Do You Pee More When Losing Weight? What You Need to Know

When you lose weight, you pee more because when the body breaks down fat cells for energy, one of the byproducts of this process is water which you pee or sweat out of the body [1].

One of the ways to boost fat metabolism is by decreasing your food intake through dietary changes.

When you expend more energy than you consume, you create a calorie deficit, and your body will turn to its fat stores for energy [2].

When you begin exercising, your body first looks to its glycogen stores for energy.

After that, it starts burning fat, increasing body water content and urination [3].

Increased urination when the body burns fat occurs for both men and women with a few differences; let’s take a quick look.

Men generally have a higher lean muscle mass and can lose weight more quickly in the beginning, resulting in accelerated fat loss.

The rapid fat loss can lead to initially increased urination [4].

"When your body uses fat as energy, the byproducts of this process are excreted through the body in several ways, including through urine."

-Rachael Link, MS, RD

While men experience more rapid fat loss out of the gate, women tend to have more fat mass, meaning their body burns fat cells for longer, leading to increased urination longer term [5].

One of the significant changes people make when they adopt a healthy lifestyle to lose weight is increasing their water intake.

Water is an excellent tool for any weight loss program because it can make you feel fuller, which may prompts you to eat fewer calories [7].

Replacing any sugary drinks with water also helps reduces calories and aids hydration.

Hydration is critical for health. Drinking water throughout the day can boost your metabolism, which will help you burn calories.

The amount of liquid your body needs depends on several factors, including diet, activity level, and even climate.

Your urine at optimal hydration should be pale yellow, like lemonade [8].

When you are dehydrated, your metabolism slows, decreasing calories burned, making maintaining a calorie deficit challenging and increasing the chance of weight gain [9]. Dark yellow or amber urine is one sign of dehydration [10].

3. Weight Loss Products

Some ingredients, like dandelion, ginger, and juniper in various weight loss products, may cause more frequent urination.

Combining this with increased fluid intake and exercise may result in more trips to the restroom [11].