Can a few extra bottles of water every single day help me lose weight? Here's the perfect answer: according to different studies, drinking enough water can help you shed unwanted pounds. In fact, drinking more water doe not only accelerate weight loss but also makes you look healthier and younger.
Drinking water is effortless to incorporate into your weight loss or weight maintenance plan. Therefore, if you do not have a bottle of water next to you right now, here are some reasons why you should grab one and aim to consume more water every day.
Drinking More Water Reduce Liquid Calorie Intake
Most people ignore the number of calories they consume in alcoholic beverages or sports drinks every day but replacing these high-calorie beverages for water will go a long way toward helping, you lose weight. Although, we're not suggesting you need to wipe all of those drinks.
Results from NCBI study published in 2014 found that men and women who replaced at least one serving of fruit juice with a low-calorie drink or water gained 0.35 kilograms less than their counterparts.
The same study reveals that adults who replaced a sugar-sweetened beverage for a low-calorie drink or water every day for four years gained 0.49 kilograms fewer than a similar group who had made no changes.
Drinking Water Before Your Meals Can Reduce Appetite
Drinking water before you eat can make you feel fuller because it's an appetite suppressant, therefore reducing the amount of food you eat. According to one study, drinking water before meals can help middle-aged or older adults lose up to 2.2 kg (4.4 lbs) over 12 weeks.
In another study, those who drink water before breakfast reduced the number of calories consumed during the meal by 13%. Health resource website WebMD claims that drinking water before a meal would make you ingest 27,000 fewer calories each year, that means you will lose about eight pounds each year just from drinking water.
For middle-aged and older people, drinking more water before meals may be very beneficial, but studies of younger individuals have not shown the same impressive results.
Drinking Water Increases The Number Of Calories You Burn
Consuming enough water increases the number of calories you burn, which is known as resting energy expenditure. A 2014 study from NBCI shows that 12 people who drank 500 ml of water increase energy expenditure and burned about 2-3% more calories for 90 minutes after drinking water.
These results will even be more impressive when the water is cold. When you drink cold water, your body system has to work harder and need extra calories to warm the water up to body temperature, therefore, helping you to lose weight.
While there may not be a massive jump in calories burnt, consistently burning these calories every day will undoubtedly bolster your weight-loss effort.
Drinking Water Helps Flush Waste From The Body
The kidneys retain fluid when the body is dehydrated, and you are unable to remove waste such as feces or urine, which may add a few extra pounds. When these wastes build up in the body, people may feel swollen, bloated, and tired.
Drinking water helps the kidneys to flush out these toxins and wastes from the body while the organ retains essential electrolytes and nutrients.
Drinking enough water also helps maintain healthy digestion and avoid constipation. Staying hydrated promotes healthy kidney function and prevents bloating and swelling.
Drinking Water Can Help Improve Workouts
Keeping water bottle close to you is essential when exercising. Always drink enough water before, during, and after your workout to avoid dehydration. Water reduces the risk of things that can get in the way of a good workout. You experience fewer muscle cramps when you're properly hydrated.
Your joints and connective tissues remain lubricated, allowing you to work out more effectively. Water also helps the heart, lungs, and other organs of the body work effectively during exercise. You're more likely to exercise to burn off those extra calories when your mobility is on point, and your body feels good.
Weigh yourself before and after your exercise routine to know if you're drinking enough water during your workouts. You're not drinking enough water if your weight drops by 2% or more after an exercise.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
You should follow the NHS-recommended 6-8 glasses (about 2 liters) a day if you want the water you drink to help you lose weight. However, this number is completely random if you exercise a lot or sweat heavily.
As a good rule of thumb, make sure you drink water when you're feeling thirsty and drink enough to quench your thirst. Based on the studies, drinking between 1-2 liters of water per day should be sufficient to help with weight loss.
