How Much Water To Drink A Day To Lose Weight

Knowing how much water to drink a day to lose weight is important because getting enough water is one of the most important things you can do not only to lose weight, but to ensure your health in general. One of the most important weight loss tips that is neglected by people working to lose weight on their own is staying hydrated at all times. Losing weight is a difficult process, so every edge you can give your body will help provide the results that you are looking for.

The Importance of Drinking Water For Weight Loss

There are many reasons why doctors, dietitians, and trainers recommend drinking plenty of water when you are trying to lose weight. The most important are listed for you below.

• Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. – The next time you feel hungry, have a glass of water and wait twenty minutes. You may find that you’re not hungry any more.
• Water keeps your body clean. – Losing weight and burning fat create by-products in the body that need to be eliminated. In order to do so, the body needs a healthy supply of water.
• Cold water burns calories. – In no way should you assume that drinking ice water all the time will cause you to magically lose weight fast, but drinking cold water helps burn a few extra calories here and there because the body has to work harder to absorb it.
• You sweat when you work out. – When you work out, you will lose a lot of water through sweating and respiration. That water needs to be replaced for you to maintain your energy levels and keep your body working.
• Some excess weight is actually water weight. – When you are retaining water, the best thing you can do is increase your water intake. This will let your body know that plenty of water is available, so it will not store as much of it in your body.

How Much Water Should I Drink To Lose Weight?

Just about everyone is familiar with the old rule stating that you need to drink 8 glasses of water per day in order to stay healthy. For most people, this is a pretty good rule of thumb to go by, even though the actual science behind that recommendation is shaky. Most of the water you drink is going to come from beverages, but you have to remember that there is also water in the food you are eating, particularly fruits and vegetables. Just keep in mind that if you live in a hot climate or if you are working out a lot, you should drink another glass or two per day in order to stay hydrated. Beyond that, don’t spend too much time worrying about it as long as you stick primarily to water and stay away from artificial sweeteners and calorie-filled beverages.

What You Drink Is Important Too

Now that you understand just how much water to drink a day to lose weight, you should also take a moment to consider what exactly it is that you are drinking. In much of the world, drinking plain water has become boring and has been replaced with all sorts of teas, juices, coffees, soft drinks, and other beverages. This is part of the reason that so many of us are facing obesity.

When you consume beverages that contain calories, your body does not take those calories into account when sending satiety signals from your brain. This means that you could consume almost 300 calories in a 24 ounce Coke and still consume a full meal in addition to that, when consuming a 300 calorie serving of food would start filling you up. That means that non-caloric beverages are the way to go.

Even so, not all caloric beverages are created equal. Tea has many health benefits that we will cover in other articles, coffee has caffeine that can help give you energy for a workout, but the best choice for general consumption is still plain water. Caffeine is a diuretic that will make you lose water, and all the artificial sweeteners in diet soft drinks are simply bad for you. Have some coffee or tea before you work out, but mostly just stick to filtered or mineral water.

Tagged as: nutrition, water, water and weight loss, water weight, weight loss myths

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