The Secret ------- Debunked!

How many of us have in our lives or even said it ourselves about weight loss, "the secret it there is no secret"----that statement has been debunked!!!!!!!!!!! I know I have but I can tell you for certain right now there is a secret and lossing weight is not all about what you eat. I have lost 114 lbs. so believe me I have been through the trails that most of you either have or are going through. After going back and looking at MFP diary I made some fantastic discoveries. You would think the weeks I lost the most weights is when I stuck to my diet close and worked out a lot right? So very wrong............What I mean is those things are very important and should be done but there was something that stuck out even more so then the diet and workout observation. It was mearly water. I have dieted weeks at a time having great results and as soon as my intake of water would decrease so did my weight loss (Even if I did everything the same)!!!!!!!!!! So I decided to put this to the test and low and behold I stuck true to my diet and workout schedule but really decreased my water intake to about 40 ounces per day. I was stuck for about 5 weeks and no matter what I did I would stay the same (withing 1 lb.). After doing some reasearch on water consumption and dieting I discovered that your body weight divided by 2 is the amount of water needed to really make a diffrence while dieting. After only 5 days guess what happened? I was down 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now just in case you are one of those people that do the math and figure you need to drink 150 ounces of water per day and feel like getting it out of the way all up front, DONT!!!!!! This can hurt you and certainly is not good for you to do in any circumstance. In order to get the full benifit of water intake it needs to be consistant throughout the day and not all at the same time. I have put a lot of time and research into this so if anyone has had results that differ (not a few days worth but enough time to count) from this please let me know or better yet if anyone has had similier results post it so everyone can read it................So next time someone asked what the secret it............you can tell them the real deal...........WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for reading everyone. Stay healthy and live long!!!
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Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Water is indeed an important part of WEIGHT loss. (FAT loss works differently)

    Water helps clear out sodium in the body (Initially the sodium will make you retain more water, causing you to weight more, but then will flush the excess sodium out). Without enough water, the sodium doesn't get fully flushed out and/or used, and thus the weight stays.
  • I went to my alternative health professionals last Tuesday (for theraputic Massage and Accupunture treatment for a bad neck) and they said the exact same thing! I was shocked! I was skeptical (I don't know why, they never steered me wrong) but with your experience, I am going to do that! 264lbs today. That means what, 132 oz a day! Heading to the Water Fountain right now to fill the 32 oz cup! About 4 of them shoud do me right! Also be heading to the bathroom a lot but what the heck? Thanks for your experineces. I hope to report back with the same experineces!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    I went to my alternative health professionals last Tuesday (for theraputic Massage and Accupunture treatment for a bad neck) and they said the exact same thing! I was shocked! I was skeptical (I don't know why, they never steered me wrong) but with your experience, I am going to do that! 264lbs today. That means what, 132 oz a day! Heading to the Water Fountain right now to fill the 32 oz cup! About 4 of them shoud do me right! Also be heading to the bathroom a lot but what the heck? Thanks for your experineces. I hope to report back with the same experineces!

    Drinking water also helps prevent eating more. Many times the body feels hunger when it is dehydrated. Simply drinking water at 0 calories solves this, but many people eat food instead.
  • I am going to try it even though I have an Enlarged Prostate which causes me to releive myself a lot. THat would be the lesser of the two evils for me! :smile:
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    Yes the trips to the bathroom get annoying at first I must say however your body gets used to it and tappers off just like normal. So don't think that making that run the bathroom every 5 minutes will last forever but heck it got you moving lol
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    WALL_OF_TEXT.jpg

    Paragraphs = good
  • Yes the trips to the bathroom get annoying at first I must say however your body gets used to it and tappers off just like normal. So don't think that making that run the bathroom every 5 minutes will last forever but heck it got you moving lol

    True!!! LOL
  • AlyssaWannabe
    AlyssaWannabe Posts: 13 Member
    Great point, water is a wonderful tool for weight loss, and for good health in general.

    Congrats on all of your success!
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    Thanks!!!!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    After doing some reasearch on water consumption and dieting I discovered that your body weight divided by 2 is the amount of water needed to really make a diffrence while dieting. After only 5 days guess what happened? I was down 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If there was a magic water intake value that worked for all people to lose weight, the world would have no weight problems. And the laws of thermodynamics would be debunked, wouldn't they?
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    There are people on here every day saying, "help I can't lose weight, also I drink gallons of water a day!"
  • BABetter1
    BABetter1 Posts: 618 Member
    I recently figured out the same thing. After upping my water intake, the pounds would start falling off. As soon as I started slacking on the water, the scale would not budge. Totally agree with everything you said.
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    After doing some reasearch on water consumption and dieting I discovered that your body weight divided by 2 is the amount of water needed to really make a diffrence while dieting. After only 5 days guess what happened? I was down 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If there was a magic water intake value that worked for all people to lose weight, the world would have no weight problems. And the laws of thermodynamics would be debunked, wouldn't they?

    This.

    While I will never say water is not important, just drinking it isn't a panacea. I've never had a problem with drinking water, and for as long as I can remember I generally always drink at minimum a gallon of it a day. And for years, not only did I not lose weight, but I steadily gained (while drinking plenty of water and exercising). It wasn't until I turned my eye to my actual diet that the weight started coming off.

    So in my opinion, water is part of the "holy trinity" of effective body transformation. Exercise-Diet-Water.

