How Not to Gain Weight While Drinking Water

Drinking an adequate amount of water each day keeps your metabolism working efficiently. If you drink too much during any given day, your body will eliminate it through urination. However, if you consume excess amounts of salt, your body will tend to retain excess water, a condition called edema. The excess water will show up as extra pounds on the scale, but strictly speaking you have not "gained weight" from body fat.

Proper Hydration and Weight Management

• Everyone's needs are different, but if you get in the habit of drinking between five and eight 8-oz. glasses of water every day, you will stay adequately hydrated. Simply drinking enough water will not directly cause you to lose weight, but it will help keep your body's metabolism running efficiently.

  Also, there is no reason to worry that drinking a lot of water will cause you to gain extra weight. Your body will eliminate excess water unless you are ingesting too much salt. If you are retaining excess water, cut your sodium intake and sweat some of it out with exercise. Eat plenty of raw vegetables and fruits, as well as whole grains, and avoid processed foods. When you do eat processed foods, read the labels carefully---sometimes high levels of sodium are lurking in soups and other products touted as "low sodium."