Water - The benefits?

ClareWhittaker
ClareWhittaker Posts: 24
edited December 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!!

I am really bad at drinking a lot but thats because (excuse the personal info!) if I drink I am constantly peeing!! It seems to go straight through me. So this puts me off drinking a lot as obviously I dont wanna be on the toilet all day!

Just wondered what the benefits of drinking a lot are for weight loss and if I am causing myself harm by not doing so? I prob drink about 3-4 glasses a day. Sometimes I wont have one at all :s I just dont seem to get thirsty unless I'm working out.
«1

Replies

  • CWatermelon
    CWatermelon Posts: 146 Member
    Fat passes out of the body by peeing or sweating! If you don't drink enough water, you can't pass the fat :)
  • creature275
    creature275 Posts: 348 Member
    kindof a general rule of thumb is just drink enough to keep your piss clear and your pretty well hydrated
  • amanda3588
    amanda3588 Posts: 422 Member
    Flushes a lot of sodium out of your body. The more you drink, the less water weight you have. Plus, it does wonders for your skin.
  • ravenchick
    ravenchick Posts: 345 Member
    Fat passes out of the body by peeing or sweating! If you don't drink enough water, you can't pass the fat :)


    Fat actually turns into energy not pee or sweat. There are may reasons to drink a lot of water when you're trying to lose weight.

    Initial weight loss is largely due to loss of water, and you need to drink an adequate amount of water in order to avoid dehydration.

    The process of burning calories requires an adequate supply of water in order to function efficiently; dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.

    Burning calories creates toxins (think of the exhaust coming out of your car), and water plays a vital role in flushing them out of your body.

    Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume; a reduction in blood volume causes a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles; and a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles can make you feel tired.

    Water helps maintain muscle tone by assisting muscles in their ability to contract, and it lubricates your joints. Proper hydration can help reduce muscle and joint soreness when exercising.

    A healthy (weight loss) diet includes a good amount of fiber. But while fiber is normally helpful to your digestive system, without adequate fluids it can cause constipation instead of helping to eliminate it.

    Drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner and therefore satisfied eating less. Note, however, that drinking water alone may not have this effect. In order to feel satiated (not hungry), our bodies need bulk, calories and nutrients.
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.
  • creature275
    creature275 Posts: 348 Member
    Fat passes out of the body by peeing or sweating! If you don't drink enough water, you can't pass the fat :)

    the human body doesnt work that way you cant piss fat away or else everybody would just sit there and pound water all day long and get ripped, fat is how the body preserves energy for later use, is the primary source of fuel at rest and during low intensity excercise such as distance running at a moderate pace. of course theres much more that goes into it but its much more complex then just pissing fat out.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    Water suppresses the appetite (you'll stop confusing hunger and thirst), reduces cholesterol, hydrates your joints/muscles (muscle burns a few more calories), helps you digest food, helps organs to function regularly/properly, helps your body STOP retaining water by cleansing you (washes out toxins from body so you are lighter), etc...

    Of course those are JUST the benefits for weight loss....
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    kindof a general rule of thumb is just drink enough to keep your piss clear and your pretty well hydrated

    Straw yellow is fine. Clear is not necessary. But you're right, if your urine is clear to straw yellow, you are adequately hydrated. Most people don't need to drink more water than they naturally want to.
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    A great list has been posted already. From my experience, the most noticeable difference between days I get my 8 glasses and days I don't is my energy level. I never get fatigued when I'm well hydrated!
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    I used to be the same way, after a few weeks of constantly peeing my body adjusted and now I don't pee nearly as much but I drink between a 1/2 gallon to a gallon of water a day.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Almost no one is dehydrated in a first world country. If you're not thirsty and you're not ill, you're extremely unlikely to be dehydrated.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Fat passes out of the body by peeing or sweating! If you don't drink enough water, you can't pass the fat :)

    This is completely and totally false. You do not, under any circumstances, pee or sweat out fat. Ever.
  • maryb2374
    maryb2374 Posts: 137 Member
    Hello!!

    I am really bad at drinking a lot but thats because (excuse the personal info!) if I drink I am constantly peeing!! It seems to go straight through me. So this puts me off drinking a lot as obviously I dont wanna be on the toilet all day!

    Just wondered what the benefits of drinking a lot are for weight loss and if I am causing myself harm by not doing so? I prob drink about 3-4 glasses a day. Sometimes I wont have one at all :s I just dont seem to get thirsty unless I'm working out.

