The Effects Of Water On Weight Loss

MayoClinic.com suggests drinking eight, 8 oz. glasses of water each day, more if you are exercising. Not only is water essential to maintain a healthy body, it also affects your weight loss. Water comprises about 60 percent of your body, with each vital organ depending on it to properly function.

Prevents Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when you do not have adequate amounts of water to carry out normal bodily functions. MayoClinic.com says that even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make you feel tired. This is detrimental to your weight-loss goals because it can compromise your exercise schedule or other activities that encourage fat loss. Although you may see weight loss due to dehydration, it is merely the loss of water, not fat. In "Fitness and Health," authors Brian Sharkey and Steven Gaskill warn that dehydration causes diminished muscular strength and a loss of blood volume that reduces cardiac output and endurance. If your body is persistently dehydrated, it will begin to retain water making you look and feel bloated.

Toxin Removal

Regularly drinking water helps flush toxins from the body, which includes sweating. Water helps remove toxins from organs, such as the kidneys, liver and bladder, as well as carry nutrients to your cells, according to MayoClinic.com. This is important for weight loss because it encourages your immune system, in which toxin buildup can reduce energy. Water also assists the liver in toxin removal so it is able to flush out fat, Joseph Weinstein says in his book "Weight Loss."

Suppresses Appetite

Water naturally suppresses the appetite and promotes weight loss by helping you avoid continual snacking. Many times, the body will mistake thirst for hunger, which can sabotage your weight-loss goals, according to Linda Page in her book "Linda Page's Healthy Healing." Water helps you feel full and hydrates the body for optimal functioning. Drinking adequate water can also help reduce fat deposits, Page says.