Water & Weight Loss!!

Metamorphasis555
Metamorphasis555 Posts: 224
edited November 10 in Health and Weight Loss
Trying to motivate myself to drink more water as lately I only seem to be averaging anywhere between 3 to 5 cups of water per day. I DO drink other beverages on a daily basis but I'm talking about PURE WATER when I say 3 to 5 cups of water a day.

Do you find that the days/weeks you make a concerted effort to drink more water that you see a better loss on the scale that week?? Just wondering how much drinking lots of water really helps with weight loss. Sometimes I think that the number I see on the scale everyday might automatically be at least 1 or 2 lbs lighter if I'd been drinking more water to help flush out excess sodium, etc.
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Replies

  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
    I don't think you'd see 1 or 2 pounds per day from drinking water, but I know that when I drink enough water I feel significantly less bloated.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    I tend to drink anywhere from 3 - 4.5 litres of water a day... sometimes more.. sometimes a bit less. I know it helps my weight loss however it won't cause a 2lb a week loss.

    Water flushes out toxins, sodium, and helps all your organs and cells function. It also helps you from overeating. A lot of the time when we feel hunger it's because we are thirsty.
  • kreat
    kreat Posts: 136
    I actually drink about 1 Gallon of water a day. Maybe more. Just depends on what I want to drink. I hardly ever drink anything else. Soooo.... Maybe I'm drinking too much water???
  • AmoreCouture
    AmoreCouture Posts: 255 Member
    Just keep making yourself drink it, and you will begin to drink more. Your thirst will adjust. I used to manage only a few cups a day, and now I can get anywhere between 10-16 cups.
    I also cut out all soda, except for every once in a while.
  • adeleearls
    adeleearls Posts: 14 Member
    I drink about 1 gallon a day too. I have a handy jug I got from Walmart that holds 74 ounces. Coupled with one 20 bottle H20 on the way into work and one on the way home, that's just about a gallon. I notice I feel tremendously better when I drink all my water. I feel less blaoted, lighter, lessweighted down and it helps with regulsarity...especially since all these fruits and veggies are new to my system - go fiber! I don't know who much the scale truly accounts for the increase in water - but overall water is one of the best and healthiest choices you can make.
    You're doing great - just stay hydrated to a reasonable level and you'll feel great!
  • TigersFanHoosierMama
    TigersFanHoosierMama Posts: 44
    I drink based on thirst and it ends up being a good 1 gallon a day. However I'm a pretty big girl ... guessing I just need more. For me I don't know if it actually helps with weight loss as in shedding pounds as much as it does just keep me from feeling bloated (don't see it on the scale but FEEL it in my jeans). It also seems to help my energy levels and food cravings.

    One thing I do often (found this on pinterest) is I make flavored waters. Lately it's rasberry green tea, (decaf) with lemon juice (and for me a little sweetner, some prefer sugar - whatever you feel but it's just a tiny amount). I love this so much I make it by the gallon lately. Or another trick is to slice some lemon and put the slices in a muffin pan, fill with water and then viola - flavored ice cubes. I guess I'm one of the ones who doesn't like tons of water straight up.

    I also don't ever drink juices or sodas (never have - even before I feared the health risks it was a financial thing - that stuff gets expensive!). I do love my coffee though. I know, I know. But I don't count it as water :)
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    Yes! Drinking water really does help.

    I focused the other day on drinking a cup of water every hour on the hour while I was at work... That day I drank 10+ glasses of water and the next day I was a pound less! :)
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    I struggle to drink 3-4. My weight has been at a stand . I upped my water to 8 glasses this week and lost 4lbs. No stopping me drinking it all now. I have to drink a pint at a time as ill forget to keep sipping. I've been so full too, really helped me with my appetite x
  • katcod1522
    katcod1522 Posts: 448 Member
    more water (10 glasses a day of 8 oz each) and 25 minutes of strength training broken into five 5 min sessions thru the day got me over a hump. Just a thought.
  • weightloss12345678
    weightloss12345678 Posts: 377 Member
    least do 64 ozs a day especially if you are doing cardio
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Yes! Drinking water really does help.

    I focused the other day on drinking a cup of water every hour on the hour while I was at work... That day I drank 10+ glasses of water and the next day I was a pound less! :)
    A rooster crows every morning.
    The sun comes up every morning.
    The sun comes up because the rooster crows.

    That's the "correlation is not causation" fallacy.

    I have no doubt that what you're reporting is true but there's no medical evidence, that I've been able to find, that drinking water, in an of itself, has an impact on weight loss in a properly hydrated individual. If you know of a source, please share it! :smile:
  • phatgirl30
    phatgirl30 Posts: 30
    water loss, and weight loss is all LOSS to me(giggle). I feel smaller and lighter when receiving either one:tongue:
  • t3hsandy
    t3hsandy Posts: 54 Member
    I have a 24 ounce container I carry with me almost every day. I put myself on a schedule, much like a workout one, to keep me on track. I start my first 24-ounce from when I wake up until lunch. After I've eaten lunch, I need to have it finished and re-filled for 24-ounce #2. For #2, I aim to have it done before I get home. If I don't, I drink the rest during dinner. After dinner, I workout, so I fill it up again for #3 and drink it during and after the workout. I have nothing but water to drink Mon-Fri, exclusively. On Saturday and Sunday, I may allow myself a glass or so of soda if I'm going out to eat with my parents. But weekdays are water exclusive.
  • rainbowbuggy
    rainbowbuggy Posts: 320
    Yes! Drinking water really does help.

