How to lose weight with water? Basic recommendations of the water diet, a 7-day menu, and results.
You can either have a single water day or increase your water intake for a whole month to see your weight melt away each day. Find out which option is suitable for your weight loss goals, understand what Maxim Fadeev’s water diet entails, what a proper water diet should look like, and what results you can achieve. We’ll tell you how to successfully lose weight by simply adding water to your diet.
What does a proper water diet look like? We’ll explain how to lose weight quickly and without serious harm to your health, just by incorporating water into your diet.
Drink and slim down! One of the simplest diets in the world is the water diet: no tables, long lists of restrictions, or tedious counting. You either don’t eat at all, limiting yourself to pure water (short-term options), or you eat small-calorie foods, always complemented by a large amount of water (long-term diet). In principle, nothing new: all diets recommend drinking plenty of water. But there are some nuances you should know.
How to lose weight on a water diet?
The water diet has a huge number of variations. One of the most successful options was used by the famous producer Maxim Fadeev to lose over a hundred pounds on a water diet. Over time, the story has grown with rumors and variations, so now you can decide for yourself what your diet will be and how long you will stay on the water diet, choosing the optimal option.
The duration of the diet determines the menu. The general essence of the water diet is simple—either you have a water day, or you drink only plain non-sweet carbonated water for three days, or you add a new habit to your life of drinking two glasses of water before each meal. Researchers have found that people who started regularly drinking water before meals lost about 3 kilograms in 2 weeks without much effort. So, it can be considered that the water, or alternatively, the water-salt diet, is quite effective.
To find out how much weight you can lose on a water diet, it’s important to understand how plain water helps shed pounds. Here’s how it works:
- Water naturally suppresses appetite. The brain often confuses thirst for hunger, so when you feel like eating, you can actually satisfy yourself without extra calories by drinking a glass of water.
- Some studies suggest that water boosts metabolism. When you drink room temperature water, the body needs to heat it up, expending energy in the process. The more energy expended, the faster the metabolism. While there haven’t been extensive scientific studies on this, only research on small groups of people, the results are nevertheless intriguing.
- Consuming water reduces the number of calories obtained from beverages. It’s clear: replacing sugary tea or lemonade with water results in a significant calorie “saving.”
- Water helps the body eliminate toxins. This is also straightforward: the more you drink, the more you go to the bathroom. This natural “flushing” is beneficial for the body.
- The body uses water to burn fat. This mechanism is not fully understood yet, and experiments have been conducted only on animals. However, it’s possible that water consumption stimulates the process of lipolysis—turning fat into energy.
- Water improves mental well-being. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and cognitive confusion, but if you drink enough water, these issues are less likely to occur. Even mild dehydration can hinder the brain from functioning properly.
The water diet for weight loss is not something new—water fasting has been practiced in many religious communities for centuries (by the way, have you heard about intermittent fasting?). Then, the water-only diet became popular in the early 1900s among celebrities and models before fashion shows. For medical purposes, Stanley Burroughs began practicing the water diet in the 1940s. Today, three-day water fasting serves as a remedy for people with gastrointestinal diseases, such as during flare-ups of gastritis or pancreatitis.
Basic recommendations for a water diet for weight loss:
- Avoid intensive workouts If you’re not a sports enthusiast, you’ll particularly appreciate the water diet for the lazy. During this period, you’ll need to reduce the intensity of your workouts to conserve energy. The main downside of the water diet is the absence of food. It’s perfectly normal if you feel irritation or fatigue due to a lack of food, so make sure to rest. Replace gym sessions and morning runs with yoga or meditative practices.
- Drink room temperature water How to lose weight on a water diet in a week? Avoid cold and even cool beverages. Low temperatures slow down metabolism, so your efforts will be more noticeable and effective if you drink warm water.
- You can drink more than just water If you can’t give up your favorite drinks, you might favor a water-tea diet. There are also variations where, in addition to plain water, you can include coffee and freshly squeezed natural juices in your menu, but the quantity of such drinks should be minimal. You can also enhance the familiar taste of water with lemon or mint. A single citrus wedge and two mint leaves will be sufficient.
- Take vitamins If you’ve chosen a water diet for a month or another extended period, a significant amount of water may deprive your body of essential nutrients and important minerals. Consult your doctor to find out which multivitamins you should take additionally. Otherwise, unwanted health problems may arise.
