Can Drinking Water Help You Lose Weight

The health and weight loss benefits of water have been touted for years—virtually every successful weight loss or diet plan recommends you drink at minimum the recommended 6-8 8-ounce glasses of water each day. With drinking water as a common theme in diet plans and weight loss programs, it’s safe to say that keeping your body hydrated by drinking water is an important element of losing weight.

How does water work to help you lose weight? In a number of ways, including:

• It works as an appetite suppressant. Drinking water helps you to feel fuller, working as an appetite suppressant. When you are properly hydrated, or when you grab a glass of water instead of a snack, you will end up eating less and feeling fuller on zero-calorie water rather than filling up on junk food.

• It helps you see if you’re really hungry. Oftentimes, people will mistake thirst for hunger. So instead of getting a glass of water to quench their thirst, they end up consuming more calories that their body doesn’t really need. Instead of snacking when you feel hungry, drink water instead. If you are still hungry thirty minutes later, then you can tell it is real hunger and not just thirst.

• It increases metabolic rate. Studies have shown that drinking water increases the rate at which the body burns calories, or the metabolism. One study even showed that after drinking 17 ounces of water, the metabolic rate increased by 30% for the next 30 or 40 minutes.

• Assists with excretion of waste. Many times, people who are constipated are that way because they are dehydrated. Constipation leads to bloating and a build-up of waste, which also means extra weight. Drinking plenty of water can help you to smooth the overall process.

• Helps with the absorption of nutrients. Your blood is actually 92% water and acts as your body’s transport system for distributing nutrients throughout the body. Neglecting to drink the proper amount of water each day means you are not receiving the full benefits, including health and weight loss benefits, from the food you eat.

As you can see, there are many weight loss benefits to drinking water. Not drinking enough water can have the opposite effect as well. If you aren’t drinking enough water (the average adult needs about 6-8 glasses a day), the following tips will help you to incorporate it into your daily routine.

• Have a glass of water when you wake up, when you go to bed, and with each meal. This will help you to “schedule” water if you find that you have trouble drinking it throughout the day.

• Substitute. If you enjoy sodas or juice on a regular basis, swap them for water. It’s healthier anyway.

• Carry a water bottle around with you during the day, and sip on it. You can buy a large water container that holds enough for almost the entire day’s worth of water. Keeping this with you throughout the day will make it easier to access water.

Drinking enough water is an important part of weight loss.

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