Run, run,run as fast as I can...

to the bathroom!

I have upped my water intake and can't tell you how many trips I have made to the toilet today! I am sure people think I have a problem!

I have been lurking here for and bit and am trying to get back on the good health and weight loss train... am trying to lose over 30 lbs and had lost a lot last year and somehow it crept back on (new job, new boyfriend, long distance relationship, losing gym motivation, you name it).

So I have been eating better and upped my water and, well here I am.

I guess the good part is it's at the other end of the building so the more I drink the more walks I have to take!

LOL - I hear ya!  I too am getting "back on the wagon" and the first few days of drinking more water is definately a pain, but so worth it!  Every time I sip I remember that I am doing something good for myself.  Now if I could only convince myself to start getting out of bed to make my fitness habit a habit again and I would be golden!

Keep it up nb!

I know what you mean! I think the trick is to spread your water intake over the course of the day. My problem is hat I drink to much at once. When I'm done working out in the morning I drink a liter of water (I practically chug it all at once) that way if I don't drink water at all for the rest of the day I don't have to worry about not getting enough. I still try to drink water at lunch and dinner though. And the fact that I usually go to work right after I chug that liter of water doesn't help much. I end up using the bathroom twice before I leave for work, twice before I punch in, then about two or three times in the first hour of working. After that, I'm usually fine. lol.

water is my best friend!! couldnt live without it. i also couldnt live without a water bottle. i carry it around with me all day at work. that way you only drink when you are thirsty and you spread out your H2O intake throughout the day. i started out drinking about 64oz a day - and now i am well over 130oz - just by having it near me at all times. but once you have been drinking lots of water for a few weeks - your body will get used to it and you wont have to make as many potty breaks throughout the day :)

I have a 1.5 litre bottle that I drink throughout the day at work. Plus I have a large glass with breakfast and supper. Sometimes I drink more than that.

I know it's a good thing and my system is being flushed but today it's been really noticeable (hope it shows on the scale!) plus I can feel my muscles from yesterday's workout so I am noticing all the walking!

As a reformed Coca Cola junkie I know how much of a difference water makes! The first time I lost weight and did a cleanse (which included cutting out sugar and upping water) I had to give up the pop and lost 10 lbs in five days...all that sugar and water weight!

Well water is definately better than soda! But.... there are a lot of very persistent myths around water consumption-- including that it flushes  your system and helps you lose weight. There is no scientific evidence for this!

See here for a nice summary of these myths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water

Quote: There is a persistent myth that people should try to drink 8 cups of water (2 litres) per day, but there is no evidence to support that specific amount as best. A review of all the scientific literature on the topic performed in 2002 could not find any solid scientific evidence that recommended drinking eight glasses of water per day. This review has been followed by other reports, including an article published earlier this year that arrived at the same conclusion: you don’t need to drink 2L’s of water a day to be healthy. For example, people in hotter climates will require greater water intake than those in cooler climates. An individual's thirst provides a better guide for how much water they require rather than a specific, fixed number. A more flexible guideline is that a normal person should urinate 4 times per day, and the urine should be a light yellow color. Profuse sweating can increase the need for electrolyte (salt) replacement. Water intoxication (hyponatremia), the process of consuming too much water too quickly, can be fatal!.

The human kidneys will normally adjust to varying levels of water intake. If a person suddenly increases water intake, the kidneys will produce more diluted urine, even if the person did not happen to consume water excessively. The kidneys will require time to adjust to the new water intake level. This can cause someone who drinks a lot of water to become dehydrated more easily than someone who routinely drinks less. Survival classes recommend that someone who expects to be in an environment with little water (such as a desert), to not drink water excessively, but rather to drink gradually decreasing amounts for several days before their trip to accustom the kidneys to making concentrated urine. Not using this method can, and has, been known to be fatal.

I drink about 7/8 large mugs of liquid a day, or more. 

It's usually either - 

Lemon and hot water

Green tea

Hot water and cinnamon

I probably drink too much now because I do actually get dehydrated quickly now but it's made my skin look amazing! Its the number one solution to stretch marks, toning, cellulite, spots (do you want me to continue?  )no doubt about it. If you're skin is in good condition your body will definitely look better even if you haven't lost weight in the process. 

man, i hear ya! i haven't had one sip of water in like 2 months! just a bunch of coffee and diet soda. my body was screaming for water! so i've been in the toilet every hour, on the hour. i actually just sat down from my last toilet run.

but i can't have a big ol' bottle of h20 on my desk. when i see something that big, my brain tells me i can't finish it, so i don't touch it. i've been doing pretty well this week w/ constantly filling up a 10-ounce cup. it's little, so drinkable in a few sips, but big enough where those trips to the water fountain add up during the day. i've also been experimenting w/ drinking a cupful of water before i drink anything. so, i'll still drink my coffee or diet soda, but as a water chaser.

