How long for water to pass through

Options
honeylissabee
honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've started going to evening Weight Watchers meetings with my best friend, and I know that consistency is the best thing when it comes to weighing in, but I'm curious as to when I should cut myself off from drinking water.

I know that I can gain a couple pounds after drinking a gallon of water (or close to it) in a short period of time. I'm just wondering how long it takes for water to pass through and for weight gained from drinking water to go away.

I'm not interested in taking any kind of "water pills" or anything. I just want to know how long it takes for water to pass through the body and come out. I don't want to end up "undoing" the weight loss by drinking too much before I weigh-in, and the only meeting option I have for now are evening meetings, so I don't want to starve and dehydrate myself all day.

Replies

  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
    Options
    I think it's more important to drink water than worry about how much your body is holding in for a weigh in. We all hold onto water for quite a bit at first while our body gets used to us eating and drinking better. I know that if you drink regularly, you should have to void once an hour or so.

    Are you drinking a literal gallon of water at once or do you mean throughout the day? I think the main key to weight loss seems to be burning more calories than you consume. Your weigh ins should not be affected by drinking water because you need that hydration as you exercise.

    Regardless, your body should not be holding onto water for more than an hour or so if you're properly hydrated. That's what my experience is, anyway.

    Good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Options
    Why would you drink a gallon of water in a short period of time? If you're properly hydrated it shouldn't affect your weight one way or the other unless you do guzzle a lot of water in the hour before you go and it's still in your stomach.
  • Synchronicity
    Synchronicity Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I mean no offense here, but I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. Why would you restrict yourself from drinking water just so you can get a better number on the scale? That's not weight loss.

    Drink throughout the day. Drink when you're thirsty. Don't obsess over each and every weigh in. Look at the long, downward trend and not at each individual number.

    But to answer your question from a physiological stand point: It is impossible for anyone here to tell you "how long" or "when" you should stop drinking. Water regulation is a complicated process and is carefully regulated to maintain blood osmolarity, blood volume, and blood pressure. "How long" depends on the physiological needs of your body. Are you dehydrated? Than your kidneys are going to retain water to fix that problem. Have you consumed a lot of salt? Than your kidneys are going to retain water to keep blood salt concentrations the same. And so on ...
  • ansonrinesmith
    ansonrinesmith Posts: 755 Member
    Options
    Just do the same thing every week. As long as you don't over or under drink from your norm, the results should be accurate.
  • DesdemonaRose
    DesdemonaRose Posts: 190
    Options
    just weigh in when you first wake up and you haven't drank any water yet. Pretty much if you weigh in at the same time every day and eat/drink on a simlar scheduel you'll see loss when it happens. Unless you chug a gallon of water right before you weigh in it doesn't make, "that" much of a difference.

    Like Dr. RSB posted, there isn't a perfect answer. Being a female throws the numbers off even more in terms of water weight.
  • honeylissabee
    honeylissabee Posts: 217 Member
    Options
    I drink about a gallon of water througout the day, but I've gotten into the habit of constantly sipping water while watching TV at night. It keeps me from eating too much since my mouth is busy, and I HAVE finished close to a gallon of water in a few hours.

    I can't weigh in in the mornings. My meetings are in the evenings. I weigh in at 6:30 at night. So, if I drink too much water too close to my meeting, I could see a false gain on the scale.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Options
    I mean no offense here, but I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. Why would you restrict yourself from drinking water just so you can get a better number on the scale? That's not weight loss.

    Drink throughout the day. Drink when you're thirsty. Don't obsess over each and every weigh in. Look at the long, downward trend and not at each individual number.

    But to answer your question from a physiological stand point: It is impossible for anyone here to tell you "how long" or "when" you should stop drinking. Water regulation is a complicated process and is carefully regulated to maintain blood osmolarity, blood volume, and blood pressure. "How long" depends on the physiological needs of your body. Are you dehydrated? Than your kidneys are going to retain water to fix that problem. Have you consumed a lot of salt? Than your kidneys are going to retain water to keep blood salt concentrations the same. And so on ...

    ^^^This. Quit trying to make a game out of winning the weigh in. It's not Biggest Loser.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    not sure if something that makes you question basic hydration is that positive of a thing to have in your life. The amount of time it takes for water to pass can vary greatly depending on hydration, metabolic processing, hormone fluctuations. I'd focus on making sure you are hydrated moist mucus membranes, clear/light yellow urine, supple skin and if you weigh heavy it happens. what matters most is the overall trend in your weight.
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
    Options
    This was the thing that went wrong for me when I did slimming world. I like to be hydrated, and I would drink water and it would make me gain now and again, I'd also eat too close to weigh in sometimes or eat too much in the day and that was bad for me as well, giving me a weight gain. It was annoying and the reason I don't do slimming world anymore, even though I'm still joined. I also had to wait all day and so it's even more hard then. It makes me wonder how others would get a loss, I do know some people starve themselves on weigh in day, I personally could never do that. All I know is maybe try and stop drinking water a few hours before, and eat enough throughout the day but stop when you are full, stop a few hours before. Go to the toilet before you go. That's all the tips I have picked up from my own knowledge. They didn't always help me much at all. MFP is for me now.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    I drink about a gallon of water througout the day, but I've gotten into the habit of constantly sipping water while watching TV at night. It keeps me from eating too much since my mouth is busy, and I HAVE finished close to a gallon of water in a few hours.

