If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably heard that you need to drink plenty of water. Some people will recommend that you drink unbelievable amounts every day, and make big claims about it: that it will flush fat out of your system, jump-start your metabolism, or burn fat right out of your body. So is that true? Is drinking more water going to solve your fat loss problems quickly and easily?
The simple answer is no. Drinking water is not a miracle cure for weight loss. There’s a simple reason for that: there are no miracle cures for weight loss. That said, drinking water can be an important part of a logical and effective weight loss plan. Here are four good reasons why:
When you are drinking water, you are not drinking other things. – The water has no sugar, no fat, no carbohydrates, no additives or chemicals. If you drink water, then you’re not drinking sodas, juices, or greasy concoctions that are going to hurt your weight loss goals. Sometimes the best changes you can make to your diet are simply to avoid bad choices, and water can help you do just that.
water makes you feel full – Often when our body tells us that it is hungry, it is actually just thirsty and we are misreading the signals. Getting into the habit of drinking a glass or two of water just before eating can help you limit the size of your meal and makes it much easier to avoid unnecessarily overeating.
Hydration is crucial for effective exercise – To lose weight you will need to have some kind of exercise routine as part of what you are doing. If you’re not drinking enough water, your body will rebel when you exercise because it won’t be able to cool down properly. That means you won’t be able to work as hard as you should and you won’t lose fat as effectively. If you are dehydrated, your blood can lose volume. When that happens, your blood is less effective at getting oxygen to your muscles. That means you may feel more tired, and as a result, you’re less likely to work hard.
Helps clear pipes. – A good diet for weight loss will include plenty of healthy fiber. That will help cleanse your system and improve your digestion. However, if you’re not drinking enough water, then that fiber won’t get out of your system as effectively, and you’ll feel bloated, constipated, and generally unhappy.
So while drinking water isn’t going to cause instant, miraculous weight loss, you can see that it’s definitely important. You need to start focusing on your water intake today. As a first step, drink a glass of water every time you are preparing a meal. It’s an easy habit to get into, and you’ll quickly find that it has an impact on how much you eat and how you feel after your meal.