    For me, once I started increasing my water intake, I quit having to use the bathroom all the time. It took about a week, I think. Someone mentioned keeping your urine pale to clear and that's the way I make sure I am getting enough water. Also, if I don't get enough water, I feel so sluggish and my body hurts more.

    One thing I do is to drink a glass of water after using the bathroom. At first you don't want to do this because you're going all the time but once you get to going every 1.5-2 hours, it works well. If I need more than that, I drink more.

    Good luck! Drinking water helps so many things, IMO.
  • maryb2374
    maryb2374 Posts: 137 Member
    I used to be the same way, after a few weeks of constantly peeing my body adjusted and now I don't pee nearly as much but I drink between a 1/2 gallon to a gallon of water a day.

    Yes! What she said! :smile:
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Hello!!

    I am really bad at drinking a lot but thats because (excuse the personal info!) if I drink I am constantly peeing!! It seems to go straight through me. So this puts me off drinking a lot as obviously I dont wanna be on the toilet all day!

    Just wondered what the benefits of drinking a lot are for weight loss and if I am causing myself harm by not doing so? I prob drink about 3-4 glasses a day. Sometimes I wont have one at all :s I just dont seem to get thirsty unless I'm working out.

    The only benefits are those you see. There are no objective benefits--they are all subjective. If you are adequately hydrated, and almost everyone is, there is no benefit to additional water.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    A great list has been posted already. From my experience, the most noticeable difference between days I get my 8 glasses and days I don't is my energy level. I never get fatigued when I'm well hydrated!

    The 8X8 rule applies to all hydration, not just water you drink. The biggest part of food is water, and the water in food is part of that 8 glasses.

    I camp and carry dehydrated foods, that are rehydrated with boiling water. When I make a 1.25 cup bowl of beef stew, I have to add a full cup of water. IOW, beef stew is 80% water. Virtually every food is similar. Water mixed in things is still water as far as your body is concerned.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
  • silkysly
    silkysly Posts: 701 Member
    Humm....

    I am really bad at eating a lot but thats because (excuse the personal info!) if I eat I am constantly pooping!! It seems to go straight through me. So this puts me off eating a lot as obviously I dont wanna be on the toilet all day!

    Just wondered what the benefits of eating a lot are for weight loss and if I am causing myself harm by not doing so? I prob eat about 3-4 plates a day. Sometimes I wont have one at all :s I just dont seem to get hungry unless I'm working out.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If your urine is light to clear, then don't force more liquids. You could simply be eating a lot of foods with high water content. If your urine not light to clear, then you should drink more, or eat more foods with a high water content.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    I used to be the same way, after a few weeks of constantly peeing my body adjusted and now I don't pee nearly as much but I drink between a 1/2 gallon to a gallon of water a day.

    I'm a bladder cancer patient, and I can assure you, what goes in must come out. If you drink more you will pee more. Since my surgery left me incontinent, I have an acute awareness that if I consume more fluids, I use more adult incontinence products. (Yes, I wear diapers. Feel free to laugh.)
  • ravenchick
    ravenchick Posts: 345 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Almost no one is dehydrated in a first world country. If you're not thirsty and you're not ill, you're extremely unlikely to be dehydrated.

    I don't agree with this....75% of North Americans are dehydrated. Read this article. http://stevemark122000.hubpages.com/hub/Dehydration-Affects-More-than-270-Million-People-in-North-America
  • vesperpt
    vesperpt Posts: 44 Member
    My general rule of thumb is to get a litre of water in before lunchtime, at the very least. I have a busy work day, so in between clients I can scoot to the staff room and drink some water. It keeps me going on crazy crazy days!
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Too much water can be equally harmful. Everything in moderation!

    And I think you mean bladder infections. Kidney infections aren't common, period.
  • stacy_7171
    stacy_7171 Posts: 21
    From the Web site: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/nutrition-diet-weight-loss/nutrition-and-diet-tips


    It is vitally important to drink plenty of water as part of a healthy diet to nourish the entire body, which is comprised of about 60% to 70% water. Drinking water to stay well hydrated allows nutrients to travel to the major organs in the body, helps remove waste and helps protect joints and organs.

    Water is also important for the spine and back. For example, intervertebral discs consist largely of water (at birth, discs are about eighty percent water, although this usually declines with age). Therefore, keeping the body well hydrated by drinking water regularly is important to nourish the spinal discs and help keep them healthy.

