Drinking loads of water... does it help

Hello,

I am in dispute with someone about the benefits of drinking lots of water and the role it plays in weight loss. I drink at least 1,5 to 2,5 litres of water (thus excluding cola, coffee or other liquids) per day. I have been told that all I do is lose productivity for all the bathroom breaks that I take and that such volumes serve no benefit and are impractical for a busy schedule. Does he have a valid point? Am I helping to control my weight or am I just wating water with each flush?

I tried drinking loads of water prior to eating in an effort to make my stomach happier and more content with smaller portions of food, but it did not work for me.

What I find works is to drink water while eating. This extends the eating process, making it take longer to eat your meal, and you feel fuller. Basically, take a few bites, take a nice slow couple of sips of water, then go back to eating. Pace yourself. Drinking water before the meal then wolfing the meal won't be helpful. Try to eat slowly, chew slowly, and drink every few bites. You'll feel fuller, and you'll be hydrated as well.

One very important aspect of bodybuilding that is often overlooked is the consumption of adequate amounts of water.

Article on teenbodybuilding.com

UGA

As some one who drinks very little fluid of any sort I can tell you my memory is REALLY bad short/long term both. My sleep suffered, my hair and nails both split. Now I manage to take in about 40oz total fluid a day..not all water I admit but Its really helping. So I dont know if it will help you lose weight but the health benifits of cleaning the system and hydrating the body are amazing:)..I hope to reach 80oz eventually:)

Drink water is very good, i drink 1 to 2 gallons a day. the colder the better, when u drink cold water it speeds up fat burning because the cold water drops your body temp and your body's heater kics on, so drink up. Water also flushes toxins from your body, make you feel full.

Hi UGA

Your reply was very informative a I was more concerned about the role water plays in metabolism than filling my tummy (probably because I am drinking it all day already). Like you, I carry a water bottle with me at all times. It is good to know that I am doing at least something right :-)

cheers
G

Right out of college, I was heavier than I wanted to be. I started drinking more water and the weight seemed to melt away. However, I now consume 64 oz of water easily on a daily basis and I am no longer losing weight. I think my body got used to it.
I do notice, though, that my overall health is much better - I rarely get sick anymore; my skin is clear; my asthma is under control; and I find that if I drink water throughout the day, I avoid the 3:00 slump!

Water accelerates the weight loss process and gives your kidneys the flushing they need. That is on top of what Ulga stated in her post.

If the concern is productivy, then that is a work issue with the employer. "Get a doctor's note" That's what I would do to settle the issue at work.

About bathroom breaks, eventually you balance out into a schedule, I did.

My company remembers me when I was almost 500 pounds. They do not stop me from eating small portion meals 7am 11 am 3am and my time to walk. They like me healthy and encourage me to keep it going.

Kenny

To all of you who are trying hard to drink lots of water and are re-filling plastic bottles to carry around, be aware that bacteria builds up in re-used plastic bottles. So be careful. Other than that, I agree that drinking plenty of water is good for everyone--not just those of us struggling with our weight.

Sandy

Turn your bathroom breaks into a mini-exercise!!

I've made it my resolution to get healthier this year and drinking several glasses of water a day is tops on my list. I do have to admit that adding more water to my day has also added several more trips to the bathroom. My solution has been to make the most of it and take the long route to the restroom. I turn my my trip into a mini-powerwalk and that little bit of exercise gets me going!

Basically I'm "killing two birds with one stone" - flushing out my system and getting an extra bit of exercise. Give it a try....you have nothing to lose except a few stubborn calories!

There are many reason water is a good thing. You should have 8-8oz glasses of water a day. (you can include tea, coffee & sugar free drink that you can add water to). It will fill you up, your body will get used to it and you will spend less time in the bathroom. So it really is not going out in the toilet. It also keeps you hidrated which if you working out as you should be you will need the water. Water is the best bevarage you can put in your body. It is also great for your skin!

Thanks UGA. That was very helpful. I also carry/reuse plastic water bottles. Is this bacteria thing something to worry about?

