That water is good for the body is nothing new. The body is made up of 60%-70% water, so it is clear that this element is fundamental. Its hydrating power is known and always supported by the medical-scientific community, whose international guidelines recommend drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. Water is distributed throughout the body and is found in muscles, blood, bones, and even the brain. Its role is fundamental, being a vital component of the blood in transporting nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
It also regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, protects organs and tissues, and helps the body eliminate waste through urine and sweat. But water does so much more for your body than just keeping you hydrated—in fact, it might even help you shed a few extra pounds. Before seeing why drinking water makes you lose weight, however, it is helpful to clarify that its contribution is only part of an overall approach to weight loss.
Is It True That Drinking A Lot Of Water Makes You Lose Weight?
It would help if you didn’t think that by drinking a lot of water, you will magically lose weight. The issue is a little more complicated and also involves diet and physical exercise. But certainly, there is no doubt that there is a link between water and body weight, as also shown by the medical-scientific evidence existing to date. As mentioned, we are mostly made up of water, a calorie-free element that plays a primary role in almost all organic functions.
As research suggests, the better your body works, the more efficient it is at burning fat, too. Activity that falls within his duties. There are several ways in which water can help you lose weight, and we will look at them shortly. In a correct path to healthy weight loss, drinking is essential. It is no coincidence, in fact, that any dietician or nutritionist always recommends drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. Let’s see in detail why drinking water helps you lose weight.
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Water Can Help Reduce Appetite
The stimulus of hunger leads to looking for food, but it is not always good to listen to it, especially when it comes to snacks between meals. To silence this urge, a good remedy could be to drink water. Water can decrease appetite because it passes inside quickly, distending the stomach, a mechanism that sends satiety messages to the brain.
Likewise, drinking water shortly before eating can help reduce food intake, as supported by this 2016 study, which observed a 22% reduction in the total calorie content of the meal consumed in people who drank two glasses of water immediately before eating. Two glasses are sufficient to create a feeling of early satiety and, thus, to help with weight management.
Drinking Water Can Stimulate Your Metabolism
Again, it was an 8-week study published in 2013 that demonstrated the effect of water on weight loss and reduction of body mass index in 50 overweight girls after drinking about two glasses of water half an hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and without making any other dietary changes. This effect of water is linked to its ability to stimulate thermogenesis in the body (or heat production), mainly when it is cold.
Acute changes in cardiovascular regulation and energy expenditure with water consumption are mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Therefore, drinking water provides a sympathetic stimulus, which increases metabolic rate through thermogenesis, which in turn increases total daily energy expenditure.
However, despite the thermogenesis mechanism, one should not think that drinking cold water makes you lose weight more than drinking water at room temperature. That is, you should focus on something other than this aspect, as other factors affect weight loss.
Drinking Water Is Good For You During Exercise
Water is essential during physical activity as it helps dissolve electrolytes – minerals such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium – which are distributed throughout the body. These electrolytes play a crucial role in muscle contractions, which are necessary for any movement. An imbalance in them can cause cramps, which are not the only side effect of dehydration.
Maintaining an adequate level of hydration can improve the quality of workouts by reducing the feeling of tiredness and allowing you to prolong the duration of physical exercise.
Water Helps Eliminate Waste
Drinking water facilitates the production of urine, primarily made up of water itself, and helps correct intestinal peristalsis, facilitating the evacuation of feces since water keeps them soft.
In other words, the more hydrated you are, the easier it is to maintain healthy intestinal activity, thus avoiding problems with bloating and constipation. Additionally, adequate hydration promotes kidney function, eliminating harmful bacteria from the urinary tract and preventing the development of kidney stones.
Also Read: Warm Or Cold Water – Which Is Healthier?
How Much Water To Drink To Lose Weight?
The recommended amount of water is generally 2 liters per day. Drinking the right amounts throughout the day can increase lipolysis, the process by which the body burns fat for energy, according to a 2016 mini-review of animal studies published in Frontiers in Nutrition. There isn’t much evidence for this, but dehydration decreases lipolysis. According to another theory, highlighted by an experiment also conducted on animals, correct hydration allows the maintenance of an optimal cell volume, promoting insulin sensitivity and proper functioning of the mitochondria, a fundamental aspect of the cellular metabolism of fats.
Water Can Reduce Stress And Fatigue
Water can help reduce stress and fatigue. According to some studies, dehydration can lead to symptoms such as drowsiness, decreased attention, fatigue, dizziness, and confusion. Another 2016 study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that dehydration can increase the production of cortisol, known as the stress hormone. As is well known, this hormone also has an impact on weight control.
Do Drinking Water And Baking Soda Make You Lose Weight?
Baking soda alone can’t help you lose weight; that’s clear. However, when combined with a balanced diet and physical activity, it could help improve digestion and metabolism which can indirectly aid weight loss.
Does Drinking Lemon Water Make You Lose Weight?
One of the questions we ask ourselves is whether drinking lemon water in the morning helps you lose weight. As part of a correct diet, drinking water and lemon can help hydrate the body, eliminate toxins and substances that can inflame the body, improve digestion, and increase satiety, helping to reduce water retention and intestinal swelling. That said, drinking lemon water should not and cannot be considered a primary method for weight loss.
Why Is Water Good For You?
Here are the other effects that water can have on the body.
Water Is Good For Your Skin
The mechanism is not yet known, but water is also good for the skin. In a 2015 study published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, researchers found that increasing water intake works on the skin in the same way as a topical moisturizer, affecting its physiology and elasticity.
Water Increases Concentration
How surprising if you consider that water takes up 73% of space in our brains. Therefore, even slight hydration imbalances compromise the level of concentration and performance that requires attention and memory skills, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Water Regulates Blood Pressure
Water likewise plays a crucial part in keeping up with circulatory strain control. It can make the blood more liquid, forestalling its unreasonable consistency and improper coagulability.
- Different impacts of water on the body
- It manages internal heat levels through perspiring and relaxing.
- It greases up the joints and tissues of the body, working with development and lessening grating.
- Along with the blood, it conveys oxygen and fundamental supplements to the body’s cells. Without water, the blood would thicken, making this “transport” more troublesome.
- It disposes of waste from the body through pee, sweat, and different emissions. Without adequate water, the body might hold waste and poisons, possibly hurting your well-being.
- It adds to the assimilation and retention of supplements, working with the section of food through the gastrointestinal lot and forestalling blockage.
- Keeps up with liquid and electrolyte balance in the body, which is essential for heart, muscle, and nerve capability.
All in all, drinking water can assist with weighting misfortune for the reasons depicted. In any case, it is fundamental to take on a more complete and manageable methodology, joining this positive routine with a low-calorie diet and actual activity.
Also Read: Are Minerals In Water Well Absorbed?