Why so much water?

botography · May 2011

I am new. It seems part of the diet process is drinking water. Why water and why so much? Can I substitute a flavored tea as in green tea and pomegrante that I buy from the local grocery store (Giant Eagle)? If I drink water all I do is add water weight for the day and I really don't like water. There has to be another way.

Sunjenk · May 2011

This is what ive gathered from various forums, I may be wrong, but this is what i've been reading.

Water flushes out sodium, and your body will only retain water if it feels like it is going to be deprived of it (so if you don't drink enough, you will gain water weight because your body wont want to get rid of what it has)

So after a few days or a week of drinking the amount your 'supposed' to have, your body adapts and doesn't carry it anymore as water weight.

Drink more water if you take in too much sodium, and the water will help flush the excess

Anybody feel free to add to this or correct me if I'm wrong, Im wondering myself!!

Shweedog · May 2011

Drinking water does not add water weight. Not drinking water does. Your body retains water if you are not drinking enough or eating too much sodium. Drinking water causes your body to flush out the water that is retained. The more water you drink the more water you will flush out and the more water weight you will lose.

bmontgomery87 · May 2011

^^what they said.

drinking water doesn't add water weight.
yes if you down a 20oz bottle of water immediately before stepping on a scale, you'd see a difference.
but water is water. not fat.
drink up.

kimmerroze · May 2011

A few reasons you are supposed to drinnk water are these:

your pee and your Breath are the only ways fat and toxins leave your body.. If you don't drink water you don't pee, thus you don't get rid of the fat stores.

your body is made up of 72 percent water you MUST stay hydrated.

Water actually helps flush out extra water that your muscles are holding onto from exercise./

It also helps flush out the sodium and sugar that also makes you retain water...

water weight isn't bad, because you pee it all out.

If you drink water your body will feel like it is full, this equals less food cravings.

water helps repair muscle,

It makes your skin look healthier and younger

it makes your organs function better.

As you can see it is incredibly important to drink water... If you don't like the flavor I would try adding crystal light to it.. While tea consists mainly of water, I would say it is okay to count a glass or so into your water intake, but you really need to be drinking good ol water...

jessie580 · May 2011

I see water as my way of getting away from my desk for a few minutes every hour to sit on the toilet and read facebook from my phone...

it's a nice little break away from my desk. the more water I drink, the more I can take a few minute potty break.

oh and it's GOOD FOR YOU :flowerforyou:

durhamity · May 2011

Water flushes fat. That's the goal, right? To get rid of fat? Be consistent in how much water you drink on a daily basis and your body will adapt and not hang on to it. Advoid caffinated beverages. Recommended amount of water is 1/2 your body weight.

emcando · May 2011

I occassionally flavor my water. But I mostly drink it straight and I don't count coffee or anything else I might drink as water consumption. I try to drink 6-8 16.9 oz bottles of water a day (I reuse for those environmentalists out there). It's so cleansing...

Everything in your body needs water to function best... skin, muscles, blood, etc... I once read an article that you need to drink half your body weight in water daily. If you drink caffeine, or take a diuretic, you need to drink more - because water helps flush you out and keeps your organs healthy.

I'm babbling. I hope I was helpful.

stanvoodoo · May 2011

Yes to all of the above. My nutritionist said the following counts as water: Non Carbonated, No Cafeine, No Sugar. Therefore, Crystal Light, Mio, and all of the Vitamin Water Zero type products count as water.

But that being said, I would still drink water as well.

Shweedog · May 2011

I see water as my way of getting away from my desk for a few minutes every hour to sit on the toilet and read facebook from my phone...

it's a nice little break away from my desk. the more water I drink, the more I can take a few minute potty break.

oh and it's GOOD FOR YOU :flowerforyou:

LOL! I totally do this!

zoecas2125 · May 2011

Water is great for you. If you drink at least 8 cups of water a day for the 1st week of your weight loss journey you will loose weight. Water helps to flush out your body. Also, if you drink a lot of coffee and drinks with sugar in it, those drinks keeps your body dehydrated. For every cup of coffee, try and drink 2 cups of water after.

I drink a lot of green tea durning the day. It's great and cleans you out. But I do not add sugar to my tea. And if your looking into pre-made tea, make sure to check on the sugar content. You can also add lemon to your water to give it flavor.

You actually do not gain weight by drinking water, you actually loose water retension.

cckeimig · May 2011

It's a well-known medical fact that our bodies require about 2 liters (8 cups) of water per day. Yes, you can do it with tea, but not necessarily with juice for the counter (although that's debatable, too, I hear). The trick is to avoid sugary drinks and/or fatty ones.

It was really hard for me at first to drink the full amount because I felt like I'd float away, as some have mentioned. But I've now often found myself drinking 10 glasses a day, no problem. I've also found that the weeks I am good about my water consumption I lose more weight than during the ones I don't get enough water.