    I focused the other day on drinking a cup of water every hour on the hour while I was at work... That day I drank 10+ glasses of water and the next day I was a pound less! :)
    A rooster crows every morning.
    The sun comes up every morning.
    The sun comes up because the rooster crows.

    That's the "correlation is not causation" fallacy.

    I have no doubt that what you're reporting is true but there's no medical evidence, that I've been able to find, that drinking water, in an of itself, has an impact on weight loss in a properly hydrated individual. If you know of a source, please share it! :smile:


    Really? I don't think anyone is saying its a MEDICALLY PROVEN fact. Is a given, if you eat a higher sodium diet then you SHOULD drink more water. MFP says to drink atleast 8 glasses of water a day. Other articles that I have read says to drink HALF your weight. I personally drink 16-25 glasses a day depending on how much sodium I took in or how thristy I am. And if its a workout day. You can't go wrong with drinking water. Its good for some many other things other then just flushing out sodium.
  • eve7166
    eve7166 Posts: 218 Member
    Drinking cold water (iced water) is great for you! It takes your body calories to heat it up (probably not alot) but hey something is something and its good for you to keep flushing water out so it doesnt stay in your system. When you are losing weight water will stay in your body to take up the space of the fat you are losing (body thinks its starving) so if you keep drinking water it helps flush it. You can drink other stuff too just make sure it doesnt have sodium or it can actually help retain water instead of losing it.
  • Angie1215
    Angie1215 Posts: 125 Member
    http://timeforfitness.com/?p=352

    this is the best article of drinking water and weight loss!!
    i always have my water bottle with me, you'd be surprised at how much u can drink without even realizing if you have a water bottle with you most of the time.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I actually drink about 1 Gallon of water a day. Maybe more. Just depends on what I want to drink. I hardly ever drink anything else. Soooo.... Maybe I'm drinking too much water???

    I also aim for a gallon, this is great advice.

    Remember with water weight that a gallon of water weighs around 8lbs, and our water fluctuates day to day, and sometimes without rhyme or reason.

    Moral of the story is tell the scale to kiss your *kitten*.
  • Betty0212
    Betty0212 Posts: 3 Member
    I really haven't been drinking water a lot and maybe thats why I'm not seeing the wt come off as fast. How much is enough
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Drinking water really doesn't make you lose weight, but it can help you do a few things; not drink you calories by having other beverages and fill you up more so you don't splurge on additional calories. Here is a quote from webMD

    "This doesn't mean that good old H2O is a magic potion, but that drinking water may help people shed pounds for the simple reason that it has no calories and fills up the stomach, making people less hungry."


    http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100823/water-may-be-a-secret-weapon-in-weight-loss
  • Peg5678
    Peg5678 Posts: 15
    Russelllb97 -- I love your last sentence!!!!
  • danibabs
    danibabs Posts: 298 Member
    Yes. I weigh in on Mondays and if I slack off on water on the weekend --- the only time I have a problem getting at least 100 oz :( --- then I don't lose as much as the weekends I drink more water.
    Even if I my eating for the week wasn't as hot as other weeks. I mean, there are tons of variables I'm sure but last week I had an awesome week. Then Saturday I worked out really hard, Sunday had a spike day but I do this every Sunday, and didn't get enough water either day. Monday I had gained 1.8 lbs from the last week. I did a check on Tuesday and I'd lost 3 lbs from Monday...I blame the lack of weekend water.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Water is my "magic pill" in weight loss. I will drink at least 100 ounces every day. If I don't drink it, I have all sorts of problems occur, not just a lack of weight loss. I feel better, I get fewer headaches, I'm "regular", my complexion clears, and I get less bloated at that TOM! It's the best diet drink out there!

    And I don't care what people say about it's not medically true. I've never heard a doctor actually say you SHOULDN'T drink 8, 8oz. glasses every day. And my doctor is proud of me for drinking so much water because, in her words, "It's good for you!"
  • ceecee368
    ceecee368 Posts: 21 Member
    I definitely focus on drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. I just carry a 1L water bottle around with me everywhere I go, and then I fill it up when I finish it. It has definitely made a difference for me every time I've tried to lose weight. You retain less water and you also feel more full.
  • 5em9
    5em9 Posts: 9
    The best thing I find about drinking lots of water is how quickly my skin clears up!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Drink when you're thirsty, and keep sodium:potassium ratio in check. Forcing water down your gullet doesn't help anything.
  • cyndigre
    cyndigre Posts: 31 Member
    I do feel like it makes a difference. I have not been drinking water like i was and my weight loss has stalled. I started to get back on the ole water wagon today and i have peed more than I have in a week! I think it is going to help because I already don't feel as bloated.
  • shellyt1
    shellyt1 Posts: 119
    The easiest way I found on getting my water in is having liter bottles and just refill them from my tap and have the ready. Excerise will make you thristy also so it is easy to get water then.
  • bricktowngal
    bricktowngal Posts: 206
    No, I don't see a difference in weight loss. I just pee a lot more!:drinker:
  • bevskiwolf
    bevskiwolf Posts: 296 Member

    Moral of the story is tell the scale to kiss your *kitten*.

    Another reason to adore you!! ♥
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Drink when you're thirsty, and keep sodium:potassium ratio in check. Forcing water down your gullet doesn't help anything.

    If you feel thirst, you're already dehydrated. That's what I've always read. Most people go around moderately dehydrated in their daily lives, that's why there is a guideline.

    Yes, you get a lot of moisture from food. So if you're eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables you don't need to drink quite as much.
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