If you have tried different ways to lose weight, you have probably heard of water and its role in weight loss. But does it really help in weight loss? Yes, it does. Studies show that drinking more water will help you lose more weight. But how does it do it?
How drinking water may help you lose weight
It increases your metabolism
Water increases your metabolism and boosts your caloric burn. This is because when you eat or drink, your body burns calories as it processes whatever has been taken. This is known as diet-induced thermogenesis and works for water in the same way it works for anything else that contains calories.
Water is usually involved in all cellular process in the body, and if you are dehydrated, they run less efficiently, including your metabolism. You should always stay hydrated so as to improve your metabolism.
It makes you feel full and suppresses your appetite
It is usually difficult for the body to differentiate between hunger and thirst. At times you may feel hungry, but in reality, you are just thirsty. Whenever you feel hungry, drink a glass water first instead of reaching for a snack, as you may be dehydrated and not hungry.
Research shows that drinking some water right before a meal will help you feel more, and you will, therefore, eat much less than you would have if you hadn’t taken water. You will end up consuming less food, hence fewer calories, which will go a long way in your weight loss journey.
Water keeps you from taking other unhealthy drinks
Water is a healthy drink that has zero calories, as compared to other drinks such as soft drinks and energy drinks that have lots of calories. When you drink enough water and are well hydrated, the chances of you opting for soft drinks, that will increase your calorie count, reduces.
It powers your workout
If you are dehydrated, your workout will suffer, as you will much slower than when you are hydrated. As you become slower in your workout due to dehydration, so will your weight loss progress. Unfortunately, you don’t feel thirsty until you have lost about 2% of your body weight in water, and at this point, your workout will begin to suffer.
How to ensure you drink enough water to lose weight
Drink water right before you eat
As discussed above, drinking water before a meal makes you feel full, and therefore you eat less. According to research, drinking water before a meal results in an average reduction in your calorie intake of 75 calories per meal. This, when done consistently, will accumulate to about 27,000 in a year; about 8 pounds lost from drinking water only.
Replace any calorie-filled drink with water
Substitute all your sodas, juices, energy drinks, and alcoholic drinks with water. If you want to improve the taste, you can add a lemon slice to your water for a citrus taste.
Drink your water cold
Unless you have a cold or flu, you should drink your water cold. This is because cold water boosts your metabolism as the body works hard to warm it, thereby burning more calories to help you lose more weight.
Drinking a glass or two of water per day is not enough, you should ensure that you drink enough water each day to hydrate you. The recommended amount of water that you should drink is eight 8-ounce glasses per day, though this depends on your size, weight, and physical activity level. For instance, if you are very active and sweat a lot, you should increase your daily water intake.
To know if you are taking enough water, check your urine whenever you go to the bathroom. If it is clear or light yellow, then you are well hydrated. If it is dark yellow, then you are dehydrated and need to drink more water.