    It is generally recommended to drink at least 8 large glasses of water each day as part of a healthy diet. In addition, it is important to drink water continuously through the day rather than drinking only when thirsty. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated also helps with maintaining optimal weight or achieving weight loss as necessary.

    ______________________________

    My two cents:

    1.) I'm not a fan of flavored water, so I use a lemon or lime wedge to flavor the water. It adds a little kick to the water.

    2.) You will urinate frequently initially, but it does taper off. For me, the frequency decreased within a week or two.
  • paleotony
    paleotony Posts: 1
    Did anyone here mention metabolism?? Every chemical reaction in the body requires water and one of them (the breakdown of fat) is important. Drink more water, improve your ability to break down fat. Increasing lean muscle mass slightly will help
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Almost no one is dehydrated in a first world country. If you're not thirsty and you're not ill, you're extremely unlikely to be dehydrated.

    I don't agree with this....75% of North Americans are dehydrated. Read this article. http://stevemark122000.hubpages.com/hub/Dehydration-Affects-More-than-270-Million-People-in-North-America

    The Mayo Clinic says differently. What makes this guy with a blog a more credible expert than the Mayo Clinic on medical issues?
  • ravenchick
    ravenchick Posts: 345 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Almost no one is dehydrated in a first world country. If you're not thirsty and you're not ill, you're extremely unlikely to be dehydrated.

    I don't agree with this....75% of North Americans are dehydrated. Read this article. http://stevemark122000.hubpages.com/hub/Dehydration-Affects-More-than-270-Million-People-in-North-America

    The Mayo Clinic says differently. What makes this guy with a blog a more credible expert than the Mayo Clinic on medical issues?


    Well you seem to know everything, so everyone should just listen to you!
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    From the Web site: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/nutrition-diet-weight-loss/nutrition-and-diet-tips


    It is vitally important to drink plenty of water as part of a healthy diet to nourish the entire body, which is comprised of about 60% to 70% water. Drinking water to stay well hydrated allows nutrients to travel to the major organs in the body, helps remove waste and helps protect joints and organs.

    Water is also important for the spine and back. For example, intervertebral discs consist largely of water (at birth, discs are about eighty percent water, although this usually declines with age). Therefore, keeping the body well hydrated by drinking water regularly is important to nourish the spinal discs and help keep them healthy.

    It is generally recommended to drink at least 8 large glasses of water each day as part of a healthy diet. In addition, it is important to drink water continuously through the day rather than drinking only when thirsty. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated also helps with maintaining optimal weight or achieving weight loss as necessary.

    ______________________________

    My two cents:

    1.) I'm not a fan of flavored water, so I use a lemon or lime wedge to flavor the water. It adds a little kick to the water.

    2.) You will urinate frequently initially, but it does taper off. For me, the frequency decreased within a week or two.

    Actually, the average woman needs 2.2 liters (about 9 8 ounce cups--men need more like 13 cups) of water from all sources to be healthy. That includes water in food and all beverages.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
  • stacy_7171
    stacy_7171 Posts: 21


    My two cents:

    1.) I'm not a fan of flavored water, so I use a lemon or lime wedge to flavor the water. It adds a little kick to the water.


    Clarification: I'm not a fan of *plain* water (although I am getting used to it.)
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Your body is made up of a large amount of water. It needs it to function properly. Too little water can be harmful in many ways. Kidney infections are common when not enough water is consumed. Your body also retains water when it is not getting enough. This causes you to swell and hold on to water weight.

    Almost no one is dehydrated in a first world country. If you're not thirsty and you're not ill, you're extremely unlikely to be dehydrated.

    I don't agree with this....75% of North Americans are dehydrated. Read this article. http://stevemark122000.hubpages.com/hub/Dehydration-Affects-More-than-270-Million-People-in-North-America

    The Mayo Clinic says differently. What makes this guy with a blog a more credible expert than the Mayo Clinic on medical issues?


    Well you seem to know everything, so everyone should just listen to you!

    I cite sources that are considered medical experts. Why not answer the question? What are this guy's credentials that make his information more credible than the Mayo Clinic's?
  • Wow thanks for all the info guys. It seems I should really up my intake just for overall health reasons anyway. I'll just have to spend a week on the toilet lol :)
This discussion has been closed.