- Calculate the necessary volume Our bodies are individual systems, and for those unsure of how many days to stay on a water diet, it’s crucial to calculate the period independently rather than adopting a pre-made plan. What works well for one person might be detrimental to another. Therefore, before starting a water diet, be sure to calculate how much fluid your body needs daily. Even if you’ve chosen a modification of the diet without food, follow this formula: divide your weight in kilograms by 20.
Water Diet: Only water or is there a menu?
Let’s figure out how many days you need to be on a water diet to achieve significant results. There are six variants of a water diet based on water alone, so choose the one that is most comfortable for you.
Water Diet for 3 days
In this approach, it’s a water diet solely on water: for three days, you must drink only water and nothing else. In this version of the water diet, there’s no solid food, only liquids. A three-day diet helps quickly shed excess weight, for example, after holidays or before a significant event.
Express weight loss can last even less than three days: the minimum duration of such a diet is a water day, which is 24 hours. This is quite convenient as it can be done, for example, on a weekend, eliminating various temptations like going out with colleagues for lunch.
According to doctors’ reviews, the maximum duration for a water diet without food is 72 hours. This is often overlooked by women estimating how many kilograms they can lose on a water diet. They are willing to fast until they reach the desired number on the scales. However, doctors strongly advise against restricting water intake for more than three consecutive days for those who haven’t done it before. Such an approach can be very dangerous to health, so all subsequent variations of the diet include not only water but also food. Of course, the dishes should be dietary.
As for short options of a water-only diet without food, on these days, you may not feel very well. Weakness or dizziness may occur, so choose a time when concentration is not required at work, and do not drive.
Menu for a 5-day water diet:
The following variations of the water diet involve a rich low-calorie menu. Eating should be fractional. To lose weight on a water diet and achieve the desired results, make sure your daily calorie intake does not exceed 1200 but does not fall below 1000. For those who don’t want to stick to just water for three days, a 5-day water diet can help with weight loss. Here is a sample menu to which you must add an individual norm of pure non-carbonated water.
If desired, you can modify the menu of the 5-day water diet: for this, you will need a complete table of calorie content and nutritional value of products. Using it as a guide, you can replace products with their analogs, for example, replace 100g of chicken breast with the same amount of lean fish, or replace nectarines with peaches. By the way, check how well you navigate the calorie content of products.
Day 1
- Breakfast: omelet with tomatoes;
- Snack: a small piece of melon;
- Lunch: vegetable soup, 100g of poultry meat;
- Snack: berry jelly;
- Dinner: stewed beans, a jar of natural yogurt.
Day 2
- Breakfast: a couple of toasts, an egg;
- Snack: a bunch of grapes;
- Lunch: stew, 100g of liver;
- Snack: a handful of nuts, not more than 20g;
- Dinner: 150g of stewed mushrooms.
Day 3
- Breakfast: three spoons of rice or buckwheat, tomatoes;
- Snack: fruit puree;
- Lunch: three cabbage rolls;
- Snack: raisins;
- Dinner: cabbage salad, natural yogurt.
Day 4
- Apple unloading: eat 1.5kg of apples throughout the day, drink 0.3 liters of water 30 minutes before and after meals.
Day 5
- Breakfast: oatmeal, low-fat cheese;
- Snack: nectarine or grapefruit;
- Lunch: cabbage soup without meat;
- Snack: 2-3 plums;
- Dinner: 200g of chicken, 150g of 5% fat cottage cheese.
7-Day Water Diet. Water Diet for a Week, Menu Features
Within the framework of a 7-day water diet, you can eat the same foods as during a 5-day diet. Combine the menu by calories as you like. For this long program of effective weight loss, you need to drink approximately 2–3 liters of water per day and forget about late-night dinners. The last meal should be no later than three hours before bedtime.
The main recommendations for a 7-day water diet menu are as follows:
- Breakfast: Should contain any protein-rich food, for example, chicken breast or eggs.
- Snack: Fruits, nuts, or berries.
- Lunch: Vegetable broth, lean meat (no pork or lamb), boiled or raw vegetables.
- Snack: Dried fruits, fresh fruits, or nuts.
- Dinner: Dietary meat, fish with vegetables, or seafood steamed.
Water Diet for 10 Days
Follow the same rules as in the 7-day and 5-day water diets. Don’t forget about the water balance on the diet; drink no less than 2 liters. After five days of the ten-day diet, repeat the menu.
