How much did drinking water impact your weight loss?

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  • JMC3Terp
    JMC3Terp Posts: 2,803 Member
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    Is it drinking the water, or all the exercise you get running to pee?? :wink:

    This lol. I used to pee like once a day. Now I must pee at least ....6 or 7 times a day.
  • JMC3Terp
    JMC3Terp Posts: 2,803 Member
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    CSARdiver wrote: »

    As I said - it's a gross calculation. It is exceptionally rare for anyone to get hyponatermia simply from water intake unless there's some metabolic disorder.

    Biologics like steady state - extreme conditions cause disorders such as hyponatremia which is why it is seen in marathon runners and extreme endurance athletes or people going from states of dehydration to overhydration.

    Bottom line - follow your thirst.

    I'm not sure its as rare as you think. It's just a ratio of your sodium levels compared to your water intake. But your point is well taken.
  • 460mustang
    460mustang Posts: 196 Member
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    I switched to drinking water instead of soda, and sugary high cal drinks. So it has helped me become calorie deficient to lose weight. Now I can eat more solid food and still be within my calorie budget.
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
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    I drink it because dehydration is one of my migraine triggers...dont really think it has any impact on weight loss.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    I have seen some people mention drinking water helped them because they ate less and drank less high calorie drinks.

    Is this really water being super awesome? Sounds like your filling up on water so your not as hungry or thirsty so you don't snack or drink coke.

    But I imagine this would be the same if you drank coke zero or some other essentially zero cal drink. Fills you up and quenches your thirst so your not snacking on donuts etc.

  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    I have seen some people mention drinking water helped them because they ate less and drank less high calorie drinks.

    Is this really water being super awesome? Sounds like your filling up on water so your not as hungry or thirsty so you don't snack or drink coke.

    But I imagine this would be the same if you drank coke zero or some other essentially zero cal drink. Fills you up and quenches your thirst so your not snacking on donuts etc.

    Water also helps with people needing to reset their "sweet". While there's nothing inherently bad about sugar it causes you to crave it. It's particularly bad in the United States; however most of us don't notice it unless we travel.

    I think the biggest impact to many is stomach volume - simply tricking your body to get that sensation of fullness, especially for those drinking ~30 mins prior to meals.

    The problem with drinking the zero calories sweet drinks is that it triggers appetite is many people.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    I have seen some people mention drinking water helped them because they ate less and drank less high calorie drinks.

    Is this really water being super awesome? Sounds like your filling up on water so your not as hungry or thirsty so you don't snack or drink coke.

    But I imagine this would be the same if you drank coke zero or some other essentially zero cal drink. Fills you up and quenches your thirst so your not snacking on donuts etc.
    Well, when I say "water" I mean "flavored water sweetened with sucralose."

    And sugar doesn't cause me to crave sugar. When I've traveled, I've noticed that sweet things are sweet everywhere and non-sweet things aren't. A lot of things in Ecuador tasted sweeter, for example, because the fruits were riper when picked and fresher when eaten. The desserts were still hella sweet.

  • CJReg119
    CJReg119 Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm a bit confused about how we are defining "water" here. Does the assumed benefit of drinking "water" on weight loss include all (calorie free) liquids?? For example, I drink lots of fresh-brewed iced tea. I'm thinking it's the same benefit as plain water. Thoughts?
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    CJReg119 wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused about how we are defining "water" here. Does the assumed benefit of drinking "water" on weight loss include all (calorie free) liquids?? For example, I drink lots of fresh-brewed iced tea. I'm thinking it's the same benefit as plain water. Thoughts?
    It does. The diuretic effect is basically a non-factor.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    My guess is none at all. I don't think my water drinking habits changed before or after losing weight.

    This.

    I've always been someone who drank plenty of water, though. If I drink more now it's only because I exercise much more. I really don't understand the whole not drinking enough thing, since for me I get thirsty and I especially hate to eat anything without something to drink too.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    CJReg119 wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused about how we are defining "water" here. Does the assumed benefit of drinking "water" on weight loss include all (calorie free) liquids?? For example, I drink lots of fresh-brewed iced tea. I'm thinking it's the same benefit as plain water. Thoughts?

