I found this and thought it looked interesting and thought it might answer some questions or concerns about water consumption.
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/hom...erburnscalories
The secret to shedding pounds may be in a glass of water. Drink the right amount and you'll burn more calories. That's the word from scientists at Berlin's Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center, who have scientifically shown that people who drink two liters of water a day burn an extra 150 calories daily. How? Metabolism. Water seems to stimulate the sympathetic nerve system that regulates metabolism, report Ananova and the German magazine Men's Health. Think about it: Almost every diet encourages drinking lots of water, but there have been few scientific studies on why this is important and effective for weight loss.
In this German study, 14 healthy, normal-weight men and women were tested for the effect of water drinking on adipose tissue metabolism. Led by Dr. Michael Boschmann, the research team found that the people who drank 500 ml of water increased their metabolic rate by 30 percent. (Metabolic rate is the rate at which calories are burned.) The increase occurred within 10 minutes and reached a maximum after 30 to 40 minutes. Lipids or burning more fat primarily fueled the increase in metabolic rate in men, while in women the breakdown of carbohydrates were the energy source. This increased rate of metabolism was responsible for burning off the excess calories. Interestingly, as much as 40 percent of the increase in calorie burning is caused by your body's attempt to heat the water you just drank.
But here's the gotcha: It has to be water. Carbonated water and all other drinks, including soft drinks, actually had a negative effect. Do note that the impact on weight loss of drinking two liters of water daily is modest at best and the findings are preliminary, but it could have important implications for many types of weight loss programs. The research findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
How much water should you drink every day? The latest study from researchers at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City concludes that the old standby of eight glasses a day still holds. Here's the surprising gotcha: If you don't drink enough water, the greatest effect may not be physical--it's mental and emotional.
Drink just half the recommended amount of water, and you'll likely suffer from mild dehydration. You'll also have less energy, and you won't be able to concentrate and focus as you normally would.
"For people who aren't exercising a lot or living in a very warm climate, eight glasses of water a day may be a good rule of thumb," lead researcher Dr. Wayne Askew told Reuters. If you do exercise and sweat a lot, then you need more than eight glasses to properly hydrate your body. Our bodies need water, primarily because water makes up more than 70 percent of solid body tissue. It helps regulate body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, removes waste, cushions joints, and protects organs and tissues, explains Reuters. Too little water can cause headaches, grogginess, and dry, itchy skin. When we become severely dehydrated, it can affect our blood pressure, circulation, digestion, kidney function, and nearly all body processes.
Atkins and Water: Why it Works
Thank you Rick! That is a very interesting article. Kind of bolsters my idea that "running to the bathroom" ought to be considered exercise 
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