Lose Weight with Water

 

 

 

Water is Important for Weight Loss

 

Drinking more water is certainly a great way to keep you feeling full longer; however, drinking more water can help you lose weight in other ways as well. It’s easy to get distracted or to forget about drinking enough water, so you might want to download an app, like Water Drink Reminder or Waterlogged, to help remind you to drink up and stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is an essential nutrient, and it can certainly be an important component in helping you to lose weight.

 

5 Ways Water Will Help You Lose Weight

Many studies have shown that simply increasing your water intake can provide moderate weight loss benefits. Combined with a healthy eating plan and regular exercise, good hydration can be an important part of helping you to lose weight.

 

Power Your Workout

If you aren’t drinking enough water, your workouts and your weight loss are going to suffer. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published research that shows that your workout performance begins to decline once you’ve lost approximately 2% of your body weight in water; unfortunately, you often don’t feel thirsty until you’ve reached this level of dehydration. So, just about the time you’re ready to reach for water, the exercise benefits you’re working for have already begun to slip away.

The American Council on Exercise recommends that women who are active drink 91 ounces (2.7 liters) of water each day; however, the timing of when you drink this water can make a big difference. Try drinking 16 ounces of water prior to your workout; then continue drinking 8 ounces every 30 minutes during your workout session.

 

Boost Your Metabolism

While your workout will certainly burn calories, and is definitely recommended; drinking water will increase the number of calories you burn each day, even if you aren’t exercising. The reason is simple. Every time you eat or drink anything, your body needs to process what you’ve taken in. This translates into work, which is calories burned. This process of burning calories is known as “diet induced thermogenesis;” and, it works whether you’re eating dinner or drinking water.

A study published in The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism looked at the results of healthy men and women drinking approximately 16 ounces of water. The results were encouraging; the metabolic rate of the participants increased by 30%. Researchers concluded that if you increased the amount of water you drink by just 6 eight ounce glasses per day, you could increase the number of calories you burn by 200 calories each day.

 

Identify Hunger

Water can definitely help you curb your hunger because it can help you feel full; but, drinking more water can also help you identify when you’re hungry. Many times, people think that they’re hungry, when they’re actually just thirsty. For example, many of the feelings that we associate with being hungry, like low energy, light headedness, or even an empty, gurgling stomach, are the same feelings we experience when we’re not getting enough water.

When you get that hungry feeling, drinking water can be a great way to determine how hungry you really are. A study conducted at the University of Oxford in 2015 found that when obese adults drank 16 ounces of water about 30 minutes before each meal, they ate fewer calories. They also lost 2.6 pounds more than the participants who just imagined that they were full before they sat down for their meals. Drinking 16 ounces of water, 30 minutes before eating is a great way to help reduce your calorie intake.

 

Boost Energy

There’s no doubt, energy and weight loss go hand in hand. When your energy level is high, you can give your workouts the intensity they deserve. Of course, you’ll also be able to slay those disastrous cravings; and, as an added bonus, you’ll be much more motivated to get up and get moving. The human body is comprised of almost 70% water, keeping your water intake up is the best way to give your energy a boost.

 

Avoid Other Drinks

Water is definitely a great beverage all on its own; but, it’s even better when compared with other drinks, such as calorie rich coffee drinks or soda.  A BMC Public Health study in 2015 included 1,100 adults. This study found that for every 3.4 ounces of water the participants drank, they reduced their intake of high calorie beverages by 0.7 ounces. In other words, drink more water and you’ll drink less soda or frappes. That’s definitely an excellent way to help you lose weight.