working out and water?
Posted by Sariea on Jan 10, 2009 · Member since Feb 2007 · 845 posts
hey i've got a question, does drinking water when working out help lose weight? because i've been working out a lot and eating less and am kinda stuck, but i don't drink much water when exercising.
for example, i'll do 500 calories on the eliptical, when i get to 300 i'll stop and take a few sips of water to cool me down, then do the last 200 and a few more sips of water (maybe like 1/3 cup). but should i be drinking more? i know i should just because of the whole dehydration thing, but i'm curious if it would help with the whole plateau thing?
Well, drinking water during/after shouldn't really affect losing weight one way or another. But you should definitely be drinking plenty of water if you're working out long enough to burn 500 calories. If you're weighing in right after a workout and haven't replenished water then yes, you will appear to weigh a bit less, but it's not a realistic number. Everything in your body works better when properly hydrated.
FWIW, they have done studies that say that drinking cold water can help boost your metabolism here and there. I read about a study that said if you drink 2 cups of ice water first thing in the morning about 30 mins before you eat, it will give you a small boost in metabolism over the next several hours.
I think that it is highly beneficial to drink a lot of water in and out of the gym, (but that's because I typically drink a lot of water anyway). I also found this article, which discusses not only water consumption in regard to weight loss, but also dehydration:
http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html
Here is an article about what sharway is talking about (cold water/metabolism):
http://health.howstuffworks.com/question447.htm
**I do not know how accurate any of this is, after all, it's from the internet, and I cannot verify the sources as reliable.**
FWIW, they have done studies that say that drinking cold water can help boost your metabolism here and there. I read about a study that said if you drink 2 cups of ice water first thing in the morning about 30 mins before you eat, it will give you a small boost in metabolism over the next several hours.
That's funny because I've read almost the opposite. That cold water first thing in the morning shocks your system and slows metabolism. I guess it's just a case of everyone having their own opinion.
Working out or not, drinking water is key for weight loss (and subsequent weight maintenance). I know from personal experience that it's easy to mistake hunger for thirst. Also I heard something about how dehydration makes you "hold on" to more (thus messing with the elimination process and everything). Maybe it has something to do with the processes described in Megg's article. (again, taking internet health info with a grain of salt)
As for drinking water at the gym--if you're doing cardio, you're sweating out fluids, so I imagine if you're not drinking enough it could lead to dehydration and all the yucky things mentioned above.
Personally I can't do a cardio workout without filling up my one-liter water bottle.
Bottom line: I think it's an overall rule--not a "while-you're-working-out" rule. But I would definitely suggest plenty of water if you're doing 500 calories on the eliptical.
Your body and brain work better when well-hydrated. As someone said, some people mistake thirst pangs for hunger. But also, if you are working out enough to sweat, you are losing water your body needs. Those who are returning to regular workouts after a pause will find they have fewer sore muscles if they keep hydrated. Don't gulp cold water when the motor's running hot, but sip along as you work out to keep things going without shocking your system.
A little lemon juice added to the water can be very refreshing and adds vitamins to each swig.
I noticed when I would return to the US how drying central heating is to your body. I would actually start to feel unwell and then remember to up my water consumption. Very dry air, very dry body. Drink up!
"Water weight loss comes from a net loss of protein and carbohydrates especially during the first few weeks of a reduction in calories. On reducing calories the body needs to rely more on energy within the body and thus breaks down protein and carbohydrate for metabolism. When these nutrients are metabolised water is released. Fat stores do supply a little of the energy but at first a good proportion comes from protein and the limited stores of carbohydrates within the cells."
I know recent studies that came out last year kind of minimized the validity of consuming a lot of water during the day. But it is important because if you're depriving yourself of water, the body can actually go into the hunger mode to try and extract it from foods. In of itself, I doubt it would effect your body weight since it has no calories. But it is useful to control cravings by drinking a couple of glasses and by consuming it before a meal. I drink at least 8 glasses a day because I had a kidney stone several years ago and I DO NOT want a repeat performance of that! I think I read a post of your's saying that you've lost 10 pounds so you must be doing something right. Just eat healthy, avoid too many fatty foods and exercise aerobically. The weight will come off but after a certain period of time, you will lose it more slowly as your body adjusts to whatever regimine you're on.
My opinions here.
I will drink 1-2 cups of water before working out.
Then after I am done I will drink another cup.
During a typical day I will consume anywhere from a half gallon to whole gallon in the winter.
Summer could be allot more.
You never want to force weight off. If you are not enjoying the weight loss process you will gain it back. It is all a learning process.
