How Water Helps With Weight Loss

I outline the benefits of water for weight loss in this article in addition to all the ways you can get more water into your diet every day.

I began drinking large amounts of water in my early teens. I drank so much water, my mum began special batching my own water supply because I kept drinking up all the water in the house.

At the time, I didn’t drink so much water because I had any specific fitness goals in mind or because someone mentioned 8 glasses of water a day to me.

I drank so much water because I liked the way it made me feel – hydrated, full, and energized.

It was much later I learned about the benefits, which have paid off immensely for me now that I’m much older.

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Benefits of Drinking Water for Weight Loss

1. Waters Helps with Calorie Control

As I said before, one of the reasons I drank so much water is because it made me feel full so I didn’t have to eat a lot of food.

Note, I didn’t replace food with water and I didn’t starve myself. The water just stretched the time between meals. When I did finally eat, I didn’t need to eat a lot.

After eating, I drank a lot of water as well.

2. Water Rejuvenates the Skin

This is one of the best benefits of drinking enormous amounts of water over the course of my life has had on me.

My skin is phenomenal. I don’t have wrinkles, crows feet, divets on my forehead, or under-eye circles.

I use good skincare products but nothing incredible. Just the basic stuff. The way my skin looks points back directly to how much water I drink.

3. Water Optimizes Kidney Function

When you drink loads of water, your body is hydrated. A hydrated body helps the kidney filter toxins and waste while retaining essential nutrients and electrolytes.

When you don’t drink enough water, your body can’t achieve the same results, and may also lead to bloating.

4. Water Controls Unhealthy Cravings

If you have a craving for things like soda and other unhealthy drinks, drinking more water reduces the urge to reach for these unhealthy drinks.

If it doesn’t, I have shared two water weight loss recipes below that will help you let go of unhealthy drinks faster while still drinking water.

5. Water Burns Fat

Water is required for the body to properly metabolize stored fat and carbohydrates.

Increasing your water intake can lead to increased lipolysis and a loss of fat.

By the way, this doesn’t mean you should drown yourself in water. There is such a thing as drinking too much water, which can be just as bad as not drinking enough. 

How Much Water Should You Drink for Weight Loss?

Everyone and their mama know about the standard 8 glasses of water every day. However, I drink much more than that depending on my activity level.

If it’s summer and I’ve been under the sun for more than 15 minutes, I ramp it up. If I’ve just finished working out, I ramp it way up.

If I’m taking medication for something, I ramp it up. If I’m unwell and/or bedridden for any reason, I ramp it up.

In all other cases, I sip on water continuously throughout the day. I also drink at least two glasses of water first thing in the morning. Very refreshing.

This water bottle and I are best friends and we go everywhere together. I fill it up from home and when I run out, I fill up in the office or buy more. 

It holds 800 ml of water, which is about 4 cups of water so I go through 2 of those over the day and drink more when I get home. You can get a similar bottle HERE.

Vary your water intake according to your activities and drink more or less as you wish.

How to Get More Water into Your Diet for Weight Loss?

If you have a hard time getting a lot of water into your diet, here are some great ways to drink more water without trying that hard:-

1. Food With Water for Weight Loss

Add more foods with high water content into your diet. Foods in this category include tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, watermelon (90% water), oranges, celery, and green capsicum.

If you already eat all these, you can increase your intake especially if you’re not drinking as much water as you know you should.

2. Flavoured Water for Weight Loss

Flavor your water with fruits and vegetables like cucumbers, lemon slices, blueberries, raspberries, and grapefruit. I do this sometimes with lemon or lime slices just for a variation. 

I like to think it also helps keep my skin looking young and supple. You can also flavor water with herbs like mint, cinnamon sticks, basil, and parsley.

A water infuser bottle like Prodyne Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher or Brimma Leak Proof Fruit Infuser Water Bottle can help with getting more water into your diet.

Brimma Leak Proof Fruit Infuser Water Bottle

3. Drink More Smoothies for Weight Loss

Drink smoothies after your workout. Depending on your workout program, you can drink smoothies before your workout.

You can also have smoothies for breakfast or lunch depending on your meal plan and workout program. Check out these Healthy Smoothy Recipes for some inspiration. 

4. Drink More Soup for Weight Loss

Yes, soup counts towards your water intake as well. I have a badass tomato, basil, and celery soup recipe I make in bulk once a month.

I then split into 4 batches and take out every week. I drink a nice big jug of this for breakfast every day as well. You can make pretty much any kind of healthy soup.

A future post will share healthy soup recipes that count towards your daily water intake. The soup can be cold or hot as long as it contains healthy ingredients.

5. Drink More Tea for Weight Loss

People tend to think that tea is dehydrating to the body but not really. A few glasses of tea also count towards water intake.

Keep it on the healthy side by sweetening with stevia instead of sugar. Some teas like green tea also provide additional health benefits.

Alcohol is dehydrating but it isn’t always possible to avoid it completely so here’s a thing I do when I’m out with friends.

For every glass of wine I drink, I guzzle down two glasses of water. This kind of balances it out and I consume alcohol in moderation.

What are you waiting for? Start drinking up today!

Reference

• Increased Hydration Can Be Associated with Weight Loss