The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[bikipatra]

I drink 96-100oz a day and by the time I go to bed I am approximately 8 pounds over what my final weight is in the morning. I wake up repeatedly during the night, and every time I tinkle, I weigh less. I get up about 3-4 times during the night. The reason I am asking is I have had a lot of stalling issues lately and am wondering if I could be over hydrated. Do you think I should cut it back to 64 oz. and see if that helps? It will be very hard to drink that little. I have already had 40oz today but I am willing to try anything to get the scale moving again.

[nickieluv]

I don't know - they say the more you drink the more you flush away the pounds, right? There may be a certain 'point of diminishing returns,' though. I drink about 100oz a day, too, and haven't seen your type of stall - but each body is different. I see gains when I don't get that much water, actually.

[Tawanda]

Biki I was told by Nancy that I should aim to drink more than the 64 oz a day. She told me that I should be aiming for consuming the number of ounces that would be equivalent to half my weight so I should be getting in almost 90 oz a day (I fall short of that most days). I would guess that you are drinking sufficient and not over drinking enough to make a difference.........but what do I know?

[MerryMary]

I drink between 96-112 oz per day (wonder if I will crave more as the weather warms?) and my losses are just fine. Like Nickie, if I don't drink that amount of water my losses suffer. Perhaps this is a question that is better presented to one of the Medifast Nutritionists at MyMedifast or Support in Motion ...

I only get up once during the night--sounds like your sleep is upset from the frequent trips to the bathroom. There is some concern about potassium levels dropping with frequent unination ... have you had a blood workup done lately? If you haven't, given the amount of weight you've lost, it would probably be a good idea.

I know that stress can be a factor with weight loss ... perhaps you are stressing too much about the scale (or other things?).

[bikipatra]

I see gains when I don't get that much water, actually.

I have always consumed this much water so I wouldn't know.

[bikipatra]

Biki I was told by Nancy that I should aim to drink more than the 64 oz a day. She told me that I should be aiming for consuming the number of ounces that would be equivalent to half my weight so I should be getting in almost 90 oz a day (I fall short of that most days). I would guess that you are drinking sufficient and not over drinking enough to make a difference.........but what do I know?

Well, based on that formula I should be drinking 83 oz a day. Maybe I will try that and not get up so frequently during the night.

[MerryMary]

Found this on the MyMedifast (Nutrition Support) Board ... perhaps someone will find it helpful!

The upper limit for water consumption varies from one person to the next because of climate, activity, age, genetics, body composition, etc. For instance, if you exercise or sweat, you will need additional water. If you live in warm climates you may also need additional water. The larger a person's body size, the more water their body will require.

Most of the literature reflects that it is difficult to drink too much water to the point of water intoxication (or over hydration). Most of the time, the body would "let you know" before water intoxication would be able to happen.

What happens when you drink too much water? Overhydration occurs when the body takes in more water than it excretes and its normal sodium level is diluted. This can result in digestive problems, behavioral changes, brain damage, seizures, or coma.

An adult whose heart, kidneys, and pituitary gland are functioning properly would have to drink more than two gallons of water a day to develop water intoxication. Eating a salty food would negate the result.

Drinking too much water rarely causes overhydration when the body's systems are working normally. People with heart, kidney, or liver disease are more likely to develop overhydration because their kidneys are unable to excrete water normally. It may be necessary for people with these disorders to limit the amount of water they drink and/or adjust the amount of salt in their diets. Water intoxication can be fatal, but this outcome is extremely rare.

Water recommendations do vary. To reiterate, it is well-established that fluid needs vary depending on a variety of factors, such as climate, age, exercise level, and body weight.

The average adult loses about 10 cups of water on a typical day. Most people need roughly eight to 12 cups of fluid a day. (Which we obtain from both food and beverages).

More specifically, the International Sports Medicine Institute in West Los Angeles suggests a person drink 2/3 ounces per pound of body weight each day if they are active (12+ glasses for an active 150-pound person) and 1/2 ounces per pound if they are not active (9+ glasses of water for a 150-pound sedentary person).

Dehydration is much more common than overhydration. Consuming too much water can have an adverse effect on the body, but is a relatively rare occurrence.

[Mike]

The other question is when are you drinking. I drink 2/3 of my water by noon and the other 1/3 between noon and 6. In the evening my fluids are from ice from blended cocoa or a can of SF lemonade. If you drink alot of water in the evening, this can cause you to need to "tinkle" during sleeping hours.

As for the overhydration thing, its come up many times, and the basic consensus is, as long as you arent drinking gallons(plural) in a day, its not a problem. Minimum is 64, max should be somewhere short of 200 oz I would estimate. (depending on your weight)

[bikipatra]

Thank you for trying to help Mary.

[bikipatra]

The other question is when are you drinking. I drink 2/3 of my water by noon and the other 1/3 between noon and 6. In the evening my fluids are from ice from blended cocoa or a can of SF lemonade. If you drink alot of water in the evening, this can cause you to need to "tinkle" during sleeping hours.

I drink water all day long. Maybe I will try to lay off drinking in the hours right before bed but I guess it's just the alchie in me, I like to drink all the time. Just to clarify, I was never asking if the amount of water I was consuming was toxic, just if it could negatively affect my weight loss, since everytime I went to the bathroom I lost weight. So I was considering that when I weighed in the morning there was still excess water I was holding or being bloated with. So sorry if I confused some people, I thought I was being clear.

[MerryMary]

Just to clarify, I was never asking if the amount of water I was consuming was toxic, just if it could negatively affect my weight loss, since everytime I went to the bathroom I lost weight. So I was considering that when I weighed in the morning there was still excess water I was holding or being bloated with. So sorry if I confused some people, I thought I was being clear.

Of course you will weigh less when you eliminate fluid--just as when you drink you will gain. It's not rocket science. But as the Nutritionist from Medifast points out ... a healthy body will eliminate, rather than withhold, just enough to keep the body properly balanced, no matter how much you drink (withing guidelines)--PROVIDED the heart, kidneys, and pituitary gland are functioning properly. A simple blood test can rule out any problems.

I guess if someone would want to ensure a lower scale weight in the morning s/he could refrain from drinking fluids late at night to ensure full elimination by the morning.

[Mike]

So sorry if I confused some people, I thought I was being clear.

I understood... just wanted to throw in that bit about not worrying about drinking too much. Its so hard to actually do that (unless you compete in some idiotic game, or college hazing ritual).

[bikipatra]

I guess if someone would want to ensure a lower scale weight in the morning s/he could refrain from drinking fluids late at night to ensure full elimination by the morning.

I get up at 4:30 in the morning so that may be part of my problem. There may not be enough time for full elimination.

[MerryMary]

I guess if someone would want to ensure a lower scale weight in the morning s/he could refrain from drinking fluids late at night to ensure full elimination by the morning.

I get up at 4:30 in the morning so that may be part of my problem. There may not be enough time for full elimination.

Hmmm ... and what time do you go to bed?

[bikipatra]

I guess if someone would want to ensure a lower scale weight in the morning s/he could refrain from drinking fluids late at night to ensure full elimination by the morning.

I get up at 4:30 in the morning so that may be part of my problem. There may not be enough time for full elimination.

Hmmm ... and what time do you go to bed?

Between 7-10 so sometimes I get 8 hours. I wake up during the night frequently, not just to go to the bathroom, but with my new medication I can go back to sleep more easily. Also my husband gets up really early to run sometimes and he wakes me up accidentally and I get up just to chat and drink coffee, and have to weigh myself before that. 4:30 is a big improvement, I used to get up at 2:30 and not be able to get back to sleep.