How Does Drinking Water Help You to Lose Weight?

While exercising is a major benefit to your health and contributes to weight loss, what you put into your body also can help you shed pounds and maintain a healthy body weight. Because the body is composed of two-thirds of water, drinking water is essential to the body's needs on a daily basis. Therefore, water plays a major role when it comes to weight loss.

  1. Function

    • Water contributes to the way the body's organs function. Water aids in digestion, regulates body functions, transports nutrients, removes the body's waste material, reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, improves skin tone and lubricates joints.

    Significance

    • Drinking the right amount of water affects weight loss. The To Lose Weight website states that an adequate amount of water increases the rate at which the liver burns fat as well as reduces water retention. The body stays hydrated (which is important if you exercise and for your metabolism) and food is digested properly.

    Benefits

    • Drinking water before, during and after every meal helps you to stay full longer, which will decrease your appetite and help prevent unnecessary overeating. Water is also very accessible and calorie-free.

    Quantity

    • The average person should drink 8 cups of water daily, which is equivalent to 64 ozs. If you are physically active, the Kraft website suggests drinking the following amount of water: Drink 2 cups (16 ozs.) about two hours before your activity; drink 1 cup (8 ozs.) every 15-20 minutes while you exercise; weigh yourself before and after exercise, and for every pound you lose, replace it with 2 cups (16 ozs.) of water.

    Considerations

    • Drinking eight glasses of water everyday is difficult for some people to swallow. A slice of lemon can add flavor to water without adding significant calories. Other options are vitamin water and seltzer water. Eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable servings daily, as they contain water.

    Misconceptions

    • Although drinking water is beneficial to the body and contributes to weight loss, overindulgence in anything can lead to unbalance. The Health Benefit of Water website states that drinking water in excess (known as over-hydration) can cause an imbalance in electrolytes.