Well, and read what kimmerroze said so I don't get redundant.

makeachange22 · May 2011

it only adds "water" weight for a day and its good weight, it flushes out all the nonsense you put in your body for the day .. it's x amount of water per x amount of calories and ESPECIALLY SODIUM. and besides water is just a vital part of healthy living and life all together

Onesnap · May 2011

Don't forget that we get water from all sorts of places. Fruit, tea, coffee, etc. Every little bit counts, and helps us stay hydrated. Regular brewed tea is best if you're having tea, because the bottled teas tend to have a lot of sugar (with the exception of Honest Teas, some of those bottled only have a few calories).

The idea of 8 glasses of water per day is explained very well in this very good source (Scientific American). I've posted it before on MFP and the overall response was that people found it VERY helpful.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eight-glasses-water-per-day

myshell67 · May 2011

you should try the crystal light packets. 1/2 a pack to 8 oz of water it's really good & less than 5 cals. good luck!!!

emcando · May 2011

I just want to say too... the flavor packets are chemicals... and so you have to weigh your disdain of water vs. putting un-needed chemicals in your body. I just wanted to put that out there...

I do it once-in-a-while... but daily or every bottle of water... for me, not worth it.

lizzys · May 2011

you will learn to love water have a small glass with meals it helps you not over eat

Brandy3827 · May 2011

Haha! Me too!

mari0605 · May 2011

THE AFFECT OF WATER (Proper Hydration)
Drinking plenty of water is essential to the success of losing weight, as you cleanse the body of the excess
toxins in a typical American diet. Drinking the recommended amount of water can seem like a
challenge at first, but stick with it. Carry a large sports bottle or similar item with you throughout the
day. After the 21 days, you will find that you actually thirst for more water, and the amount recommended
is easily reached.

Proper hydration aids fat loss in a number of ways:

• The kidneys are unable to function without adequate water. \When they do not work to capacity
some of their load is dumped onto the liver. This diverts the liver from its primary function, which
is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy. Because it's performing the chores of the waterdepleted
kidneys, the liver metabolizes less fat.
• Overeating can be averted through water intake, as water can keep the stomach feeling full and satisfied
between meals. The majority of the time when you think you are hungry, you are actually
thirsty.
• Ice cold water requires calories to warm it to core body temperature.
• It is estimated that you should consume a minimum of 80 oz of water per day. To determine your
specific amount of daily water intake, take your weight in pounds and divide that number in half.
The answer gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. If you exercise,
you should drink another 8 oz. for every 20 minutes that you are active.

Don't be surprised if you are taking multiple trips to the restroom, especially during the first week. Remember, your body is an adaptive system, and it will soon acconunodate the increased water consumption.

Losing2Live69 · May 2011

Here is a good web page I found:

http://www.weightlossforall.com/benefits-water-drinking.htm#b
:flowerforyou:

Onesnap · May 2011

Also, if you drink a lot of coffee and drinks with sugar in it, those drinks keeps your body dehydrated. For every cup of coffee, try and drink 2 cups of water after.

"Last but not least, does coffee really dehydrate you? Doctors and nutritionist say no – but it does work as a mild diuretic, which causes the body to lose some fluid, in the same way tea or a plain glass of water can do.

Source: Skinny Chef, http://skinnychef.com/blog/is-coffee-bad-for-you/

Onesnap · May 2011

I just want to say too... the flavor packets are chemicals... and so you have to weigh your disdain of water vs. putting un-needed chemicals in your body. I just wanted to put that out there...

I do it once-in-a-while... but daily or every bottle of water... for me, not worth it.

VERY well put!

brynleysmom · May 2011

It seems backwards but it really is true...the more you drink, the more you lose! Good luck...and drink up!!! : ))))

irridia · May 2011

caffinated beverages do NOT count towards water... in fact, you should drink an extra glass of water to make up for the amt of caffine.

If you don't like the taste, try either filtered or distilled. For me distilled tastes sweet and it's all I would drink if I could afford it.

Among other effects listed previously, skipping water and loading up on caffine can result in kidney stones... trust me, you don't want to go that route. if you go for herbal teas, be aware if the herbs are diuretic in effect. Most aren't. good luck

houseofcarpenter · May 2011

I see water as my way of getting away from my desk for a few minutes every hour to sit on the toilet and read facebook from my phone...

it's a nice little break away from my desk. the more water I drink, the more I can take a few minute potty break.

oh and it's GOOD FOR YOU :flowerforyou:

this made me giggle... nice way of looking at it

botography · May 2011

If I am reading the article correctly it is telling us WE DO NOT NEED ALL THAT WATER. I am hopeful this is correct. I don't like water unless I am thirsty. Often I drink flavored tea instead.

kimmerroze · May 2011

If I am reading the article correctly it is telling us WE DO NOT NEED ALL THAT WATER. I am hopeful this is correct. I don't like water unless I am thirsty. Often I drink flavored tea instead.

You have a full forum here of people telling you from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE that the more water you drink the more weight you lose. THey have also said that Tea coffee and caffeine is a dieuretic so if you drink caffeinated beverages you must drink even more water.

If I were you I would trust the opinions of those that have said that it works.