I've had similar experience with the mistaking thirst for hunger.
I found that that weird feeling I get is being thirsty, not hungry... and if I drink water, it goes away.... unless I AM hungry, then it makes me more hungry. lol.
I've read that the cold water thing does effect the metabolism but very little to be noticeable...
of course its better than soda!
I've tried drinking a good bit of water before a workout, and sometimes I'm good, but sometimes I find that I need a serious potty break in the middle of it! lol.
I guess I just go to the bathroom right before the start, and stick to one tall glass before hand... with a bottle nearby if I get that dry mouth feel.
Just thought that'd be funny to share...
I can't deal with drinking water before a workout, but I drink the whole bottle during/after. When I don't, I'm not able to complete as much, so in that sense it is important for weight loss in that in increases my output.
I don't think water itself will help you overcome a weight loss plateau. But it will help you have more stamina, help your digestion, and fill you up. And of course, working out too hard without drinking enough is just not good for you/dangerous.
thanks everyone, i learned a lot from the replies. i'll try to drink more water, especially trying the whole "if i feel hungry, drink some water" thing because i know i don't drink enough, i really never have. like every 1-2 weeks i'll have a day where i am so thirsty i'll drink all day but most of the time i don't even drink 2 glasses of water.
i did lose about 8 pounds but lately i kinda fell off the wagon and have been eating junk and feeling like crap/depressed again so i'm trying to get back into it, i'm about to do like an hour of yoga and i got a few more nutrition books to learn more
(if anyone is interested "the optimum nutrition bible" is awesome... but i just bought "food matters" and its all about the overproduction and overconsumption of meat/junk food making people obese)
the only problem is i can't drink before the workout or much during because i get stitches in my side and can't finish the work out so i kinda save it all for when i'm done, and since i usually work out at 4:30am and then go right back to sleep after jumping in the shower, when i wake up later i'm not thirsty anymore (and unfortunately not craving healthy food anymore hah)
I've also noticed that when I feel cross or can't concentrate I'm often actually thirsty without realising it. You know, that amorphous grumpy "what the hell is with me today?" feeling. I always reach for a glass of water then, and am often surprised at how thirsty I actually was, because the water tastes so goooood.
I drank a whole bottle of water yesterday during spinning, and I don't think it was enough. Today I feel hungover.
I drank a whole bottle of water yesterday during spinning, and I don't think it was enough. Today I feel hungover.
I need at least a liter per hour, I find. (Especially with spinning!) I couldn't find a water bottle last night (they were almost all at work), so I ended up just grabbing one at the gym. I worked out for 45 minutes on a eliptical (500 calories) and it was just barely enough--I had to go home and down a whole bunch more.
I was actually thinking the same thing about water being important to weight loss b/c it allows you to do more cardio than you otherwise would :)
the only problem is i can't drink before the workout or much during because i get stitches in my side and can't finish the work out so i kinda save it all for when i'm done
Try just sipping during the workout. Not really DRINKING, but sipping on it a tiny bit at a time throughout the workout. If you do that, you'll drink enough to replace water lost from sweat, which will quickly dehydrate you and contribute to that all-around "I feel like crap" feeling.
Also, sipping instead of gulping will prevent those side cramps or stitches, because it's not a shock to your system. Oh, yeah, and it's important not to drink cold water during a workout, even though it tastes soooo good. The cold temperature makes your body work to heat it to body temperature, and you're body is already working really hard. That'll contribute to cramps, too.
I don't like to drink water, but I find if I just have a glass of water next to me all day while at work, or a bottle of water while walking on campus between classes or working out, I sip more, thus staying hydrated without having to force a glass of water down all at once.
I was actually thinking the same thing about water being important to weight loss b/c it allows you to do more cardio than you otherwise would :)
Yeah, I never really gave much weight to that idea, but it's true! I'm not a huge fan of water, so I used to not drink enough during workouts and running. But it really is a huuuuge factor in how long I go, so I just do it.
am largely a bike commuter but otherwise alternate my usual cardio workouts on the elliptical and swimming laps. curiously, i'll drink much more water when i'm working out in the pool than when i'm in the gym. go figure!
~ fr
fml hopefully that is not pool water you are drinking :o
curiously, i'll drink much more water when i'm working out in the pool than when i'm in the gym.
hopefully that is not pool water you are drinking
(*reaches to hide gills*) uh,..., no! me? no! keep a liter bottle of regular tap water right there next to my lane for drinking! ha ha!
~ fr
:-D, FML!! Thanks for the giggles. I dunno, it just struck me funny. Thanks, I needed a good laugh.
Still giggling,
YG
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