Day 1
- Breakfast: 2 eggs, several crispbreads;
- Lunch: 200g of lean fish on crispbread;
- Snack: Natural yogurt;
- Dinner: Seaweed and young squid.
Day 2
- Breakfast: Omelet;
- Lunch: Cabbage soup and stewed eggplant;
- Snack: Orange;
- Dinner: Stuffed pepper without rice.
Day 3
- Breakfast: Oatmeal (no more than 50g) and two tomatoes;
- Lunch: Vegetable ragout, 150g of poultry meat;
- Snack: 200g of cauliflower and a grapefruit;
- Dinner: Low-fat fish on the grill, two crispbreads.
Day 4
- Breakfast: 150g of cottage cheese;
- Lunch: Omelet, chicken broth, favorite greens;
- Snack: Apple baby puree;
- Dinner: 200g of baked turkey, two toasts.
Day 5
- Breakfast: Omelet with two eggs;
- Lunch: Chicken soup without potatoes and vegetable salad without oil;
- Snack: Peach;
- Dinner: Baked zucchini with lemon juice.
Water Diet for 14 Days
Do not forget about water — drink a glass of warm water in the morning, before each meal, and before bedtime. Repeat the menu on the second week. The diet is diverse, so the 2-week water diet is suitable even for the laziest.
Day 1
- Breakfast: An egg, crispbread, low-fat cheese;
- Snack: Apple;
- Lunch: 150g of chicken fillet, 250g of seasonal vegetables with lemon juice, crispbread;
- Snack: 2 peaches;
- Dinner: 130g of beef, 250g of stewed vegetables.
Day 2
- Breakfast: Two rusks, 100g of cottage cheese;
- Lunch: Plate of soup, parsley, carrot, radish salad;
- Snack: Two pears;
- Dinner: 100g of buckwheat or rice, 150g of boiled vegetables, and half an orange.
Day 3
- Breakfast: Fruit salad with natural yogurt;
- Lunch: Chicken broth with croutons, 150g of raw asparagus;
- Snack: Four prunes;
- Dinner: Two potatoes, 200g of mushrooms.
Day 4
- Breakfast: Two crispbreads, several tangerines;
- Lunch: Buckwheat, apple;
- Snack: Cabbage salad;
- Dinner: Two chicken cutlets steamed, seaweed salad.
Day 5
- Breakfast: Three spoons of buckwheat and two tomatoes;
- Lunch: Okroshka, two crispbreads;
- Snack: 100g of frozen or fresh berries;
- Dinner: Cabbage and carrot salad, 150g of turkey.
Day 6
- Breakfast: 100g of rice and an apple;
- Lunch: 200g of chicken liver, raw vegetables;
- Snack: Two peaches;
- Dinner: 150g of steamed turkey and vegetable salad.
Day 7
- Breakfast: Fruit salad with natural yogurt;
- Lunch: Vegetable soup, egg;
- Snack: A handful of walnuts;
- Dinner: 250g of lean fish, vegetable salad, two crispbreads.
Water Diet for a Month: Schedule and Features
When choosing a water diet for a whole month, follow the same rules as in other water diet options. The number of days for such nutrition is entirely up to you, especially if a strict water diet for obesity is planned.
For breakfast, you need proteins: for example, 150g of buckwheat, rice, or an omelet with raw vegetables. For a snack, eat any fruit except bananas and grapes. For lunch, have vegetable soup, lean meat, and a vegetable salad. For the second snack, add fresh berries, nuts, or dried fruits. Dinner: boiled vegetables, lean fish, or other protein-rich food.
The amount of weight you can lose on a water diet for a month depends on your initial weight and your discipline. Longer variants allow you to shed more extra kilograms and unwanted centimeters, but they require a certain level of patience and self-organization: a water diet does not allow for deviations and cheat meals. Remember: a long water diet provides results only when the rules are followed. You’ll have to consistently stay within the framework of 1200 calories per day.
Short-term water fasting is suitable for impulsive individuals who easily get excited about ideas and burn out just as easily — the diet will end sooner than it gets tiresome. It’s also a good express option when you need to quickly lose weight for an event: the difference in weight and volume before and after the water diet is satisfying, so it’s an excellent choice for those who urgently need to fit into a dress one size smaller.
