydration.php
  • SueD66
    SueD66 Posts: 405 Member
    Options
    My answer is yes to this. Just try it and see. I actually have to make myself drink water. 2 glasses before work, 2 at work, 2 when i get home from work and 2 with supper. any thing over that is a bonus.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    Options
    It will probably assist your body in removing "impurities" quicker.

    That's a nice way of saying it. I can't do certain bathroom functions when I don't get enough water. For some reason, pop, coffee, and tea don't work the same way for me. If I don't have the actual clear water, I get backed up inside. I can drink coffee from time to time, but I need to get a good two quarts of real water in each day or else bad things will start happening after a couple weeks.
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 767 Member
    Options
    It's really a non negotiable.... Yes u must and 8 cups is the absolute bare bones minimum... U should have AT LEAST half your body weight in ounces...of course it will help in weight loss...and even if u don't think it does it helps balance your overall health...have u ever looked at the color of your urine??? Ugh!!! I freak if my urine has any color to it whatsoever...Pure water is best...no crystal light etc...
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Options
    Drink water BEFORE your are thirsty.... if you wait till you are thirsty, then you are already starting to dehydrate.


    Am I starved if I wait until I am hungry to eat?

    Am I sleep deprived if I wait until I am tired to rest?

    ...and so on.

    Probably, in the slightest most minute measurements... /shrug
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Options
    YES! water will increase your weightloss! trust me!!! It speeds up your metabolism =) i wouldnt be 3 stone lighter today if i hadnt of drank 8 glasses of water a day!! i love water! always carry a bottle around with you! that 2 glasses down once youve finished a 500ml bottle, 4 of those a day and you will be well on your way to your goal weight..

    hope this helped :)

    You probably would have, if you did everything else the same.

    And 4 of those a day will make bugger all difference if you dont make your calorie deficit. I can't remember the last time i drank pure water, as there's just no need for it. I get my fluids from other sources, 99% of which is tea/coffee.
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    Options
    Your body needs water, not coffee, not soda, not juice. Water.

    Crap.

    Coffee, soda, juice are all 99% water. Your body doesnt need PURE water at all. Just water.

    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!

    That's fantastic, and I don't care. Pure water will always be better and healthier than coffee, soda, and juice. No one is arguing the water content in coffee.
  • karinaes
    karinaes Posts: 570 Member
    Options
    I'm finding that I just don't drink much water in any given day. I have two cups of black coffee (no cream/sugar) in the morning, and then barley any liquid throughout the day. I'm not sure why...just not terribly thirsty. Any thoughts about if drinking my 8 glasses of water a day will increase my weight loss?
    wow. really?

    YES! every single living cell in your body NEEDS water! You need to train your body to drink water. i carry around a 24oz Camelbak that i refill at least 3 times. and that's aside from my two cups of herbal tea that i drink.

    you. need. water.
  • rpantusa
    rpantusa Posts: 267 Member
    Options
    yes make a concious effort to drink at least 8 glasses a day, even if you have to put lemon in it, and once you make it a habbit, it will be easy, and you will not have any problems getting it down at all. I never drank water before, I have been doing it for about 2 months and now im always thirsty drinking water all day long! It helps big time with your weight loss! good luck with your journey! :smile:

Categories