Original Post by baboo4:

I probably drink too much now because I do actually get dehydrated quickly now but it's made my skin look amazing! Its the number one solution to stretch marks, toning, cellulite, spots (do you want me to continue?  )no doubt about it. If you're skin is in good condition your body will definitely look better even if you haven't lost weight in the process. 

That's yet another myth about water. There's absolutely no scientific evidence that drinking more water helps with your skin tone! You just are lucky to have awesome skin.

See here: http://thehealthyskeptic.org/the-water-myth/

Original Post by javagen3:

Original Post by baboo4:

I probably drink too much now because I do actually get dehydrated quickly now but it's made my skin look amazing! Its the number one solution to stretch marks, toning, cellulite, spots (do you want me to continue?  )no doubt about it. If you're skin is in good condition your body will definitely look better even if you haven't lost weight in the process. 

That's yet another myth about water. There's absolutely no scientific evidence that drinking more water helps with your skin tone! You just are lucky to have awesome skin.

See here: http://thehealthyskeptic.org/the-water-myth/

 

 

As Samuel L. Jackson once said, "the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence." In other words, just because you don't have proof that something exists, doesn't mean you have proof that it doesn't exist. Even if there is no proof that water cleanse your body and helps you lose weight, there is no "scientific proof" that it does not do all those things. Maybe she's willing it to happen? who knows, but you can keep all your scientific mumbo-jumbo because I know for a fact that if I wasn't drinking as much water as I am, I wouldn't have lost nearly as much weight! *Rant ended*

I've never worried too much about drinking a certain amount of water each day—especially given that no matter how hard I tried my body never got used to large amounts of water. I spent ages in the bathroom. I've also never noticed a difference in my skin as a result of drinking more or less water.

Instead, I just drink water with every meal. I have always been one to drink a lot when I eat, so I get in a reasonable amount of water that way. And I find that drinking water when I am eating food keeps me from needing to run to the restroom. It is only when I drink water on its own that I have that problem.

Water is also really all I drink, so if I get thirsty I turn to water. But drinking it primarily at meals—and throughout my workout sessions of course—seems to make my body plenty happy.

joekame--Scientific mumbo-jumbo? Ha! You do realize that these myths about water originated from studies that are now proven inconsistent, right? From the mumbo or jumbo bits I assume.

I'm glad it works for you-- but it concerns me when I see people forcing themselves to drink more water than they really need or perpetuating the idea that this is backed by hard evidence when indeed it is not. Don't you want to learn the most about things you can? What the most likely answers might be? If you are the sort of person who thinks that believing in something will make it true, then I don't think I'll be able to communicate with you at all. Was there anything else you did besides drink water to lose weight? Anything that conceivably had might have had more of an effect? 

Yes, I've done a number of things to help myself lose weight. It just seems to me like drinking water is at least helping. I've noticed that when I don't drink enough water it shows on the scale the next day. I think the bottom line is that water is GOOD for you. You're body NEEDS water. Yes, you can get water from pretty much any kind of liquid, but you are getting a lot more bad stuff with that water, too. If all you drink is soda, I think you're probably getting more sodium and sugar then actual H2O and even if you believe that sodium and sugar "drying you out" is a myth the fact is that too much of it is bad for you, right? Even if we don't need 8 glasses a day, or a predefined amount drinking water can't really hurt you, so why not? And honestly, I don't trust a lot of studies because it seems like they say one thing, then flip it and say something completely different the next. This is a perfect example. All the studies done years ago that say that every NEEDS to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Fast forward to now and there are numerous studies that say you don't need to drink that much water. I suppose in another 10 years well find out we were all drinking TOO MUCH water, and that soda is actually great for your body! So many variables exist in each study. I think if a biased person is performing the study he/she could manipulate the results the way he/she chooses. No study is absolute.

"A recent study suggests that research causes cancer in rats."

He he...

Original Post by joekame:

If all you drink is soda, I think you're probably getting more sodium and sugar then actual H2O and even if you believe that sodium and sugar "drying you out" is a myth the fact is that too much of it is bad for you, right? 

Well I don't rely on belief for much of anything. :) I like to back stuff up as much as possible. I have no idea about the sodium and sugar content of soda and how that might affect your body. I really don't drink that much soda.  But now I'll have to go look that up!

You are right that there can be a lot of conflicting studies and evidence out there, but right now the overwhelming evidence is what I like to stick with-- I'm not one to hold on to a belief in something just because I think its true. Whenever a friend sends me a silly story via email, the first thing I do is check it out for its veracity on an urban legends site like snopes. I refuse to continue spreading misinformation about.

Anyway that is what science is all about-- putting forth a theory and then proving it or disproving it. It's about continually questioning things.

