The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Diet Diva]

Good morning fellow medifasters,

I was hoping you all could help me out with a question I have. I have noticed that when I increase my water intake to 2 gallons--yes, 2 gallons or 32 cups or so a day, my weight loss really boost from a sluggish 2 pounds a week to the 3-4 lb. a week range, and I feel fabulous. One thing that helps me get my water intake to this level is that I've started mixing my shakes with not just 8 ounces of water, but 1 full quart. I do at least 3 shakes a day. Could this increased amount of water affect the possible nutrients that my body is able to absorb? I guess I'm afraid to drink so much water that my body is flushing the Mfast right out of my system and I'm actually doing more harm than good. The cool thing is that my body has adjusted and despite the large amounts of H2O I don't really run to the restroom like one would guess. I usually drink the last 2-3 quarts in the evening when I'm home, and I have not yet had to wake up in the middle of the night. My skin looks great and I feel wonderful. Do you all think I can continue to do what I'm doing?
Any thoughts or comments would ge greatly appreciated. Thanks team!

Diet Diva
(I'm @ a 59 lb. loss so I'm hoping tomorrow's weigh in will mean I will a join the 60 lb. club!!!!!--let's hope!!!!)

[bk]

Drinking that amount of water (especially maintaining a 2 gallon intake as you lose weight) can dilute the salt in your bloodstream (it's called hyponatremia). It can make your brain swell, which leads to confusion, paralysis, brain damage, and death.

You should ask your doctor about it. I just don't think there's any reason to be drinking 2 gallons a day and especially having yucky diluted shakes to do it. Do you really enjoy those shakes??? It sounds like drinking the rinse water from my jar! Quite frankly, in my opinion, that is some extreme behavior.

If you do decide to cut back, do it gradually, over the course of a week, so you don't feel too thirsty.

As a personal note, I started off with 1 gallon of water a day, and have allowed myself to cut back to 3/4, because after this weight loss, my body just did not NEED that amount anymore.

[Dean0408]

WOW BK!!!

That was ONE SCARY post you just made............I may give up water altogether!!

I am not doubting what you posted at all. It is just that when you read it in black and white........it really makes you think. Well, that is if you think quick enough......before the confusion, paralysis, brain damage and death sets in.

I vaguely remember reading an article a while back that supports what you say. There is a point at which too much water is not good for you.

Diet Diva - I agree totally with the advice bk gave you. Check with your doctor, or do an on line search for information regarding water consumption.

I bet those shakes don't have much flavor mixed into a quart of water do they?

Dean

[Diet Diva]

Hey folks,

Thanks for the advice. Please let me clarify a couple of things before anyone get truly terrified. I DO NOT DO THIS DAILY!!! It's only happened a few (3 or 4) times since January--at most 2 times during a three week spread, but it was then that I noticed a significant weight drop.

Those few days of high water intake worked out, almost by accident, one day after I enjoyed some walking outdoors and was very thirsty throughout the day-- due to my activity level. That's when I added more water to my shakes. It was after the (few) days of drinking the high levels that I noticed a significant drop on the scales during the next few days... so that's where my question came in.

I hope this clarification helps; and trust me, I enjoy the shakes un-diluted. My "normal" water intake is about 3 quarts a day.
Trust me folks.... I don't want to get the reputation for being the psycho medifast water girl!
Thanks for your support.

Diet Diva

[bk]

Well, I'm relieved! However, even though you don't do this on a daily basis, it can still be dangerous! I think you should still talk to your doctor about it, but go by your thirst levels, and if you're going to drink that much water, have a couple cups of bouillon. If you feel dizzy or shaky you should get yourself to an ER right away. It could just be that your body needed some extra water, but please be careful! I didn't mean to be psycho scary but that kind of stuff really *can* happen with drinking excessive amounts of water.

[DonicaB]

BK ~ You are right about the risks of being over hydrated. My husband and I were just discussing the other night about some reading he has been doing on getting too much water. You know the (I think its Gator-aid) commerical where the marathon runner falls to the ground and turns to stone and breaks into a million pieces............well, my husband said that several marathon runners have been mis-diagnosed with dehydration and were given too much water or gator-aid and some have actually died because of the very issues you were discussing earlier concerning the sodium levels, etc. It is definitely something that should be discussed with a DR.

Don't worry Diet Diva, I don't think your psycho!!!!!! I teach middle school age kids, maybe I am psycho?

DonicaB

[Dean0408]

Is it dangerous to sleep on a water bed?

Dean

[LilMsTexas]

Probally for you it is Dean

[Dean0408]

Thanks Christi...........I'll try and stay away from them then. Haven't seen one since the early 80's anyhow.

Dean

[bikipatra]

My parents had a waterbed for a while when I was little. It was very warm in the winter. I guess they were a fad.

[brown1823]

Ok -- I know you are supposed to drink a minimum of 64 oz but we try to drink about 100 oz a day. Is there a "magic number" for max weight loss?

Kerry

[fatBgone]

Hi Ya'll (yeah I'm another Texas gal! )

I was reading all these posts about water and thought you might enjoy this website that calculates how much water YOU (personally) need each day depending on your weight and amount of exercise you do. Here's the address: http://www.bottledwater.org/public/html/input1.html

Oh - and about TOO much water....it can be dangerous as bk stated. I heard of a particular incident where a teenager died....from an overdose of water. I could hardly believe it - but he was using a drug (illegal party drug) that made him so thirsty that he drank and drank and drank water so much to the point that his brain swelled and caused him to die. The other kids that were partying with him just thought that he had passed out and it was several hours before they realized that he was not waking up. I didn't know him personally, but I either saw it on a show or read it in the paper...can't remember which. It was several years ago.

Well - Diet Diva - check out that website and see if that will help. And don't worry....we won't call you psycho MF water girl!! If something was making me lose more weight faster, I would probably do it too...hehe!! Actually - that's what we're ALL doing!!

[doglover]

Hey Lisa! That was an awesome web site! Good news is that I am right at and just a little above my necessary water, so doing good!

Dean- it may be more dangerous for Heidi to sleep in a water bed w/ YOU!
Donna

[DonicaB]

Lisa~~great job on finding that website. I apparently need to be drinking more water. I feel like I am floating already. Oh well, if its what I need, that's what I will do.

DonicaB

[LilMsTexas]

hey.......that water web site was really awesome. I need approximately 100 oz a day and I don't think I get that much. I usually do good to get in my 64 in. That will be my focus this week........100oz a day! Thanks for the jazz.