Yes WATER is essential!!!I drink 128 oz a day & have noticed a huge defferance I wasnt drinking enough & I was hanging on to Water retention.Nat & some others turned me in the right derection & now Im thankful I listened.Your body needs Water to get rid of WATER strange sounding but its very true they made a believer outa me!! Good luck & dont get discouraged My Hubby is loosing slower then me the keto stix just barely changed color for him after 6 weeks of this WOE.Some people are metabolically resistant to dieting if you have the Atkins book Id sugest reading the chapter about metabolic resistance to weight loss.Also in his new revised book he has a chart that shows metabolic levels for what you lost during induction & 3 or below is high resistance & he recomends you reading the chapter about metabolic resistance.Dont give up it will happen if you dont gotta lot to loose it goes slower to. hope you break through.....