ATT949 · May 2011

It's a well-known medical fact that our bodies require about 2 liters (8 cups) of water per day. Yes, you can do it with tea, but not necessarily with juice for the counter (although that's debatable, too, I hear). The trick is to avoid sugary drinks and/or fatty ones.

It was really hard for me at first to drink the full amount because I felt like I'd float away, as some have mentioned. But I've now often found myself drinking 10 glasses a day, no problem. I've also found that the weeks I am good about my water consumption I lose more weight than during the ones I don't get enough water.

Well, and read what kimmerroze said so I don't get redundant.

The reading that I've done on this topic confirms your first sentence - our bodies do need about 8 cups of water per day to function. When I first looked into this, some years ago, I believe that the basis for this was a study done by/for the US military in WW II - there's some logic to that since we were sending millions of people to different places in the world and we had to resupply them continuously.

The key point is that it's 8 cups of water per day from all sources.

This article is the only document that I've read that comes from a medical source:

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

A few things stand out:
1 - it's footnoted to cite medical sources
2 - the author has written a book on how the kidneys function so I get a pretty good feeling that he knows what he's talking about
3 - the author says that, despite his significant research, he can find no medical reason for "8 cups a day" for an average sized person in a temperate climate who is not doing strenuous activity (that's from memory so please read the article).

In contrast, most "diet sites" will recommend that you drink a lot of water. One of the reasons for that, and I've seen it mentioned in some article by laymen, is that, as another poster has stated, if you drink a lot of water, you feel full and that helps curb your appetite. Heh, whatever works!

A tidbit that I'll pass along, and I'm sorry that I don't have the link, is something that I chuckled at 'cause it just makes so much sense. If you're drinking water, if drink cool or cold water it will actually burn more calories. Hows that? The body regulates temperature to about 98.6. If you're drinking water that's below that temperature, it will tend to drop the body temperature.

A healthy body will react to the drop in temperature and will burn calories to bring the body temp back to 98.6 (+/-). Therefore, you will burn more calories by drinking cool/cold water than by drinking warmer water. QED

OK, that's one of those "measurable but insignificant" things right (like "caffeine is a diuretic")? Well, IIRC, if you do drink 8 cups and it's "cold" you will burn something like an extra 25 calories per day (hence my putting it in the "measurable but insignificant" category).

Personally, the only time I've consumed that much water is when playing sports in my youth; when I'm riding my motorcycle in the deserts of the Southwest; and when I was in the Army and we deployed to the desert and other places. In the 166 days that it's taken me to lose 82 pounds, I don't think I've consumed 8 additional glasses of liquid on any given day.

There's no indication that drinking 8 glasses of water will hurt a healthy individual but I haven't been able to find a medical study that describes any value to the body.

Remember - the plural of "anecdote" is not "data".

ATT949 · May 2011

If I am reading the article correctly it is telling us WE DO NOT NEED ALL THAT WATER. I am hopeful this is correct. I don't like water unless I am thirsty. Often I drink flavored tea instead.

If I were you I would trust the opinions of those that have said that it works.

You have a full forum here of people telling you from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE that the more water you drink the more weight you lose. They have also said that Tea coffee and caffeine is a dieuretic so if you drink caffeinated beverages you must drink even more water.
[/quote]

As I put in my other posting, the plural of anecdote is not data.

Every morning, a rooster crows and the sun comes up. To the rooster, the sun comes up 'cause he crows. Astronomers have a different view of the situation.

What we believe and perceive about our bodies is very important, no question, but that does not mean that the conclusions that we draw are correct.

Caffeine is a diuretic which means that it will tend to cause the body to excrete water. That's a fact. The issue, though, is under what conditions does it do that? How much caffeine, taken how often, over what period of time? Does the diuretic effect increase or decrease over time? How much more water do people excrete when they ingest X milligrams of caffeine? Does it vary with the level of obesity? Does time of day matter? Etc., etc.

Those are all questions that researchers use during studies that take place in environments that are as controlled as they can get them.

And, as the article that I cited in another response shows, the diuretic effect is negligible if you've regularly consumed caffeine for about a week.

Personally, I have no problem with people drinking 8 cups/day but many years of life experience have taught me that the only thing we know when lots of people swear it's true is that lots of people swear it's true.

smile72101 · May 2011

I appreciate reading your "tag" thing after because I was looking for a post that talked about that issue...going over on protein without going over on calories (or anything else). It seems like I am constantly trying to figure out ways to get in healthy options but always am on the boarder of the protein, or over. Yesterday, it sent me a message when I ended the day saying I didn't have enough calories...and I had worked out. I even had a snack in the evening...I am having a hard time balancing it all...but thanks for your info!

cicadagirl · May 2011

Haha...after having just downed 4 cups of water in as many hours, I can tell you one more benefit...it makes you actually get up and move 'cause you have to pee so much more often! And where I work, the bathroom is down one flight of stairs from my desk. Score! Extra calories burned for my sedentary tushie! :laugh:

Why so much water?

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