water retention i think............

[ayeshasi]

I have started drinking 6-8 glasses of water finally ( i hated the taste of water). I saw my sister had lost alot of weight due to just drinking water and not changing anything to her diet....

I thought i should give it a go too.....however, i have actually put on some weight.....is this water retention? When and how can i get rid of it? Should i stop drinking some of the water??

[frivolous_fay]

If you drink more water than usual, you will put on weight. There's more water in your system, water adds weight, simple as that.

I'm a bit sceptical about the idea of a 'drink lots of water and get thin' diet - perhaps it's because she drank water, and had less room for food?

[ayeshasi]

yeh....but im drinking eight glasses a day....and ive got water retention.....

[angie loves veg]

When I drink plenty of water (1.5 - 2L per day measured, spread through the day), I have a better weight loss on the scales that week.

Remember that 500ml of water weighs approx 1lb, so if you are weighing yourself within a couple of hours of drinking, this will show on the scales. Also, only weigh yourself once a week - our bodies have massive fluctuations throughout the day (I can vary easily up to 7lb within a day) and day to day - only a same time, same clothes weigh in will goive you a true picture..

As I understand it, it isn't the water itself that is creating the weight loss, instead, the water is allowing the body to work more efficiently.

Consultant31 posted the following on the Slimming world support thread a while back:
The potion for losing that excess body fat is all around you. It covers two thirds of the planet. If you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can’t get rid of a little paunch here and there, you’re probably just not drinking enough water.
No need to get defensive. You’re actually quite normal. Most people don’t drink enough water. Most people are also carrying around a few more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. If you can’t seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in nature’s magical weight-loss mineral. It works, and here’s why:

There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now, but the one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of fat. This is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs.
Unfortunately, another of the liver’s duties is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can’t metabolise fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you’re also setting yourself up to store fat.


Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated.
In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until you’re blue in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won’t notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and you’ll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin.

When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just what's missing

I think the part about liver function is very interesting.

If you continue to keep your water intake high, the 'water retention' should clear itself - your body will go through monthly phases (male or female) where you will retain more water, but if your body has a steady supply, you should find everything should balance itself out.

[Hawthorn]

yeh....but im drinking eight glasses a day....and ive got water retention.....


Do you eat a lot of salty stuff? That can cause water retention, so I hear.

[ayeshasi]

thnx angie for ur helpful msg......
Hawthorn....i have cut down my salt inake alot....

[red]

hi there...drinking the water throughout the day will help to keep your body well hydrated and therefore functioning at its best and in allow your body to use the nutrients in your food more effectively, etc. Water is a natural diurectic so once your body has all it needs, it will start to release excess. it is also a natural appetite suppresant so should help weight loss..i would check a few things if i were you -

-what times are you drinking, and how are you drinking? ideally start with a large glass as soon as you rise in the morning, then sip throughout the day, avoiding drinking too much at mealtimes.

-what else are you drinking? if you are drinking coffee, tea, etc, water will be compensating them

-what is the colour of your pee? ideally it should be a light straw colour - if it is very dark you are probably dehydrated, if it is very light, you may need to try to space the water out more...

your body will get used to drinking more water very quickly and you should see an improvement in energy etc. good luck with it all and if you can, try to work up a sweat to help your body relearn the water that is now available.

btw, in true mse style, just wanted to say, it is worth getting a water filter if you have not already got one - it will save on mineral water if you do not already use tap water!

[shays_mum]

Here's me drinking 8 pint glasses all thru out the day!,(1 pint at a go!) no wonder i had serious water retention, its now got to the point where any water - even a small glass makes my stomach bloat :(

[ayeshasi]

thnx so much for ur help....i drink water spaced out during the day..... .... actually its like 1 to 1 1/2 pints everyt ime i drink though......could that be the problem??
Pee colour quite light...light straw colour maybe..
I dont drink tea or coffee....just fizzy drinks....i used to drink 4-5 cans a day, but NOW...............i only have 1 can a day!!!...which i think is mainly because i drink water now.