H2O!?

[KayMarie]

Just a quick thread to see how much people are drinking and how much their LL's are telling them to drink?

I've been told 4 litres, minimum. This seems excessive!

[X~Libby~X]

The official clinical guidelines for a VLCD is 1.5-2lts. When I did LL in 2009, it was 4lts but they changed it. Hope that helps x

[kathryn B]

I agree,the guidelines have changed 2 litres now I think!
I even find that a struggle as its sooo cold to be drinking water!

[X~Libby~X]

One thing I really enjoy is the forest fruits with hot water. Perfect for this chilly weather! X

[KayMarie]

If that's the nice guidance, why are LL counsellors pushing to drink 4 litres?? Also, I just wondered if anyone knows why drinking so much water gets the better results? Physiologically how does it work?

[X~Libby~X]

I'm not sure to be honest on either the physiological reasons or why the LLCs would push 4 litres. All I know is when I rejoined this time my LLC told me the guidelines have been changed and that 1.5-2 is the minimum they recommend but you should drink as much as you can comfortably across the day. If you chug a litre (which I could) it just goes straight through you so not doing the job. Clinical guidelines change all the time though, it's hard to keep up. I just do what I'm comfortable with which is about 2.5 litres in a day.
X

[Minerva]

I drink to thirst as I find that if I drink too much, it goes straight through and I'm in the loo every 10 minutes! I don't know how these wonderful ladies manage more than 2 litres, but I guess I'm not really counting my drinking, I just have a bottle by my desk and go get coffee when I run out!

Some people find that they lose more weight if they flush their system, however, I don't find that it helps me. Also drinking too much may put excessive strain on your kidneys, so don't overdo it. We do need to drink more than we would normally as we are not getting the water from food, but I don't believe it should be as high as 4 litres. Just watch how you go, see results in the bathroom, your body will tell you what it needs.

x

Scientifically speaking - the more you drink on this diet, the less your body will 'think' that there's a water shortage and therefore try to 'retain' it for a time when our body needs the moisture again. How responsive your body is to different levels of liquids is down to your own make-up genetically - I know my body retains a lot of water naturally, no amount of drinking will help me budge it. Some people's bodies respond well to the extra and shed the water weight (stored in the fat cells - which in the process of weight loss, swaps fat to water).