Drinking Water: Eight Glasses Per Day
The Importance of Drinking Water
Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good drinking water habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. It is also important to remember that when the body is dehydrated, fat cells get “rubbery” and cannot be easily metabolized. This means that it’s harder to lose weight when you don’t drink enough water.
Studies show that people who drink two glasses of water 30 minutes before every meal lost weight more quickly and lost significantly more weight than those who didn’t.
A study by Dr. Brenda Davy and her group, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found that people who drank water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories at that meal. This may not seem like much, but if you ate 75 fewer calories at lunch and dinner for the next year, you could lose about 14½ pounds! In addition, being even 1 percent dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism, which can also interfere with weight loss.
If you don’t drink enough water throughout the day, you may mistake thirst for hunger and eat more than you really need, which can prevent weight loss. So staying well hydrated is essential, particularly if you are trying to lose weight. Eating lots of water-based foods like fruit, soup and vegetables are equally important for weight loss.
Study by: Dr. Brenda Davy, Associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech. Source; Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198720.php
Top reasons why drinking water does help in weight loss:
- Drinking water makes you feel fuller which fights hungry.
- Drinking water helps your body burn stored fat.
- Drinking water gives you more energy.
- Drinking water helps build muscle.
- Drinking water speeds up your metabolism.
- Water makes for beautiful skin.
- Soothes aching bones caused by dehydration.
- Water is the mover of nutrients through our body and helps to flush out toxins and waste.
- Water enhances our cognitive functions.
- Our bodies are 60 percent water and we need to replenish constantly in order for our bodies to function properly.
