Stay Hydrated to Lose Weight
I’m sure you’ve heard that we should drink more water just like we should eat more vegetables and exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
Always staying fully hydrated is one of those things that gets bandied about in the world of health and fitness but generally ignored or not taken seriously.
In this article I will break down the importance of drinking water and why it is the easiest addition you can make to your diet that will have the biggest positive impact.
Why is it Important to Drink Water?
To put it simply,
Stop drinking water and you will die.
The amount of time humans can go without water depending on the conditions can be anything between a few days and a week.
OK.. I know that’s extreme.
None of us are going to go days without water, but I think it demonstrates how reliant your body is on this clear innocuous liquid.
Anything else health and fitness related is just a recommendation on ways to optimize your body to lose weight, be healthier get fitter or get stronger.
In all honesty, if you don’t do any of these things, considering you live a fairly healthy lifestyle, your probably gonna be just fine and at worse it will take a very long time for you to see any adverse effects.
Drinking water daily though is an absolute must.
It is the building material for cells and body fluids and every cell in your body requires water to sustain life and function properly.
On average water makes up about :
- 70% of the entire human body
- 75% of muscle
- 80% of the brain
- 85% of blood and kidneys
- And a massive 90% of the brain
As you can see, every part of your body is predominately made of water so staying hydrated will greatly benefit the body holistically.
Continue reading to find out 9 great benefits of drinking water including 3 ways water will make you lose weight.
What are the Benefits of Drinking Water?
Clearer Skin
It’s thought that fully hydrated skin leaves you looking fresh with a glowing complexion.
Although this hasn’t really been quantified in scientific studies it’s something that is backed up strongly by anecdotal evidence.
It has been shown in studies though that increasing water intake will improve the hydration of dry skin. Before you go out and buy expensive moisturising creams,it could be worth upping your water intake first.
Fluid Balance
The human body loses on average a massive 2.6 Litres of water each day which is predominantly through urine (1.5L) and a small percentage from feces (0.2L). 0.5 L is lost through sweat and surprisingly we lose nearly just as much through breathing (0.4L)
Because of the amount of water lost daily, it’s imperative that you stay well hydrated just to replace the 2.6L that is lost throughout the day to allow the body to be able to function properly.
Muscle fuel
When it comes to fueling our muscles we always think of stocking up on protein and carbs when in fact, water is just as important but is never considered an important element and generally overlooked.
Not being adequately hydrated has been shown in studies to have a significant negative effect on exercise performance and power output, even at low levels of dehydration.
Fatigue Booster
If your always feeling tired or fatigued the chances are that you’re actually dehydrated.
This study demonstrated that even at mild levels of dehydration (1.36% mass loss) subjects showed “adverse changes in key mood states such as vigor and fatigue as well as increased headaches and difficulty concentrating”.
Blood Normaliser
When you are dehydrated, some of the capillary beds are shut down, putting excess pressure on arteries and capillaries causing blood pressure to rise.
Drinking adequate amounts of water can help in maintaining normal blood pressure in the most natural way possible.
Brain Boost
Knowing now that 90% of the brain is water, it is easy to see how dehydration will have an adverse effect brain function.
A recent study by the American Journal of Clinical Journal assessed whether a loss of a -1% of body mass due to hypohydration adversely influenced cognition.
What they found was that thirst was associated with poorer memory and attention.
Conversely, drinking water improved memory and focused attention.
Joint Greaser
You might have heard the body being referred to as a ‘well oiled machine’.
Well it’s not the saturated fat from the bacon double cheeseburger you’ve eaten that day that greases the joints but it’s actually synovial fluid.
Poor hydration reduces the synovial fluid between joints and lessens its ability to lubricate and reduce friction.
Toxic Remover
Along with lubricating the joints, water also lubricates the colon and softens the stools which is one of the body’s mechanisms for removing waste.
Water is also vital for the kidneys to be able to remove waste and toxins from the blood to be excreted through the bladder.
It also worthy to note that along with being responsible for flushing out toxins, water is also responsible for transporting nutrients around the body to where they are required.
Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, I like to keep it as simple as possible, because the more complex you make it the less chance you have of succeeding.
Making a conscious effort to make sure your fully hydrated throughout the day is the simplest thing you can do that will have a massive impact on your weight loss for 3 reasons:
#1: Drinking more water will result in more calories burned through increased resting energy expenditure.
Many studies have demonstrated that drinking water can increase metabolic rate resulting in more calories burned.
This study carried out on seven men and seven women found that drinking 500ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30% lasting for up to 40 minutes.
#2: Reduced appetite and calories eaten
Timing your water intake can also be an important factor in reducing your appetite and subsequently the amount of calories you consume.
Drinking 500ml of water before your meal has been shown in this study over a 12 week period to elicit a 44% greater decline in weight compared to the group who did not consume water before their meal.
#3: Reduced calories from beverages
Replacing sugary drinks with water is such a simple hack that will reduce your liquid calories in a huge way.
This was demonstrated perfectly in this study which showed that after installing water fountains in schools in socially deprived areas along with educating the children on the benefits of increasing their water consumption, the risk of obesity was reduced by 31%.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
The World Health Organization recommend that the amount of water consumed daily from food and fluid is 2.9L for sedentary men and 4.5L for active men and 2.2L for sedentary women and 4.5L for active women.
That may seem like a lot of water but there are things you can do at home and work to help you reach that daily goal.
How To Drink More Water at Home
I saw a massive increase in my water intake at home when I started using a water filter.
I use just a basic Brita water filter but it has made a big difference.
With all the fear-mongering of tap water being contaminated it’s easy to be put off drinking it from a tap.
When you use a water filter the water is purified removing all impurities that may have contaminated the tap water such as pesticides, chlorine and other chemicals and heavy metals which makes it a much healthier option.
The filtered water also taste so much better making you more willing to drink it.
How To Drink More Water at Work
We spend most of our days at work and it’s easy to forget just like I did, to stay properly hydrated.
It wasn’t until I started using a filtered water bottle that I really started to focus on drinking water throughout the day.
Having the water bottle by your side all day is a constant reminder to have a sip and you’ll be amazed at how much water you’ll go through by the end of your working day.
Just like the water filter at home the purified water taste so much better and is so much more appealing.
These portable water bottles also tend to be BPA free if your concerned about the possible negative health risk associated with disposable plastic water bottles.
Are You Ready To Start Drinking More Water?
If after reading this article you feel like you probably have been constantly mildly dehydrated and your going to make a conscious effort to up your water intake, I recommend you start hydrating at the start of your day.
Before you stumble your way to your early morning coffee, have a couple of glasses of room temperature water.
It is not only a great caffeine free way to wake you up and start your day but your body is craving water after the nightly drought to start the many bodily functions required.
Invest in a cheap water filter for home and work to give you a better tasting, healthier more accessible way to stay hydrated.
Drink 500 ml of water 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner and replace all sodas and fruit juices for plain water for a proven way to stay hydrated and lose weight.
