Drink Yourself Slim: How Water Helps You Lose Weight

Drink water to lose more weight

Water on its own is not a healthy way to lose weight. However, drinking water is essential if you want to live a healthy life. It can also aid your weight loss journey. In fact, the main reason you struggle to lose weight, especially those last few pounds, is because your body is dehydrated. It starts to act in strange ways when it doesn’t get enough.

You Start to Retain Water

When you don’t drink enough, your body retains water. This makes you feel bloated and you tend to gain weight because of it. This is why during the first couple of weeks of weight loss you will find that your weight drops considerably—you will get enough water for your body to survive and it won’t feel the need to retain it.

Yes, there is such a thing as too much water. If you drink too much, your body naturally retains the excess because it doesn’t need it. Two litres of water per day is the optimum amount for your body to survive but up to four litres is generally considered a safe amount. If you do a lot of exercise, you are ill or it is very warm, you will need to drink more than those two litres as your body gets rid of some through sweat.

You Feel Hungry If You Are Dehydrated

The body is an amazing thing but it can act strangely. As your body becomes dehydrated, it will tell your brain that you are hungry. You start to eat more because you believe that your body needs fuel. Really, it needs water! Before you reach for the snacks, ask yourself whether you are really hungry. Get a glass of water and drink that. Most of the time, you will find that your “hunger” is satisfied because it was water your body wanted all along.

If you still feel hungry after drinking some water, your body may actually want food. Have a healthy snack, such as fruit. Check the time too as you may find that the day has run away from you and it is dinner time after all!

Suppress Your Appetite with Water

Water will also help you suppress your appetite. It works similarly to the way that your brain tells you that you are hungry then you are really thirsty.

By drinking water, your stomach becomes full and tells your brain that. You start to forget that you needed food in the first place.

Of course, water has zero calories so there is less risk of gaining weight. However, you will need to make sure that you weren’t actually hungry. Check the time. The last thing you want is to end up starving yourself with this trick—it isn’t a healthy way to lose weight!

Toning Your Muscles with Water

It may sound strange but water will help your muscles tone. Your muscles need to be hydrated otherwise no amount of weight lifting will help them build.

Of course, this can have a negative impact on your weight loss! Muscle does weigh more than fat—that is a pound of muscle will be smaller in size than a pound of fat. However, toned muscles will change the shape of your body.

While the scales say that you have gained weight, take your body measurements and try on that smaller dress. You may find that you are reaching your other weight loss goals.

Stop Slowing the Digestive System

When you don’t have enough water, your digestive system will slow down. This leads to your metabolic rate slowing. You end up holding onto more calories and will find that toxins are held within your body.

Neither of these do any good for your weight loss!

Water will help you lose weight because it helps speed up your digestive system. You will get rid of all those toxins clogging up your body, feel like you have more energy and effectively lose weight.

Your body really does need water. It needs it to survive and water will help you lose weight. Drink around eight glasses a day and you will keep your body hydrated and functioning properly. Remember to drink more if you do more exercise or it is hot! Your body loses more water during these times.

Image credit: Yogendra174