Does water really make a difference?

Options
2

Replies

  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    Options
    yes it makes a huge difference most especially to your kidneys which can be damaged by not drinking enough fluids. I learned this the hard way when my doctor thought I was on the brink of kidney failure because I had too much protein in my pee when all the tests were done it was that I wasn't drinking enough (which could still lead to kidney damage). For me water and food are sometimes a trade off, if I drink too much liquid I lose my hunger and feel full but after that scare I'm more careful about making sure if I don't get 64 oz I get as close as I can.
  • Mistyblu08
    Mistyblu08 Posts: 580 Member
    Options
    I was recently told by a nurse that it actually doesn't matter if you drink 8 cups of water a day, that as long as you're eating plenty of fruit & vegetables that you're getting all the liquids you need.

    I have a really hard time drinking anything, let alone water. I just don't think to do it and I don't like how full it makes me feel. I could probably put myself on a schedule of some kind, like a glass of water per hour if I knew it would really help my weight loss...

    This is actually what I was taught while I was in nursing school too, but I don't follow it myself. It's also important to note that "8 glasses a day" is a guideline and every individual is different. Fruits and veggies may be enough for a 120 pound woman who is in A/C and isn't working hard, but on hot days where you are sweating, or during your exercising, a few strawberries won't be enough to replenish yourself.

    I had to put myself on a water schedule as well at first, but after a while it becomes second nature. If you don't like the taste, you can add flavor. I use tea bags, mint and fresh fruit sometimes to add a little flavor to my water. There is also those Mio flavors that a lot of people like, too.


    I heard ....somewhere lol.....that the MIO flavorings cause health issues....I would do some checking before using it.
  • sjdoman
    sjdoman Posts: 81 Member
    Options
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/190628-water
    This link is to a good post about why water is important for weight loss.
  • Digby
    Digby Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    I was told years ago that if you are 'thirsty' that you are already dehydrated. I am a water hound and always have been. When exercising I drink so much water and I've had people look at me strange for wearing a fuel belt for a 5km run. I like water, it helps me. I have no idea if it makes a difference but I feel better hydrated. When I feel better I make better decisions (in life and food choices) so for me it makes a HUGE difference.
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Options
    Yes, huge, huge difference. If you're used to not drinking enough, it'll take your body a little while to adjust to the change, but it's well worth it in the long run. I drink between 2 and 4 liters of water every day, depending on how much exercise I've done.
  • Mistyblu08
    Mistyblu08 Posts: 580 Member
    Options
    Sorry - but the drink real water every day is a myth - you can get it from coffee, vegetables, food, etc.

    I think the research was supported by the bottled water companies

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

    http://www.npr.org/2008/04/03/89323934/five-myths-about-drinking-water


    anything that is caffeine or carbonated actually dehydrates you.....and I am not sure that it would neccesarily rid you of toxins at that point.....I know my moms doc told her the same thing ...that coffee and diet sodas were just as good as water....I dont believe that....maybe because its been drilled into my head for so long but I know personally I feel better when I drink water rather than those other alternatives :)
  • _Elemenopee_
    _Elemenopee_ Posts: 2,665 Member
    Options
    For me it has made a big difference.

    In all honesty, if you're looking for ppl to tell you you don't need to drink because you don't want to, then you already have YOUR answer. No answer is right or wrong. Try what works for you. Trial and error. If drinking little to no water has helped you then great. If drinking 8-15 glasses has helped, then also great. Try both for a a few weeks and see how YOU feel and what differences you notice.

    Best of luck to you!
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    Options
    yep, sure does! Let me count the ways!!

    1) you feel fuller so you eat (or overeat) less
    2) it flushes out toxins ---- and extra sodium that makes you retain water and therefore weigh more
    3) when strength training your muscles get broken down and "repaired" - to repair properly they need and hold water.
  • GnochhiGnomes
    GnochhiGnomes Posts: 348 Member
    Options
    I don't think you need to drink pure water, that's a lie. You can drink herbal teas, coffee, juice and get your recommended water intake per day.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    Options
    Drinking water will not help you lose weight. That is an old myth. However you should drink it anyway for other reasons. Your body needs it. I drink a lot because I'm outside in the heat. I don't even track my water because I know it's more than 8 glasses a day unless I don't have any work some days. I fill up a half gallon container when I leave and fill it up at a few houses I visit too.

    It will make a difference in how you feel. A lot of people are dehydrated and don't realize it. I live in a hot climate so drinking water is natural.

    If you don't like plain water drink tea. Soda's are bad for you, yet I love diet coke. I will not buy any to bring to home, just have one when i'm out every now and then.

