This is one thing I can't really answer scientifically. I do know drinking water will help to digest food easier. Plus, where it cools your body down, your body will burn more calories to heat it back up. I know if I don't drink enough water, I start to feel very bloated and swelled. Plus, I have a harder time losing weight.

The way it was explained to me was because of the additives which make the water carbonated. So, your body treats the additives as well. Supposedly, this can slow down the metabolism unless you have enough plain water to dilute the other beverages.

So, basically, drink plenty of water and still drink your mineral water or carbonated drinks without caffeine. That is what I do and I did fine.

As a rule, you should always drink 8 8 oz glasses of water a day. Then, for every 25 pounds you are overweight, add another 8 oz glass of water.

I think this is the same as other things on Atkins. Some people do fine just on carbonated water. I think is all dependent upon the body. My philosophy is do what works for ya

thanks for the information

Water is also important on Atkins because lots of protein may make it easier to get dehydrated.

This is what I always thought... broths, teas, and even water all create a sensation of fullness in the stomach that handily nips any "false hunger pangs"... you know the feelings where you just want to nibble but you don't actually need the energy. This, naturally, leads to taking in less calories. So, I thought this was the reason we were told to drink water on diets.

However now that I know there is some evidence that water consumption actually raises metabolic rate, I will definitely be drinking pure ice cold (they said it was heating the water which contributed, right?) water. It can't hurt... after all, water is free.

I would love to know the reason diet sodas and "unpure" beverages negatively impacted metabolism, though. I would think they would raise metabolism even higher since all the necessary filtering of the water by the body probably raises metabolism to a greater degree than straight water... doesn't seem to be the case though, unfortunately . Sigh, and just when I find out they came out with a diet brisk iced tea (my FAVORITE drink pre-Atkins *cry*).

You can still drink Tea and diet sodas. Just make sure you are getting your water. But, watch out for caffiene. They say that can affect you as well.

[QUOTE=RickinTN]The way it was explained to me was because of the additives which make the water carbonated. So, your body treats the additives as well. Supposedly, this can slow down the metabolism unless you have enough plain water to dilute the other beverages.QUOTE]

I'm looking at my bottle of Carbonated Spring water right now and it states for ingredients: spring water, carbondioxide and ozone.
Thats it.... what types of "additives" do you think they were refering to?? CO2 is for the bubble effect and ozone...??? not sure about that... I think my water is safe...

This is sure true for me! I didn't drink as much water over the long (4 day) weekend as I normally do and it's obvious by my feet and ankles that I'm retaining. I hate that!!

I was losing about 1.5 to 2 lbs. per week and drinking what I would call an average amount of water (1-3 liters). I increased it dramatically in the last two weeks (5-8 liters) and I have lost 4 lbs. each week. Of course, the other factor in play is that, with the increased water consumption, my black coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper consumption has dropped drastically. So is it the increase in water... or the decrease in caffeine?

Digesting food raises your metabolic rate too, that's why you get a metabolic boost from eating more frequent meals throughout the day. Cold water gives you the boost without the calories.

I always ignored the water drinking part of the diet, because I didn't understand the reasoning. But then I tried drinking 64 oz of water per day as an experiment and voila! I lost more weight. I'm a believer now!

Thanks Rick, I usually drink alot of water, but I will be upping it now!!! I wonder if ice tea would be lumped with the "other drinks"????

I think that soda water [as opposed to carbonated bottled water] contain "seltzer salts" and may make you retain water rather than having a flushing affect.

Years ago when I was on the Stillman diet - this is pre-Atkins, back in the 60's - it was also called the Water Diet. I remember reading that it was important to drink COLD water...because it took energy (also known as calories) for the body to heat that water up to body temperature, therefore burning calories to make that happen. That's the science behind why water has the effect it does on losing weight.

BTW, I lost all my 'baby' weight on that diet and only regained it years later when my husband's cardiologist put him on a high-carb/low-fat diet and, of course, that's the way I started cooking. I highcarbed my way almost into Type II diabetes.

I'm sooo glad to be low carbing and drinking lots of COLD water again.

Thanks for posting the water information! I'm always looking for something to convince me to drink the water. I just dug my 24-ounce cup (my favorite water cup) out and filled it up!