Why Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

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Why Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

by Maia Appleby

Don't roll your eyes! The potion for losing that excess body fat is

all around you. It covers two thirds of the planet. If you eat right

and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for

you, but still can't get rid of a little paunch here and there,

you're probably just not drinking enough water.

No need to get defensive. You're actually quite normal. Most people

don't drink enough water. Most people are also carrying around a few

more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. If

you can't seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in

nature's magical weight loss mineral. It works, and here's why:

" What on Earth is 'metabolism', anyway? " People use the term all the

time, but ask them what it means and you'll get all kinds of

answers. Merriam Webster defines it as, " The process by which a

substance is handled in the body. " A little vague, but that's really

all it means.

There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now,

but the one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of fat. This

is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored

fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its

main jobs.

Unfortunately, another of the liver's duties is to pick up the slack

for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the

kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along

with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can't

metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the

kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen,

not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you're also setting

yourself up to store fat.

" I've tried it and I couldn't stand it! " The problem is that, though

many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it.

It's understandable. During the first few days of drinking more

water than your body is accustomed to, you're running to the

bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can

certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems

that the water is coming out just as fast as it's going in, and many

people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless.

Do take heed , though. What is really happening is that your body is

flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all

those years of " survival mode " . It takes a while, but this is a

beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body

all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn't need.

It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your

hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly.

You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it

doesn't need to save these stores anymore; it's trusting that the

water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of

both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to

return to a normal life. It's true. This is called the " breakthrough

point. "

One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine

increases the body's fat-burning potential has many people loading

up on coffee before going to the gym. This finding may hold some

degree of truth in it, but caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and

diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a

few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the

muscles, which need water to function properly. This isn't doing

your heart any favors, either. It's already working hard enough

during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your

best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It's a big

bully that pushes your friend water out of your system.

Water is the best beauty treatment. You've heard this since high

school, and it's true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It

flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear,

glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that

is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up

very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated.

In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until

you're blue in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a

drought, you won't notice a pleasant difference in your appearance.

Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily,

making your workout more effective, and you'll look much nicer than

if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin.

" Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?! " It's really not that much.

Eight 8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is

okay for the average person, but if you're overweight, you should

drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you

carry. You should also up this if you live in a hot climate or

exercise very intensely. To get a more individualized water

prescription, check out AQUASANA's hydration calculator.

This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It's

not healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Try to pick

three or four times a day when you can have a big glass of water,

and then sip in between. Don't let yourself get thirsty. If you feel

thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated. Drink when you're not

thirsty yet.

Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly

help hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and

whatever else aren't what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in

the glass, or if you really think you hate water, try a flavored

water. Just make sure you read the labels. Remember that you're

going to be consuming a lot of this fluid.

It's probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours

before you go to bed. You know why.

" How cold should it be? " This is debatable. Most experts lean toward

cold water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is

also some evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning.

On the other hand, warmer water is easier to drink in large

quantities, and you might drink more of it without even realizing

it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just drink it!

When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice

a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If

you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water

is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still

not seeing results, this might just be the missing link.

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Maia Appleby is the owner and editor of Inch-Aweigh, a fun weight

loss, fitness and nutrition site. Please visit Inch-aweigh.com to

visit her free diet center.

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