    Just my 2 cents...
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    After doing some reasearch on water consumption and dieting I discovered that your body weight divided by 2 is the amount of water needed to really make a diffrence while dieting. After only 5 days guess what happened? I was down 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If there was a magic water intake value that worked for all people to lose weight, the world would have no weight problems. And the laws of thermodynamics would be debunked, wouldn't they?

    This. While I will never say water is not important, just drinking it isn't a panacea. I've never had a problem with drinking water, and for as long as I can remember I generally always drink at minimum a gallon of it a day. And for years, not only did I not lose weight, but I steadily gained (while drinking plenty of water and exercising). It wasn't until I turned my eye to my actual diet that the weight started coming off.

    So in my opinion, water is part of the "holy trinity" of effective body transformation. Exercise-Diet-Water.

    Just my 2 cents...
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    I would say it is a bit of magic......Everyone has internal organs and staying properly hydrated helps ensure that they are working at the optium levels along with your metabolisim :)
  • ambermichk
    ambermichk Posts: 108 Member
    There are people on here every day saying, "help I can't lose weight, also I drink gallons of water a day!"

    maybe they are flushing down cake with the water !! LOL i notice i eat a lot when i am thirsty, going to bump my water intake up and see if it helps !!!
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    I hear that a lot myself but after looking into either their diet and exersise programs the problem is usually pretty clear but not for everyone you are right about that. There are people that are resistant to lossing weight possiably because of other heath issues :)
  • NikkiSixGuns
    NikkiSixGuns Posts: 630 Member
    I noticed the same trend. No matter how diligent I was about sticking to my calorie intake and eating all the "right" foods, the scale moved ever so slowly. Ramp up the fluids and the weight shed more quickly!

    Whatever the reason and whether or not there really is a cause & effect relationship, I know that I always feel loads better when I'm hydrated. Helps with cravings, too.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    After doing some reasearch on water consumption and dieting I discovered that your body weight divided by 2 is the amount of water needed to really make a diffrence while dieting. After only 5 days guess what happened? I was down 8 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If there was a magic water intake value that worked for all people to lose weight, the world would have no weight problems. And the laws of thermodynamics would be debunked, wouldn't they?

    This. While I will never say water is not important, just drinking it isn't a panacea. I've never had a problem with drinking water, and for as long as I can remember I generally always drink at minimum a gallon of it a day. And for years, not only did I not lose weight, but I steadily gained (while drinking plenty of water and exercising). It wasn't until I turned my eye to my actual diet that the weight started coming off.

    So in my opinion, water is part of the "holy trinity" of effective body transformation. Exercise-Diet-Water.

    Just my 2 cents...

    But that's what the OP said. He said eating right and exercising are important, but you also have to have water.
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    I totally agree...............and my paragraph I orginally posted was intended for folks who know their diet and exersice programs are in check. Good response!!!!!!
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    I couldn't agree more!!!!!!
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    I could not agree more!!!!!!!!!! ( Not sure why it put it as a reply lol)

    I noticed the same trend. No matter how diligent I was about sticking to my calorie intake and eating all the "right" foods, the scale moved ever so slowly. Ramp up the fluids and the weight shed more quickly!

    Whatever the reason and whether or not there really is a cause & effect relationship, I know that I always feel loads better when I'm hydrated. Helps with cravings, too.
  • Just thought of a Question....What about Sweating out the water we ingest? do we know how much is needed to replenish? Should I add to the 2X my body weight?
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    Nope the orginal formula is calcuating loss from sweat from working out (Aprox. 2 hours at the gym)

    Just thought of a Question....What about Sweating out the water we ingest? do we know how much is needed to replenish? Should I add to the 2X my body weight?
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292

    But that's what the OP said. He said eating right and exercising are important, but you also have to have water.

    mea culpa, I must have mis-read that part. Sorry OP!!!!
  • NoSpandex
    NoSpandex Posts: 54
    Common sense and all things in moderation. If you are thirsty, drink. If not, don't. Drinking more water than your body needs is harmful

    http://drbenkim.com/drink-too-much-water-dangerous.html
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    Just thought of a Question....What about Sweating out the water we ingest? do we know how much is needed to replenish? Should I add to the 2X my body weight?

    I am a huge sweater and I sweat like a stuck pig. Before I do exercises or work outside in the yard, etc I generally weigh myself before and then after. Whatever is lost, I then drink it back.

    It's probably a bit extreme for most people, but it's not uncommon for me to sweat off 6 lbs working outside on a Saturday (I live in Tx). With that kind of fluid loss, if I don't replace it quickly, my body will go out of whack for days.
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    Very true water aphixation can be very dangereous that is why I metioned don't drink it all at the same time lol. However most Americans do not drink enough water even if they look healthy and fit so drinking when we are thirsty only has been proven for years not work. Its just like our diets, we have to work on them and track our results!!!!!!!!

    Common sense and all things in moderation. If you are thirsty, drink. If not, don't. Drinking more water than your body needs is harmful

    http://drbenkim.com/drink-too-much-water-dangerous.html
  • BSBgirl337
    BSBgirl337 Posts: 119 Member
    This is good advice and worth a try. Anything that makes losing weight easier is worth trying! I don't know why some people are so negative on here. Thanks for the advice :)
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
    Was just thinking the exact same thing yesterday so your post is right on time. Thanks for taking the time :)