Has any one noticed a weight increase when they first up their water intake? I just upped mine yesterday and was very sad when it was time to get on the scale so I thought maybe it takes a few days for your body to get adjusted. or hoping rather lol

Your weight does go up slightly when you first start drinking more water. Your body will stabilize. It is just a shock to the system, if you aren't used to it. I'm always amazed at how sensitive the body is to changes.

More water, in addition to all I read in the string also minimizes sensitivity to pain. Actually, you are more sensitive when you are dehydrated (so NOT a pain med!) so that's just one more help.

glewis, I'm interested in who would be so worried about your productivity over your health. No offense to your source, but I'd find someone who has your better health interests at heart for advice! Yikes!

The productivity comment was a loving jibe at me as it seems I have a thimble for a bladder: perhaps the style of humour does not travel or was translated badly. :-)

Drinking water is one of the best ways to loose weight in conjunction with diet and exercise.

When your body does not consume enough water it stores the water and your body "bloats" when you do drink enough water your body will let the water go through the body and in the first few weeks when you are drinking lots of water you may experience a one time "big" loss (5-10 lbs) of water weight being shed.

Also, as you loose weight you are breaking down fat cells, our fat cells store any bad toxins that we pick up by living in industralized socieites. Water flushes these chemicals through the body and helps to make sure they don't get you sick.

It also improves the functioning of your organs especiall the kidney's and liver.

Some studies also show that driking water improves your metabolism.

http://www.drdonnica.com/today/00008300.htm

I was under the impression that you lose your weight thru your urine. I think of this each time I am using the restroom. It is a quiet reminder that I am on the right track. I used to hate water unless it was flavored. Now I drink about 40 oz a day. I have been counting calories for 4 weeks and i have lost 6 lbs.

Productivity ...great day in the morning....it only 2 minutes to go, wipe, wash, dry and get back to the work at hand...is that what your talking about...yes water is very good for you and yes I need to drink quite a bit more. As for work and bathroom breaks...you can kinda try to get on a schedule because believe it or not you can get on a "pee" schedule....huggers to the toilet lovers

Yes! Water is pretty much the best thing you can put in your body! I struggled at first trying to down 8-10 glasses a day, but now it is much easier. And yes, water helps flush fats and other toxins out and keeps the body properly hydrated.

Lack of water in our bodies (that we diliberately ingest) is kind of like taking in low amounts of food, the body goes into starvation mode. Too little water, and your tissue cells hang on to what they have and don't want to let it go, but this stalls a lot of body functions and processes.

You will also notice the more water you drink the lighter in color your urine becomes, the less you drink the darker coloured it becomes.

Try to get the recommended amounts of water if you can tolerate it. Most say 8-10 8 ounce glasses a day, I've also seen totals based on body weight too.

I tried to drink 8 glasses of water a day several years ago and really struggled to drink that much. It didn't last long.

I did drink puh-lenty of unsweetened iced tea with sweet & low, however.

Then I read an article on cnn.com that said studies showed that caffeine is one of the worst things for arthritis. Everyone recognizes that caffeine is a diuretic (makes you pee) but this study showed that the first place in your body that loses water is the cartiledge in your joints. I never realized I had water in my joints, but it kind of makes sense - water is what makes cartiledge soft.

I had terrible arthritis in my knees and left ankle, so I thought, Hey I'll give this a try again. So I gave up my beloved iced tea and switched to water. This time I did get used to the water and now drink 2.5 to 3 liters per day. My knees don't bother me much at all anymore, although my ankle still does. So it has been worth it to me to reduce my arthritis pain.

But I've read somewhere else that every cell in your body requires water for basic functions. If you don't get enough water, you shouldn't be surprised if your metabolism is not robust.

I'm going to keep drinking this much water even after I lose all my excess weight.

If I am slack and don't plan well and end up not drinking enough water (which sometimes happens on the weekends when I have less structure in my day) I can really feel it - in my knees, my ankle, my brain feels a bit fuzzy, and I feel a lot more tired. I say Hooray for water! It's my favorite drink.