    Don't see why it wouldn't be.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    No effect. I drink almost nothing. I average under 2 cups total beverages a day, mostly milk. Maybe 3 if I do a two hour workout in the gym. Still lost all my weight at a steady pace, and have been maintaining for 4 months.
  • dizzieblondeuk
    dizzieblondeuk Posts: 286 Member
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    JMC3Terp wrote: »
    Is it drinking the water, or all the exercise you get running to pee?? :wink:

    This lol. I used to pee like once a day. Now I must pee at least ....6 or 7 times a day.
    Which is basically the upper end of the normal amount of times to pee per day! Once a day - not really! The way I look at it - your kidneys, when healthy, do a damn fine job of filtering out toxins in your blood, the least I can do is help them along a little by making sure they have adequate fluid to do their job! Here's the thing though, TOO MUCH water can actually reduce the kidneys' efficiency of toxin elimination!! So this whole theory of how much water you should drink (half your bodyweight etc) may actually be counterproductive. The extra water you drink doesn't stay in the body - it's eliminated in your urine - so increased urination! The figure I go by is 8 glasses/2 litres (for women) of ANY fluid per day. By the way, that's a generous figure, and probably takes most people slightly over their actual requirement, although the heavier you are, that number slightly increases.
  • brindym
    brindym Posts: 1 Member
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    The more water I drink and keep going through me, the faster I lose weight and keep it off. And I feel so much healthier all around.
  • slucki01
    slucki01 Posts: 284 Member
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    I don't know that it's had any direct affect. I do find that when I don't drink water I get fatigued and when I'm tired I tend to eat things I'd normally avoid. Sleep and water both seem to have an effect on my ability to stick with my plan.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    None. Eating less has been been the most important factor, followed by exercising more.
  • JMC3Terp
    JMC3Terp Posts: 2,803 Member
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    JMC3Terp wrote: »
    Is it drinking the water, or all the exercise you get running to pee?? :wink:

    This lol. I used to pee like once a day. Now I must pee at least ....6 or 7 times a day.
    Which is basically the upper end of the normal amount of times to pee per day! Once a day - not really! The way I look at it - your kidneys, when healthy, do a damn fine job of filtering out toxins in your blood, the least I can do is help them along a little by making sure they have adequate fluid to do their job! Here's the thing though, TOO MUCH water can actually reduce the kidneys' efficiency of toxin elimination!! So this whole theory of how much water you should drink (half your bodyweight etc) may actually be counterproductive. The extra water you drink doesn't stay in the body - it's eliminated in your urine - so increased urination! The figure I go by is 8 glasses/2 litres (for women) of ANY fluid per day. By the way, that's a generous figure, and probably takes most people slightly over their actual requirement, although the heavier you are, that number slightly increases.

    Completely agree that the half your body weight calculation isn't appropriate. I generally tell people 8 to 14 cups. That can change based on your activity level and weight though.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    You're not going to lose fat by drinking a ton of water. You lose fat by eating at a calorie deficit.

    Drinking plenty of water does help with hydration, of course, which is important for overall health. It also can help prevent overeating, because sometimes you feel hungry when you're actually dehydrated. It also helps keep water retention in check, especially if you take in a lot of sodium. But this is just water weight, not fat.

    There's no reason to go overboard like so many people do and drink 1, 2, or more gallons of water per day. Half your weight (in lbs) in ounces is a pretty decent rule. If you WANT to drink more, go for it, but don't expect to see a difference in your fat loss because of it.

    Also keep in mind that it's fluid intake that's important - it doesn't have to all be plain water. All fluids aside from soda and alcohol can be counted toward your intake. Coffee, tea, sparkling or flavored water, etc. Even water content in food, especially fruits and vegetables, also counts...but those aren't really trackable.
  • racheln2017
    racheln2017 Posts: 45 Member
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    I really haven't noticed a whole lot, except that water and green tea (which are pretty much the only things I drink besides the occasional coffee) keep me full longer and keep me from going back for seconds or overeating/snacking.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Hot off the press - New guideline from the sports medicine community:

    http://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Fulltext/2015/07000/Statement_of_the_ Third_International.2.aspx