Hey guys! I'm wondering--is there such a thing as drinking TOO much water? I decided on June 1st that I was going to start the second half of the year on a healthy note by making sure I consume the recommended 64oz of water every day. Well, it turned out to be easier than I thought--the first day I had 90oz, and yesterday I had 150oz! Does it do you any good to get MORE than the recommended amount? Does it do you harm? Does it just make no difference? I can tell you this--it really doesn't help with the amount of food I'm able to eat, and I thought it would. I have a hard time stopping eating BEFORE I get to that "so full I'm miserable" point (especially when eating out), and I thought drinking all that water yesterday would keep me from eating a lot of lunch since I had to go out with co-workers...I had 60oz before lunch, and still cleaned my plate. In fact, I'm afraid it's going to stretch my stomach out and make me eat more! If anyone has any water intake advice, I'm all ears!!

Yes there is, BUT only if you're very dehydrated (ie you've sweated LOADS) and if you drink lots (ie 2-3 pints) in a very VERY short space of time (less than 15 mins approx) you can get water toxicity but DON'T worry about that because it's probably very unlikely to happen during day to day activity!

Lots of water is good for you, different people need different amounts of water, you'll also need more if you're exercising. Water is very good for flushing out the system and getting rid of water retention and helps you lose weight because all the by-products of fat burning are flushed out of they system too.

The most I've drunk in a day is about 140oz and that was over the whole day. As for it making a difference to your appetite, if you eat something high in fibre, then drink water, it will fill you up quicker.

From what I've read on the net, you can drink as much water as you like so long as you spread it out over the day and don't drink tons in one go. Hope this helps!

The more you weigh, the more water you need to sustain your body. 64oz is most appropriate for someone who weighs around 120-140lbs. If your weight is higher, your water consumption should be greater. However, it's best to drink it slowly throughout the day rather than gulping huge amounts all at once. I've kept a strict food journal and I've noticed that my weight loss is 20-30% more when I drink 150oz or more of water every day. I've read that you should drink half your body weight in oz of water each day. I'm not sure how valid this is, but it seems you should have no problem doing this.

I don't know if water can really stretch your stomach, but again, it's better to drink slowly...and for that matter, eat slowly.

It's been my experience that making sure you drink alot of water does help with weight loss, and it helps keep your skin looking good. The only negative i've ever read about with drinking too much water occurs when you drink massive amounts, then aren't able to relieve yourself. This is usually a problem with people like triathletes, who guzzle water but aren't able to stop to relieve themselves. I personally drink around 130 oz a day and currently weigh 198, i've never felt any negative effects, and must admit my skin looks better or it. Hope i was able to help some
Christine

This is not meant to discourage water drinking but just so you know...from my personal experience. My younger sister almost died after drinking too much water over a two hour period. Her electrolytes got out of whack and she went into a coma for a few days. Luckily she was taken to the hospital early enough but it was touch and go for a while because if your electrolytes get messed up, it is really hard to get everything back into balance and your brain can get fried. She made it through just fine What happened to her is VERY unlikely to happen if you space out your drinking through out the day. But there is a risk if you chug a few gallons in a very short amount of time. Scary but true. I would have never thought that water could kill you.

On a more positive note ... drinking lots of water through out the day is extremely beneficial to weight loss.

Christy- If you are still stuffing yourself after you drink water...try to eat more slowly. Set your fork down in between bites ( I have a hard time with this one too) because it takes your brain between 20-30 minutes to register that you're full. Also, when you order your food, ask for a "to go" container and pack up half of your food before you start eating. Portions in restaurants are ridiculously HUGE!! Just a few suggestions

This is a GREAT idea--thanks!

Take that one step further and do what I usually do. Forget that you have a to-go box and end up leaving it on the table when you leave the restaurant. Then you can always get some added exercise later by searching the car trying to figure out where you put that to-go box.

I've heard that too, when I used to work out at Curves, that was one of the things they had up on the walls.

~Liz

almost heaven, I do that too! Did it today, actually. Had lunch with a family member who tends to be subversive while trying to be supportive - you know, the "I am so happy that you're eating healthier. I can definitely see a difference. You should really finish your lunch, you don't want it to go to waste." I "accidentally" left my to-go box there.