Role of Water in Weight Loss

Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Without adequate water your body will not function properly. You can go much longer without food than you can without water. The body needs a lot of water in order to maintain its daily functions efficiently. These functions include:

• Water is essential for ensuring proper digestion.
• It helps to removes toxins and wastes from the body.
• It helps to transports oxygen and nutrients to different parts of the body.
• It protects your tissues, spinal cord, and joints.
• It helps in regulating body temperature.

But are you aware that water can play very effective role in helping you achieve weight loss. Yes, water is the number one most important thing to address when it comes to losing weight, because water actually increases your body's ability to metabolize fat. Here is how water can help you lose weight:

• Speeds up metabolism: The process of burning calories requires an adequate supply of water in order to function efficiently. In fact drinking water is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to boost your metabolism. According to a preliminary study done by researchers at Germany, water consumption can increase the rate at which you burn calories. The study found that after drinking 500 ml (17 ounces) of water, the subjects' metabolic rates increased by 30 percent for both men and women. However, the increase in metabolic rate differed in men and women. In men, burning more fat caused the increase in metabolism, whereas in women, an increased breakdown of carbohydrates caused the increase. The researchers also noted that up to 40 percent of the increase in calorie burning is caused by the body's attempt to heat the ingested water. The faster your metabolism, the slower is your propensity to gain weight. On the other hand, dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.

• Suppresses appetite: Drinking a glass of water before any meal will act as an extremely effective appetite suppressant. Your stomach will be filled with water, leaving less room for food, and causing you to feel full sooner with less food. A recent study showed that people who drank two glasses of water 20 - 30 minutes before every meal lost significantly more weight than those who didn't. The study also found that people ate an average of 75 fewer calories when they drank water before the meal. If you add the calories saved during lunch and dinner for a whole year, you could lose about 6.5 kg weight.

• Essential for liver functions: The liver's job is to convert the stored fat into energy. This metabolism of fat is directly influenced by the amount of water you drink as water maintains and encourages proper kidney function, which increases the efficiency of the liver's fat burning ability.

• Effective cleansing agent: Your body's natural process to remove toxins from its system requires water. As water flow through the body and out the other end, it flushes out your system and is simply the best liquid you can drink as it has zero calories.

• Aids digestion: Our digestive system needs a good amount of water to digest food properly. Water relieves constipation and detoxifies your colon which is an essential part of any weight loss program.

• Better exercise: Being dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic activities, slowing you down and making it harder to lift weights or run longer. Drinking water before, during and after exercise will keep energy levels high and help recovery after training.

• Avoids water retention: Drinking an adequate amount of water every day is the best treatment for fluid retention also known as water weight. Anyone who suffers from fluid retention and accompanying swelling (edema) is always advised to drink more water.

How can I increase my water intake?

To stay adequately hydrated you should drink at least 2-3 liters of water daily. There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to increase your water intake:

• Start gradually. Try adding one glass of water each day.
• Start the day by drinking a large glass of water with a slice of lemon for zing.
• Drink another glass of water with breakfast or a cup of herbal tea before setting off the day.
• If you are a coffee or soda drinker, replace one cup each day with a cup of water.
• When you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Try to avoid this situation by drinking in advance.
• Keep a large water bottle (at least 24 ounces) filled and next to you at all times. Sip on it throughout the day.

Without proper hydration and regular exercise, it is virtually impossible to obtain and maintain optimum health on a long term basis. So, drink lots of water and get ready to get a slim trim figure that you have always craved for.