I average between 3-5 liters of water a day, am I hurting my weight loss at all by drinking that much?

No, you are not hurting your weight loss. Opinions on water vary a lot--but the generally heard "rule" is to drink 64 to 80 ounces of water a day, which comes out to between 2 and 2-1/2 quarts a day. So, you are going over that now.

Drinking too much water can be a problem for other reasons, namely that you could dilute your body's electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc.) and that can be very serious... even deadly. So this is one case where more is not better.

Athletes drink Gatorade or its equivalent because those drinks replace the electrolytes as well as fluid. But they still can get muscle cramps if they lose too much through sweat.

Jay

Stew Smith claims you're suppose to drink the typical 8 glasses of 8oz... plus one more glass per 10lbs of weight you want to lose if you are actually working out. He's a former navy seal turned PT. Has serious ideas about weightloss LOL But that was the only example of a PT that says drink tons of water.

If you are working out heavy- and seriously sweating, grab a propel fitness water or gatorade. The electrolytes JayEll mentioned- if you are eating right, working out a moderate amount *not four hour binges of working out lol* then water is perfectly fine. The issue is that if you sweat all day, either working outside soaked in sweat and then go to working out, (having an outside physical job)- water is NOT going to be enough for you.

Also, make sure that you are actually expelling close to what you're putting in- water intoxication is rare but serious- if you're spreading your water out over the 18 hour period you're awake and peeing almost as often- you should be alright

Hope that helps

AS I mentioned in another thread, I use the "pee" guide.

If throughout the day my pee is pale (very very very pale) yellow, then I'm drinking enough water. If it's darker, I need to drink more, and if it's clear, I'm probably drinking too much. (It's never been clear that I can remember.) I drink about a gallon to a gallon and a half a day, but then I also tend to eat a lot of sodium and I sweat like crazy when I work out.

The only thing you have to consider here is if you take a multi-vitamin. I take one from Whole Foods that does turn my pee yellowish - so I have to remember that the color will be darker on the days I remember it (I don't always) and that doesn't mean I have to drink tons more.

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I use the pee guide also If it gets foggy, I know something is wrong. Pale yellow is where I like to stay.