    Water just helps everything in your body function properly. We are supposed to drink it. There are no rivers or oceans full of sodas.
  • cvthatcher
    cvthatcher Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    from my experience, i usually feel better with it, and it doesn't take any special effort to achieve that 8 cups. i have one of those camelbak bottles with the "bite valve" that's fun to chew on so i drink a lot...haha. if i do exercise in any way, i usually exceed 8 cups. it helps me avoid mindless snacking or cravings, sort of like replacing the oral fixation of eating chips with sipping on water. and i love crystal light, and powerade zero.

    if you exercise outside in texas in the summertime at pretty much anytime of the day, drinking a lot of water is pretty much essential for your survival. i went on an hour and a half bike ride in 106 degrees a couple of days ago and i wished i had brought more than my 750ml!

    in the past i didn't drink as much, and i was drinking a lot more diet coke. i think i just generally feel better when it's none or just a little diet coke/other soda and the rest water, whether or not that better "feeling" is reflected on the scale

    yes i know, i shouldn't drink diet sodas at all...blah
  • ayug79
    ayug79 Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    :happy: I noticed when I don't drink enough water I feel tired and sluggish. So for me water is a necessary part of my day.
  • puffidredz
    puffidredz Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    i've always hated drinking water; i thought it was gross because it had no taste so i would drink water probably about 2-3 times a month if that much and i've been doing that ever since i was a kid.

    then about a month ago for the first time in my life my mouth started feeling dry and sticky on my tongue and the back of my throat and i was having dizzy spells and lightheadedness; i just felt i wasn't "with it" everywhere i went. this feeling lasted all day, everyday. i was also having abdominal cramps and constipation. i was ALWAYS thirsty but instead of drinking water i would drink my favorite, soda and hawaiian punch. but the feeling still didn't go away. this feeling lasted for weeks. so i did some searching online what this could possibly be and i thought to myself, could i be dehydrated? so i looked on a site about dehydration and turns out what i was experiencing was a few of the symptoms.

    i still hate drinking water, so i've started drinking water with every meal which equals to about 3 cups a day which is way more than what i was drinking. the dry mouth i was experiencing has gone away and so is the lightheadedness, and i can use the bathroom more easily now.

    i am no healthcare professional but i'm pretty sure my problem was water intake as my symptoms have subsided.
    also fyi, never ask a nurse questions about your health. always ask your doctor as they know your medical situation. nurses are usually trained in the technical side of medicine but they are not necessarily trained to give you health recommendations.
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
    Options
    Drink when you are thirsty. The medical professional that gave you the advise is correct. The 8 glasses of water a day mantra is wrong.

    I drink a few glasses of water a day, because I am thirsty, and because it keeps me from eating a bunch of junk. However, I can go en entire day on a couple of cups of coffee and a glass of water at night, and feel just fine.

    You should try to drink before you are thirsty as when you feel thirst you are already partially dehydrated.

    To the OP, water is great for you whether trying to lose weight or not. When you workout and sweat your body loses hydration, so you need to drink water. Water is needed for every function in your body. Also, sometimes when you feel hungry it's actually thirst that you are experiencing.
  • Dad_of_3
    Dad_of_3 Posts: 517 Member
    Options
    Drink when you are thirsty. The medical professional that gave you the advise is correct. The 8 glasses of water a day mantra is wrong.

    I drink a few glasses of water a day, because I am thirsty, and because it keeps me from eating a bunch of junk. However, I can go en entire day on a couple of cups of coffee and a glass of water at night, and feel just fine.

    The problem with that is that far too often the body interprets thirst as hunger. Drink when you are hungry is also good advice to follow.
  • reojames
    reojames Posts: 96
    Options
    Water is VERY important, not only for weight loss, but to your overall health. My nutritionist recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces. I'm 181, so I try to drinking 90.5 ounces of water a day, and it's really quite easy to do.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Options
    I agree with your nurse. Most of what you hear is old myths. If someone is dehydrated, it will affect their body in negative ways. For the rest of us, more water over and above what we need is just excreted.

    Look at how much we drink these days. 40 years ago the only bottled water was Perrier. People didn't drink 44 oz. sodas or grande lattes or 'sports drinks'. There were no cupholders in cars or grocery carts.

    Think about humans throughout history and about animals. They thrived listening to their bodies, not counting ounces or glasses. It would be pretty lousy for natural selection if a species couldn't keep themselves hydrated without doing math. We'd be long gone.
  • pornstarzombie
    pornstarzombie Posts: 297
    Options
    Even though a lot of people here say "no, it doesn't matter"...to ME it matters. I can feel and see the difference [especially in my skin] when I drink enough water. If I don't get at least 10 cups a day of some sort of liquid intake [milk, water, tea, etc] I know the difference.

    So I drink it.
  • muybientot
    muybientot Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    If you're tired drinking a tasteless water all over again try to squeeze some lemon extract to it! spice it up... enjoy.
  • MonicaLee92
    MonicaLee92 Posts: 222
    Options
    Water is the best for keeping you hydrated, it cleans you out pretty good. Also the more water you drink the fuller you will feel and you will be less likely to eat more.

Categories