One of my managers at work was telling me tonight about her daughter losing weight. Her daughter is in her early to mid thirties, however I don't know how big she actually is/was.
My manager was telling me that her daughter doesn't have any sort of diet or exercise regimen, she just drinks a gallon of water every day.
In the first month, she lost 19 pounds. In 4-5 months, she lost 60 pounds.
I can definitely see where she could potentially gain all this weight back, and where her "diet" would plateau. However this is nothing I'm concerned with.
What I am wondering is, how safe can this be? It sounds a little dangerous to me, so I thought I might consult the message boards for this one.
If you're on a very low sodium diet, take any diuretics, other high blood pressure medications or medications that stress the kidneys, if you have kidney issues or kidney problems run in your family it could be dangerous, putting you at risk for water intoxication, also called water poisoning or when sodium is the electrolyte being depleted (which it usually is) it is called hyponatremia.
If you're in good health, and on no medications, a gallon of liquids (all liquids, not just water) is normally safe. Drinking a moderately high amount of non-caloric liquids can help you reduce your calorie intake, so can help you lose some weight, but it is far from a cure-all.
I would think that, at least in part, this is a mind trick. Pardon my math but ... that's 16 cups of water? Since you'd be constantly planning your next drink, you'd be ever mindful of what you're doing.
I'm sure there are folks who drink that much water. I dunno if I'm in favour of it or not ...
I guess if she's filling up with fluids instead of snacks, then that strategy helps to cut calories. Sometimes we think we're hungry and reach for food, when we're really just thirsty.
That, and getting up to go to the bathroom a hundred times a day will help burn a few extra calories .... :-)
A gallon is only 8 pints, I definitely drink about that much most days. And it would definitely help to curb snacking and overeating, there's only so much you can fit in your stomach. As long as she's not drinking the entire gallon all at once, I don't see a problem with it... seems like a pretty good idea, really!
kaplods, I always love your ultra-informative posts. I am on medication for epilepsy, and my dad died of kidney failure. However his kidney failure was a direct result of mixing medication with alcohol. I've never had kidney or blood pressure problems.
I've actually started thinking about trying this, as I know I could definitely throw back a gallon of water a day, especially with summer coming up. So I want to get as much info on it as possible before diving into the water headfirst. (pun was SO intended, lol)
I drink that much water on days I'm paying attention, and it really did help with the weight loss I think, and helps with the maintenance. When I lose track and don't get the water in I tend to weigh more the next few days. Though I never lost 19 pounds in a month with it.
I just read an article about this very topic on the net where a doctor mentioned something similar to KAPLODS: to protect ourselves from problems, he recommended that we drink only 1 CUP of water at-a-time. Like SusanB says, that is only 16 cups of water (liquids), so you could drink 1 cup each hour you are awake each day and be OK, as long as you don't have any health problems.
When I'm looking at how much I drink in a day, I also include coffee, tea, milk, diet soda (if any), and water. If you are still very concerned, just ask your physician the next time you talk to him/her ...
Everything I have read states that with a healthy diet an average adult should consume 64oz of water a day. I have been dieting for almost 5 weeks and on the days I do get all my water in I do much better on the scale especially on that certain week a month if I consume more water each day that week I do not fill bloated at all. It is not as much as you think and you get use to it. At first you are running to the Bathroom every 5 minutes but your bladder stretches and eventually it evens out.
I can drink about 100 oz throughout the day and not really feel a burden at all. I really need to get back on my water though. I haven't been diligent lately and notice my skin definitely KNOWS!
I normally drink 3 liters of water/day. If I am working out then it's about 4 liters. So I guess I drink a gallon/day. I'll let you know how it turns out for me when I weigh in on Sunday.
I can drink about 100 oz throughout the day and not really feel a burden at all. I really need to get back on my water though. I haven't been diligent lately and notice my skin definitely KNOWS!
I didn't even think about a water deficit impacting my skin, but I've been short for the last couple of weeks and my face looks terrible!
How Unhealthy (Or Healthy?) Is This "Diet" Plan?
As long as she's not drinking the entire gallon all at once, I don't see a problem with it... seems like a pretty good idea, really! 
