Drinking enough water can help you to lose weight and stick to your diet. Adequate water intake can reduce fatigue, lessen hunger and help you to look and feel your best. While eight to 10 glasses of water a day are typically suggested, most people need between nine and 13 8-oz. glasses of water each day to stay adequately hydrated. Physical activity, dry air and heat can all increase water needs when losing weight.
Function
Water makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Daily consumption of water flushes toxins from your organs, assists in carrying nutrients to your cells and keeps your nose and throat moist, according to the Mayo Clinic. You lose water as you sweat, urinate, defecate and breathe. Drinking water replenishes this water lost through daily living and prevents dehydration.
Size
Drinking adequate amounts of water is essential for both good health and weight loss. Dr. Sylvia Morris, assistant professor at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, recommends nine glasses of water a day for women and 13 for men. If you are consuming adequate amounts of water, your urine should be colorless or only very slightly yellow, reports ScienceDaily.com.
Considerations
If you want to lose weight, you should increase your water consumption. Brenda Davy, Ph.D., an associate professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech, recommends two 8-oz. glasses of water before meals, along with water at meals. Drinking water before meals may reduce total calorie consumption and help you to lose weight or maintain weight loss, reports Denise Mann at CNN Health.
Features
If you dislike plain water or would like to vary your daily water intake, try adding mint, lemon, lime or cucumber to your water. Herbal teas can also fill your daily water requirement without adding calories or caffeine. Keep a refillable water bottle at your desk or nearby as you go throughout your day or opt for a 1-liter water bottle and drink two a day to make sure that you are consuming enough water.
Effects
Drinking more water can help to reduce your calorie intake at meals, as well as replacing calories from other beverages. Eliminating empty calories in sugar sweetened sodas, fruit juices or high-fat dairy products is an easy way to lose or maintain weight, according to obesity expert Stephen Cook, M.D., at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
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