How to Transition Out of the Water Diet
How you exit the water diet depends on its strictness. If it’s about short-term fasting, transitioning from it to normal nutrition should be very gradual to avoid disrupting metabolic processes in the body. A sudden transition can result in additional kilograms. Make sure to eat in small portions, gradually increase them, and don’t forget about an adequate amount of fluids and multivitamins.
Also, understand what pros and cons a low-carb diet may have. If you just restricted calories and drank more water, you can gradually increase the calorie content of your diet and reduce the amount of liquid consumed, it’s up to you to decide. You can continue drinking a lot if you’re healthy; it will only benefit you.
Water Diet: How to Drink Properly?
What should be the daily water intake? What water can be consumed? How much time should pass between meals and drinking? The water diet is not as simple as it seems at first glance, and at the beginning, there may be more questions than answers.
Dietitian Ruchi Sharma recommends drinking at least 8–10 glasses of water per day. This will help speed up metabolism, cleanse the body, and reduce appetite on a water diet. Dietitian Elizabeth Higgins echoes her, stating that consuming water shortly before meals can help reduce the number of calories consumed. Drinking two glasses before a meal is enough to feel full faster.
Most doctors recommend drinking clean non-carbonated water, possibly low-mineralized. There is no point in consuming distilled water, and boiling is not necessary if the water is clean enough.
Advantages of the Water Diet
According to some studies, cases where a woman lost five to seven kilograms in just a week on a water diet have been observed. This is because water fasting or weight loss on water can be beneficial for the body. It improves the condition of patients with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The water diet also reduces the risk of developing some forms of cancer.
Perhaps this happens due to the initiation of autophagy processes when the body, with a lack of calories from carbohydrates, “disposes of” the worn-out parts of cells. In addition, the process of fat breakdown is activated. However, there are not too many publications on this topic, so in any case, it’s better to use a water diet under the supervision of a doctor who will recommend the correct regimen. Exercise caution when applying a water diet independently.
Water Diet: Drawbacks and Contraindications
The water diet is not suitable for everyone. Before starting a weight loss journey, it is essential to consult with a doctor on how to follow the water diet correctly and how much water to drink, especially for those suffering from chronic illnesses. There are risk groups for whom experimenting with the diet without medical indications is not recommended, especially with the three-day option without food.
A three-day water diet is not suitable for:
- Individuals with eating disorders;
- Elderly individuals;
- Adolescents under 18 years old;
- Individuals with insufficient weight;
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women;
- Individuals with heart problems;
- Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes;
- Patients with gout;
- Individuals with uncontrolled migraines;
- Individuals taking special medications (prescription).
How to Lose Weight Properly on Water?
A water diet is an extreme weight loss option. During the process, you are likely to experience fatigue and a lack of energy. Also, the insufficient intake of essential nutrients and carbohydrates may cause dizziness, weakness, or nausea. Forums discussing the water diet often mention these widespread symptoms. In case of such symptoms, it’s advisable to eat something, even if it’s low-calorie, such as an egg or carrot.
In general, the water diet, like any dietary restriction, involves certain risks. These include:
- Loss of “Inappropriate” Weight: Research shows that you can lose up to 900 grams per day on a water diet without food (a 24-72-hour option), but this weight loss may not be solely fat – the body will start cleansing from toxins and might even lose muscle tissue. Therefore, photos of individuals after a water diet may show not only weight loss but also overall exhaustion.
- Dehydration: Surprisingly, this can happen. We receive at least 20-30% of water from food, and the pure water we drink may not be enough to compensate for this amount. If you experience dizziness, nausea, headaches, constipation, low blood pressure, difficulty concentrating, and slowed reaction while on a water diet, you may be either drinking too little water or the diet may not be suitable for you. Remember: a diet should not worsen your well-being. If you feel unwell for an extended period, forget about the weight loss promised by the water diet and stop starving yourself.
What Results Can You Achieve with the Water Diet?
Now that you know how to lose weight with water, it remains to understand how much weight loss is possible. Extended versions of the water diet for weight loss show excellent results. Five-day, week-long, and two-week courses help lose up to 8 kilograms. The water diet accelerates fat burning and cleanses the body from waste and toxic substances.
However, after the diet, one needs to stick to a similar dietary plan, reduce the consumption of fatty and high-carbohydrate foods, and get used to eating more vegetables. Medical professionals advise following the water diet for no longer than one month continuously. Maintaining weight and overall fitness can only be achieved through proper nutrition with regular physical activity. Otherwise, any weight loss diet plan will function as a harmful diet.