    I can't weigh in in the mornings. My meetings are in the evenings. I weigh in at 6:30 at night. So, if I drink too much water too close to my meeting, I could see a false gain on the scale.

    if it satiates you then i wouldnt stop

    also if you are weighing in this late you might be holding fluid I always weigh more at night..it's just how my body fluctuates. I've seen +5lbs gain before.
  • speedy740
    speedy740 Posts: 141 Member
    Options
    I've started going to evening Weight Watchers meetings with my best friend, and I know that consistency is the best thing when it comes to weighing in, but I'm curious as to when I should cut myself off from drinking water.

    I know that I can gain a couple pounds after drinking a gallon of water (or close to it) in a short period of time. I'm just wondering how long it takes for water to pass through and for weight gained from drinking water to go away.

    I'm not interested in taking any kind of "water pills" or anything. I just want to know how long it takes for water to pass through the body and come out. I don't want to end up "undoing" the weight loss by drinking too much before I weigh-in, and the only meeting option I have for now are evening meetings, so I don't want to starve and dehydrate myself all day.

    FYI: a gallon of skim milk weight 9 lbs so I'm thinking your 2 lb on a gallon is off by a tad lol ????
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Options
    I think you're over thinking things and shouldn't be worried about water. If you drink a lot of water all the time, then that's te norm for you and it won't be a false reading on the scale.

    The scale isn't just a measure of how much fat you have, but all the water in your body (which is a lot more than you are sipping daily), your muscles, bones, organs etc, and the food/waste in your system. You can't have absolute control over the composition of your body.

    The scale is just a tool to help you measure progress. It doesn't define your success or failure, and there are a lot of other ways of measuring progress (tape measure, photos, mirror, how your clothes fit etc.) Seriously. You need to look at the bigger picture, or you'll drive yourself crazy.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Options
    This was the thing that went wrong for me when I did slimming world. I like to be hydrated, and I would drink water and it would make me gain now and again, I'd also eat too close to weigh in sometimes or eat too much in the day and that was bad for me as well, giving me a weight gain. It was annoying and the reason I don't do slimming world anymore, even though I'm still joined. It would be easy for you if you could go in the morning, I had to wait all day.
    How can this be "the thing that went wrong"? The amount of water in your stomach has nothing to do with whether or not you lost fat that week.
  • jollyjoe321
    jollyjoe321 Posts: 529 Member
    Options
    just take an average over a few weeks...
  • EMTFreakGirl
    EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
    Options
    I've started going to evening Weight Watchers meetings with my best friend, and I know that consistency is the best thing when it comes to weighing in, but I'm curious as to when I should cut myself off from drinking water.

    I know that I can gain a couple pounds after drinking a gallon of water (or close to it) in a short period of time. I'm just wondering how long it takes for water to pass through and for weight gained from drinking water to go away.

    I'm not interested in taking any kind of "water pills" or anything. I just want to know how long it takes for water to pass through the body and come out. I don't want to end up "undoing" the weight loss by drinking too much before I weigh-in, and the only meeting option I have for now are evening meetings, so I don't want to starve and dehydrate myself all day.

    FYI: a gallon of skim milk weight 9 lbs so I'm thinking your 2 lb on a gallon is off by a tad lol ????
    "A Pint's a pound the world around."
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Options
    This was the thing that went wrong for me when I did slimming world. I like to be hydrated, and I would drink water and it would make me gain now and again, I'd also eat too close to weigh in sometimes or eat too much in the day and that was bad for me as well, giving me a weight gain. It was annoying and the reason I don't do slimming world anymore, even though I'm still joined. It would be easy for you if you could go in the morning, I had to wait all day.
    How can this be "the thing that went wrong"? The amount of water in your stomach has nothing to do with whether or not you lost fat that week.

    The problem is they don't measure your loss by fat. I went once with my sister in law to a WW meeting. I thought it was on of the most degrading experiences and to think she paid for it was ridiculous. Everyone had to troop up and weigh in while they were applauded or chastised for losing or gaining. My sister in law had an outfit she would wear there that was really light weight material and not eat most of the day of her weigh in because she didn't want the shame of not having lost her allotted amount.

    It may be helpful to some people but I didn't see it as the loving supportive environment they were selling. If you have to go to the lengths of playing games to not be embarrassed at a meeting I don't find that to be support.
  • nas061
    nas061 Posts: 256 Member
    Options
    "A Pint's a pound the world around."

    Well, in the UK
    1 UK pint water = 20 fluid ounces = 1lb 4 oz
    1 UK gallon water = 10 lbs
  • Briargrey
    Briargrey Posts: 498 Member
    Options
    Even if it causes you to retain a bit more than if you hadn't had it to drink, in the long run, if you are doing everything right, you're going to be losing weight. The blip on the scale from possible water retention will equal out. Don't stress over it. Just eat right, track what you're eating, stay in your healthy calorie deficit, and the results will show over time.
  • jenny3008
    jenny3008 Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    Hi

    I did Scottish Slimmers a few years ago and my weigh in was about 5pm.
    I would normally stop drinking water at about 3pm-ish and always went for a pee just before the weigh in. In general I saw pretty consistent losses most weeks.

    As everyone says consistency is the key so I would pick a routine and stick to it, that way you should see the losses much more clearly over time

Categories