You Don’t Need 8 Glasses Of Water A Day

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ascrit
ascrit Posts: 770 Member
in Food and Nutrition
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-dont-need-8-glasses-of-water-a-day

TL;DR there is no downside to drinking water all day but don't obsess over it.

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
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Replies

  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
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    When I was vegetarian I found I needed to drink less water, I guess from eating a lot of vegetables.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Yeah no surprise there.

    I'm still amazed that some people really believe that drinking water helps with weight loss.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Yeah no surprise there.

    I'm still amazed that some people really believe that drinking water helps with weight loss.

    well for some people it can- mostly because sometimes when you think you are hungry- you are really just thirsty- and if someone tends to reach for food before hydration- if you just mentally task yourself to drinking more water- you could be reducing that need to grab food.

    Your body likes to trick you with hunger signals sometime in order to get things- hunger sometimes really only means- thirsty- but you weren't listening to the thirsty signal.

    so it can be helpful- but that's a deeper thing than drinking water = weight loss LOL.
  • prettychelly
    prettychelly Posts: 112 Member
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    I drink 100 + ounces a day of water. I like it and I'd rather save my calories for food.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    Still quite good for you though.
  • prettigirl01
    prettigirl01 Posts: 548 Member
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    Yeah no surprise there.

    I'm still amazed that some people really believe that drinking water helps with weight loss.

    well for some people it can- mostly because sometimes when you think you are hungry- you are really just thirsty- and if someone tends to reach for food before hydration- if you just mentally task yourself to drinking more water- you could be reducing that need to grab food.

    Your body likes to trick you with hunger signals sometime in order to get things- hunger sometimes really only means- thirsty- but you weren't listening to the thirsty signal.

    so it can be helpful- but that's a deeper thing than drinking water = weight loss LOL.
    I agree. it does help with weight loss. different things work for different people. there is no right or wrong way to do what you need to do to lose weight
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I always wondered where the idea of 8 glasses a day came from - interesting! (I think I would pass out if I only had 8. I'm closer to 18!)
  • redversustheblue
    redversustheblue Posts: 1,216 Member
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    Yeah no surprise there.

    I'm still amazed that some people really believe that drinking water helps with weight loss.

    well for some people it can- mostly because sometimes when you think you are hungry- you are really just thirsty- and if someone tends to reach for food before hydration- if you just mentally task yourself to drinking more water- you could be reducing that need to grab food.

    Your body likes to trick you with hunger signals sometime in order to get things- hunger sometimes really only means- thirsty- but you weren't listening to the thirsty signal.

    so it can be helpful- but that's a deeper thing than drinking water = weight loss LOL.

    It also helps to flush sodium out of your system which can sometimes mask weight loss. So yeah, I think it does help.

    I've found it very helpful to get in 64-100oz of water a day, but it's not the one and only thing I drink.
  • MisterZ33
    MisterZ33 Posts: 567 Member
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    i drink anywhere between 10 to 16 cups per day.

    drinking water has become routine for me now. i dont crave juice and pop like i used to a few months ago.
  • nogreenthumb
    nogreenthumb Posts: 96
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    I drink a fair amount of water each day because it makes my skin look nice. That's about it.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    I drink 8 glasses of water before my workouts.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    It helps me with weight-loss - b/c it helps keep me regular! :wink:

    (Although I'm usually fine with just 4-6 glasses plus the other fluids I tend to drink throughout the day)
  • Jennkies
    Jennkies Posts: 382 Member
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    Personally, I disagree.. not sure the cause and effect of the correlation, but I always find that I lose significantly more if I focus on drinking 8 glasses a day. Helps with my digestion and other stuff.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    Yeah no surprise there.

    I'm still amazed that some people really believe that drinking water helps with weight loss.

    well for some people it can- mostly because sometimes when you think you are hungry- you are really just thirsty- and if someone tends to reach for food before hydration- if you just mentally task yourself to drinking more water- you could be reducing that need to grab food.

    Your body likes to trick you with hunger signals sometime in order to get things- hunger sometimes really only means- thirsty- but you weren't listening to the thirsty signal.

    so it can be helpful- but that's a deeper thing than drinking water = weight loss LOL.

    Yep. It's not a direct equation, but it holds true for me. The more water I drink, the less "hungry" I am for random snacks. It also keeps me from getting as sore after workouts, and I just feel better. The weeks I consciously drink a lot of water are the weeks I lose the most, probably because it keeps me from snacking. I'm not an idiot, I know it's not a direct translation, but no one ever said it was.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
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    Drink liquid until you are hydrated.

    /thread :wink:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    One's individual hydration needs will vary substantially from individual to individual. If I only drank 8, 8 oz glasses of water per day, I'd probably wither up and die...and minimum I would be very dehydrated. But I live at elevation over a mile high in the desert and I'm very active and sweat like a beast...plus I'm on a diuretic.

    The whole 8, 8 oz glasses of water deal is just a reasonably good guideline for staying hydrated for the average person...it's not a hard and fast rule...the important thing is to be hydrated.
  • FemWeight
    FemWeight Posts: 96
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    I drink 100 + ounces a day of water. I like it and I'd rather save my calories for food.

    I agree! Water calories 0 so more food intake vs whatever is in a pop :D:drinker:
  • 33Freya
    33Freya Posts: 468 Member
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    Good point- some people do obsess over it :) I just drink water throughout the day and call it good :) If you don't like water, try flavoring it with sliced cucumbers or strawberries or lemon/lime.
  • DAM5412
    DAM5412 Posts: 660 Member
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    I think the myth the OP is trying to deflate is that "8 glasses" is some magic number for weight loss, not that water is not a benefit. At least, that's my take after reading the linked article.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    I read this article... and immediately grabbed my water glass and chugged two glasses.

    Why? Because I'm chronically dehydrated. If I'm not conscious of my water - of trying to get to 8 glasses - then I will have zero. And I have found that when I'm dehydrated, I weigh more and I snack more. So, yeah... the 8 glasses a day "myth" is a good thing for me. :)

    Interesting article though. :flowerforyou:

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