Hydration and weight loss, okay, hear me out cuz I didn’t believe it either till it smacked me in the face. I’m sitting here in my Austin apartment, it’s supposed to be fall but my AC is still cranking, fan making that weird clicking noise again, and I just refilled this water bottle for the third time before noon. Like, I used to think weight loss was all about cutting carbs or doing burpees till I cried, but nah—turns out just drinking water like a normal human was the move. I started this back in July when it was so hot I thought I’d melt, chugged a ton one day cuz I was dizzy, and boom—scale said I lost 2.4 pounds overnight. What even.
Why Hydration and Weight Loss Actually Worked for Me (Eventually)
I was the queen of dehydration, no joke. I’d have one coffee at 7am, maybe a soda at lunch, and that’s it till bedtime. My lips were always cracked, I’d get headaches, and I blamed stress. Then one day I’m at HEB, see this big ol 40oz tumbler on sale, buy it on impulse. Filled it with ice and water, drank the whole thing while bingeing netflix. Next morning? Lighter. Not like magic, but enough to notice. I guess your body holds onto water when you don’t drink enough, then lets it go when you do? Idk, I read something on this NIH thing but I fell asleep halfway through. Point is, it’s real.
Hydration and Weight Loss Tricks I Kinda Stick To
I’m not perfect, far from it. Some days I drink 80 ounces, some days I remember at 9pm and chug till I’m sloshing. But here’s what I do when I’m not being lazy:
- Make it taste like something: Water is boring af so I throw in whatever fruit is dying in the fridge. Strawberries, orange slices, once I used pickle juice cuz I ran out of lemons. Don’t judge.
- Keep it close: Bottle stays on my desk, in my car, by the bed. If it’s in my face I’ll drink it. If I leave it in the kitchen? Forgotten.
- Pee and repeat: I drink a big glass when I wake up, before meals, when I’m bored. Basically anytime I walk past the sink.
I spilled water all over my laptop last week. Still drank what was left in the bottle. Dedication or dumb? You decide.
The Annoying Side of Hydration and Weight Loss
Yeah it’s not all rainbows. First few days I was in the bathroom every 20 minutes. Thought I had issues. Then I looked puffy, like extra puffy, and panicked. Turns out that’s normal? Your body adjusting or something. Then one morning I woke up and three pounds just… gone. Poof. Also I still eat like garbage sometimes. Had chick fil a yesterday. Drank water with it tho so I’m calling it healthy. There’s a Mayo Clinic page that explains the bloat thing, saved my sanity.
Hydration and Weight Loss Myths I Bought Into
- You need exactly 8 glasses — lies, I need more cuz Texas heat
- Sparkling water doesn’t count — it does, fight me
- You can’t overhydrate — uh, you can, I’ve been close
Hydration and Weight Loss and My Half-Assed Runs
I jog sometimes, mostly to justify tacos. Used to stop at mile one cuz cramps. Started carrying water, sipping along the way, and suddenly I can go two miles without wanting to die. One time I tripped, water went everywhere, kept running with an empty bottle like an idiot. Still finished. Down 15 pounds total now, still got a gut, still working on it. Hydration and weight loss didn’t fix everything but it helped.
Anyway, that’s my deal with hydration and weight loss. It’s basic, it’s free, it works if you don’t quit. I still forget, I still spill, I still eat fries. But I’m trying. Fill up a cup right now, drink it, do it again later. Tell me your worst hydration fail in the comments, I need to feel less alone. Catch y’all later, gotta pee.
Outbound Link: I guess. Mayo Clinic explains it here if you wanna nerd out.