Why Drinking Water is Important

megandreyer95 · February 2016

Does drinking a good amount of water every day help you lose weight?

jaga13 · February 2016

Short answer is no

Long answer is maybe.
I've always been a huge water drinker and never did it help me lose weight.

Now, if you are dehydrated, you may mistake thirst for hunger so in that case simply drinking water may make you realize you're not actually hungry. Also dehydration makes you retain water, causing bloat.
Finally, if you are drinking your calories all day (soda, juice, coffee with stuff in it) and you ditch them for water then sure you will be taking in less calories and therefore should lose weight.

None of these scenarios have ever applied to me since water was always my primary drink but maybe it could apply to you.

kimny72 · February 2016

jaga13 wrote: »

Short answer is no

Long answer is maybe.
I've always been a huge water drinker and never did it help me lose weight.

Now, if you are dehydrated, you may mistake thirst for hunger so in that case simply drinking water may make you realize you're not actually hungry. Also dehydration makes you retain water, causing bloat.
Finally, if you are drinking your calories all day (soda, juice, coffee with stuff in it) and you ditch them for water then sure you will be taking in less calories and therefore should lose weight.

None of these scenarios have ever applied to me since water was always my primary drink but maybe it could apply to you.

+1

I've heard people say you need to drink water to wash out the extra fat or toxins or whatever, and that's an old wives tale. But drinking water instead of calories can help you get in a deficit, and I have heard that sometimes when you think you are hungry, you might really be dehydrated, though I've never experienced that.

Water is essential for many bodily functions, so it's good for your health to stay properly hydrated. But it won't help you lose extra weight.

ottermotorcycle · February 2016

Drinking enough water gives you more energy and helps your body run more efficiently - so I would actually say, in a roundabout way, it does help you lose weight. Beyond tricky hunger cues and physical feelings of fullness, you're probably more bright and alert when you're hydrated, which helps you burn more calories and keeps you motivated.

lorrpb · February 2016

Drinking water will help your body NOT retain "water weight". It knows it's getting enough "real" water, so it doesn't have to hang on to any extra.

HavtaLose · February 2016

For my body, i can say that if i dont drink enough water, i don't lose. I can be in a deficit and still not lose if i haven't drunk enough water (min 100 oz).

samchez0 · February 2016

I don't think you need to but I've found it extremely helpful in helping me lose weight. I've been on and off the bandwagon so many times but I think the real difference this time is the amount of water I'm drinking. I feel full longer and I'm not snacking as much on crap. I believe it's helped curb a lot of my cravings including my Pepsi addiction. So I'm a huge proponent of drink more water.

sharde8691 · February 2016

Yes, when you are hydrated your body digest food much better. It also helps get rid of water weight.

emdeesea · February 2016

Like someone already said, slight dehydration can be mistaken for hunger, so people eat when in reality they are dehydrated. It's the body's sneaky way to maintain fluids.

So drink more water and you will better control your hunger = better able to lose weight.

Lizzypb88 · February 2016

For me- yes!!
I was at a plateau and I decided to take up drinking more water, didn't change my diet and never had anything else but water and drank 60-80oz a day and lost 4 pounds that week! Water is known to increase your metabolism, flush out toxins, and when you're expecting your period drink drink drink and you won't gain as much before you get it! It definitely works for me... After awhile though my weight stabilized so I would say it helps you out initially, and I'm sure it still helps I think but not dramatically, there's many benefits to drinking water

bendyourkneekatie · February 2016

ebaroldy wrote: »

Water is known to increase your metabolism, flush out toxins

How does it increase your metabolism? And what toxins does it flush out?

Christine_72 · February 2016

katem999 wrote: »

ebaroldy wrote: »

Water is known to increase your metabolism, flush out toxins

How does it increase your metabolism? And what toxins does it flush out?

There used to be a common and stubborn myth that drinking copious amounts of water helped flush out your fat and along with it, the toxins accumulated in said fat... :huh:

alittlelife14 · February 2016

I find it helps me out personally a lot. Helps me not mistake thirst for hunger which I am very prone to doing as well as makes me feel overall more just like clean and flushes out excess sodium as well.

WishfulThinking0 · February 2016

sarsather wrote: »

I find it helps me out personally a lot. Helps me not mistake thirst for hunger which I am very prone to doing as well as makes me feel overall more just like clean and flushes out excess sodium as well.

This.

Also helps me avoid drinking otherwise sugary drinks.

ElizabethOakes2 · February 2016

Some time, ask me about severe kidney infection stemming from dehydration. Kidneys like water. It helps them to work properly. Hard lesson adequately learned!

paperpudding · February 2016

I think it is reasonable to say water helps flush out toxins - not in a magic woo sort of way, but, as PP said, kidneys do need water to work properly and dehydration can lead to UTI's and kidney infections and kidneys do eliminate toxins via your urinary system. .