Drinking at least 64 ounces (eight cups) of water every day may help with weight loss. Downing liquid is not the only way to meet this goal. About 20 percent of your hydration needs can be met through your diet, says Caroline Susie, RDN, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Drinking more water may help with weight loss by temporarily increasing your metabolic rate. Most of our metabolic processes take place in the presence of water. Water helps in the digestion of food and consequently, helps burn more calories. This will lead to losing belly fat.
“In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day.
The amount of water you need daily to ensure weight loss may vary, but anything between half an ounce and one ounce for every pound you weigh is sufficient to promote weight loss.
How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight? Along with keeping you hydrated and doing wonders for your skin, drinking water is great for weight loss. How much? It's best to drink the amount of water that equals half your weight, in ounces.
To lose 10 pounds in 3 days would mean decreasing your calorie intake by 35,000 calories in just 3 days! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a slow and steady weight loss of no more than 1/2 to 1 pound a week. Otherwise you are losing muscle and water, as well as weakening your bones.
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular physical activity. Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal.
This is possible, but you'll mainly be shedding off water weight (a short-term approach) and not fat (a long-term and more sustainable strategy). Remember, losing 5 pounds weekly is not customarily recommended week after week.
You'll feel less hungry and may even lose weight. You'll probably experience more comfortable digestion (less heartburn). Bowel movements might be easier and more regular. Your teeth and gums will be healthier and more resilient.
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
Can drinking a gallon of water a day be harmful? For most people, there is really no limit for daily water intake and a gallon a day is not harmful. But for those who have congestive heart failure or end stage kidney disease, sometimes water needs to be restricted because the body can't process it correctly.
Any extra water being held in the body is referred to as “water weight.” When water builds up in the body, it can cause bloating and puffiness, especially in the abdomen, legs, and arms. Water levels can make a person's weight fluctuate by as much as 2 to 4 pounds in a single day.
While losing 7 pounds or more per week is possible, it is certainly not safe and healthy. If you lose weight rapidly, you will only eradicate water from your body and not your body fat. You can't safely burn 7 pounds in just a week (5). Fast weight loss also flushes out stored glycogen and lowers your insulin levels.
But the average weight loss that most people see on the 1200 calorie diet is about one to two pounds per week.”
The Military Diet is a short-term, calorie-controlled meal plan that claims to help you lose 10 pounds in one week. The diet involves eating a set calorie-restricted menu for three days, followed by four days off the diet, in which you're advised to eat in moderation or follow a less restrictive, low-calorie meal plan.
Losing significant amounts of weight quickly is not recommended and may be dangerous. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommend people looking to lose weight aim to lose between 1–2 pounds per week for safe, healthy weight loss.