Hi All,

I have a question that I just can not seem to understand. Everybody always talks about drinking a lot of water, but every time I do I gain more weight. I ealize it has to be water weight, but how do I get rid of it? I have been batteling this since I started my life change in August. Does anybody else have this problem? Even though it is just water weight I dont want it. Any ideas, suggestions or even words of wisdom would be great. Thanks

Kearie

I think the trick is to make sure that you drink it throughout the day. (some people say okay I need 8 glasses a day and do it all in the morning and stop) also if you cut down on the salt you could find that you will retain less. I put lemon or lime in mine and I find that I flush it out faster (remember when you pee you lose fat as well) Once your body gets used to the fact that it knows it will get its needed supply it will start releasing the amount it had stored and wont feel it need to store more. Again this is just my way of thinking but it has really helped me not retain.

trixi

kearie water also helps with your complexion. it also helps keep your skin from
drying. hope this helps. your kids are cute.
glen

When I first started drinking a lot of water, I gained a couple of pounds too, but after a while my system found a new balance, and it went away. I think I was mildly dehydrated all the time, so when I finally started drinking more H2O, my system "hoarded" the water the way it "hoards" calories if you starve yourself. So just hang in there, is my advice. It does clear up your skin, and it helps keep things moving through the digestive system, with less trouble, if you know what I mean.

It has also helped me to drink Calistoga water rather than tap, just because of the taste. I stopped buying soda and started the water, so the cost is the same. Also, I seem to be less "sloshy" and watery since I cut down on sugar this January 1. I'm not sure about this, but it seems to me someone once told me it takes your body 6 molecules of water to process 1 molecule of sugar. Could be wrong, but if that's true I'd say cut back on sugar and salt, and see what happens. Just a thought. Good Luck.

I would say the water weight is needed. The more fluids you have in your body, the more efficiently your body can process things. You will notice that when you are hydrated, you tend to be more regular and feel more pure. This is important. You need to concern yourself less w/ the scale, and more with the actual fat lost. You need the water weight, it is important. If you get sick of water, it isn't bad to have a diet soda here and there, just be careful to not have too many, and get your water.

Consistency is important with water, too. If you drink a gallon one day, then don't drink any for three days, then drink a gallon again, your body won't flush it well. It goes back to that hoarding thing mentioned above. If you establish a minimum (mine is 96 ounces a day, but start out with something you know you can do - say 48 or 64 oz), and make sure that you divide that amount equally throughout the day (I make sure I have 16 before I leave work, 64 while I am at work, then another 16 at home with dinner), in a week or two you will notice that your weight has evened out. You may actually hold on to a pound or two because you were dehydrated. But if you consistently hydrate, the losses you see down the road will be fat. I noticed my weight loss started increasing by about a half a pound a week after I'd been drinking water regularly for about two weeks. I'm sure that varies tremendously from person to person. And absolutely watch the salt intake, that will blow you up faster than drinking any amount of water will! Plus you need that much more water to get all that sodium out of your system!

I'm a little confused. My goal is to drink 64 ounces of water daily but I was wondering do other types of fluids count as part of the daily intake?

There are differing viewpoints on that one, Scoob. I personally feel like I just want the pure water in there doing its thing. I don't want to add more stuff in there that I just need more liquid to flush out. That isn't to say that I don't drink anything else, but I never count that towards my *water* goal. That's just me, though - there are a lot of other folks who might have a more learned response.

I have tried to drink lots of fluid especially those without caffine. On the days that do drink lots of fluids, I find my system functions better, without it, I'm sluggish. I did notice an initial weight gain with the fluids but the lbs are coming off so it was just a short term thing.

Another plus, I used to have dry skin, since I have been drinking lots of fluids my skin is well hydrated and healthy. Dry skin used to drive me crazy, especially in the winter months, so far this winter, it has not been an issue.

I don't get the whole "drink water and it helps your skin" thing. I drink about 100 oz of water a day (I also drink tons of decaf, flavored seltzer, and occasionly protein drinks), all throughout the day, and my skin has never been more dry. Ironically, I've talked to others who are on Atkins, and they have complained about always being itchy. I've noticed this also, although not to the extent others have mentioned.

Anyone else not getting the soft moist skin effect?

Hi,
I would like to thank everyonr who gave me great advice on the drinking water. I am drinking 66 ounces a day so thank you because I was having a hard time doing it when I really did not know all the benefits.

I must admit i hated water at first. but now i have a water in hand at all times.have become a regular little water addict. is the first thing i reach for in the morning. and i usually even keep a bottle by the bed, and have been known to wake up and suck it down without even really waking up.. water is good.. lol

Hi All,
I drink mostly water or green tea with no milk or sugar. Wow with out them my weight loss comes to a halt and I feel terrible I always have a glass or a bottle where ever I go. The dry skin issuewhen I started with my program nearly drove me crazy, it isn't the water causing it because I noticed other members of my family getting the same way and they don't drink nearly as much water as I do. It is caused by reducing the fat in your diet, my body has gotten use to the reduced fat now and it isn't a problem anymore. For the rest of my family I put a bit of the fat back in their diet, while still having lower then before and their skin is also no longer dry. So if you have the dry skin use lots of moisturizer and hang in there it will get better or perhaps you my need to increase your fat intake just a little. You know we go on these life style changes and forget it is a change to our bodies and perhaps we aren't always listening to what our bodies are say, sometimes too much of a good thing isn't good for us we need to find the balance. Life is all about balance.