Point taken. I don't believe in  mindlessly trusting in anything, and usually, I'd be right there with you arguing the scientific evidence, but I really can't do that because i haven't thoroughly researched this topic (so I admit you might have the one-upper on me there) but everything I have read thus far (except the links you and others have posted) always said that you're body needs an X amount of water. Now, regardless of what the new research says, I found that when I do drink an X amount of water I seem to A. Feel better, and 2, Look better. So, when faced with this (whether it be a figment of my imagination or not) I CHOOSE to drink an X amount of water because it SEEMS to be working for me. So now that science comes along and basically says "You don't need an X amount of water, but and X amount of water won't hurt" I'm not going to stop drinking my X amount of water. It would be completely different if science said "Too much water can be bad for you." Okay, so here's my point: I get that you're just trying to stop people from perpetuating false ideas, but you're crusade is almost pointless. Almost. Because if people feel that it works for them, then they will keep drinking their water regardless.

Well, I am really enjoying this discussion. lol. Even if I seem argumentative I hope I didn't offend you or anything. I just like to argue. And you seem to, also. So can I add you as a friend?

One thing that works for one person may not work for the other, everyones body is made differently of course.

I think it's just a case of learning to listen to what your body wants and needs. 

It's sort of the same argument you get with vitamins - Even if you take vitamin supplements all the time some people's bodies just reject the tablet because the amount they have from their normal diet is the amount they need (even if that amount is lower than the recommended government amount). Hence, if you drink a lot of water and don't need it you'll just be pee-ing a hell of a lot!

here's the simplest thing, its what I do.

I only drink when I'm thirsty

and I only drink water.

I drink when I'm thirsty so some days it's 2L some days its 1L sometimes more sometimes less.

I only drink water not becasue I think its a miracle cure but because it has no calories and because there is no sugar, additives, preservatives, chemicals and all that crap in it. so I am not unconciously putting things into my body just because I'm thirsty.

I used to try adn dirnk 2L everyday but I found soemdays I wasforcing it dow nand filling my stomach up and feeling sick... so I stopped and now I drink when my body tells me to drink.

soemtimes I confused thirst with hunger so I try to drink a glass of water 20 mins before eating something... if I'm still hungry then it was hunger if not... its thirst.

Original Post by aliceinonederland:

here's the simplest thing, its what I do.

I only drink when I'm thirsty

and I only drink water.

I drink when I'm thirsty so some days it's 2L some days its 1L sometimes more sometimes less.

I only drink water not becasue I think its a miracle cure but because it has no calories and because there is no sugar, additives, preservatives, chemicals and all that crap in it. so I am not unconciously putting things into my body just because I'm thirsty.

I used to try adn dirnk 2L everyday but I found soemdays I wasforcing it dow nand filling my stomach up and feeling sick... so I stopped and now I drink when my body tells me to drink.

soemtimes I confused thirst with hunger so I try to drink a glass of water 20 mins before eating something... if I'm still hungry then it was hunger if not... its thirst.

I wish I could only drink water. Whenever I drink water I almost ALWAYS have to force it down (unless I'm parched from working out or something) just because it has no tatse. I'm used to soda, and juice. When I drink water for lunch at work I add Crystal Light to it. When I drink it in the morning it just pure H20.

Original Post by joekame:

Point taken. I don't believe in  mindlessly trusting in anything, and usually, I'd be right there with you arguing the scientific evidence, but I really can't do that because i haven't thoroughly researched this topic (so I admit you might have the one-upper on me there) but everything I have read thus far (except the links you and others have posted) always said that you're body needs an X amount of water. Now, regardless of what the new research says, I found that when I do drink an X amount of water I seem to A. Feel better, and 2, Look better. So, when faced with this (whether it be a figment of my imagination or not) I CHOOSE to drink an X amount of water because it SEEMS to be working for me. So now that science comes along and basically says "You don't need an X amount of water, but and X amount of water won't hurt" I'm not going to stop drinking my X amount of water. It would be completely different if science said "Too much water can be bad for you." Okay, so here's my point: I get that you're just trying to stop people from perpetuating false ideas, but you're crusade is almost pointless. Almost. Because if people feel that it works for them, then they will keep drinking their water regardless.

Well, I am really enjoying this discussion. lol. Even if I seem argumentative I hope I didn't offend you or anything. I just like to argue. And you seem to, also. So can I add you as a friend?

Joe-- I like discussing things-- I never think of myself as argumentative-- that is arguing for the sake of arguing, but I do like a good discussion! I'm not easily offended as long as the personal stuff is left out of any talk and it's about the issue at hand. You can add me as a friend if you like. No problem here.

As far as my "crusade" ( I didn't intend to come off that harsh either), it's not so much against drinking water in general, but against saying it does all these things that it doesn't-- all those things I outlined earlier as myths that is.

I find it interesting too that so many people have felt like they've had to force themselves to drink water, when it was really unnecessary.