Do you ever wonder, if drinking water helps you lose weight?

You are not alone. In a society where there is an abundant supply of dietary supplements, weight loss pills and numerous weight loss programs, most people forget that water is a key component in the weight loss process.

In fact, drinking lots of water is one of the best ways to lose weight.

Ideally, the recommended amount of water intake is about 8 to 10 glasses each day.

If you are aiming for weight loss, it is best to increase it to about 10 to 12 glasses.

Does Drinking Water Help You Lose Weight

Essentially, there are three major weight loss benefits to drinking lots of water:

Preventing your metabolism from slowing down Removing toxins from your system Controlling your hunger cravings

There are a few studies and many, many articles detailing that drinking lots of water will increase your metabolism.

Drinking water can boost your body’s ability to burn fat. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that drinking water (about 17oz) increases metabolic rate by 30 percent in healthy men and women. The boost occurred within 10 minutes but reached a maximum 30-40 minutes after drinking. Studies also suggest that drinking one or two glasses of water before a meal can fill you up so you naturally eat less, says Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Plus, even mild dehydration will slow down metabolism by as much as 3 percent….More at 6 Reasons Drinking Water Helps Solve Any Problem – Shape Magazine

For every doctor/scientist/study that states it increases your metabolism, there is another doctor/scientist/study that states it doesn’t or the effect is very minimal and/or inconclusive.

So instead of looking and arguing at the adequate consumption of water as possibly catalyst to increasing metabolism, change your mindset and view it from the opposite point of view.

#1. Preventing your metabolism from slowing down

All those same scientists will agree that being dehydrated will slow your metabolism and digestion.

So staying fully hydrated will prevent your metabolism from slowing down which in my books is just as good as increasing your metabolism.

Drinking sufficient amounts of water contributes a lot with your digestion.

When the body is dehydrated, the functions of the various systems, specifically the digestive system, slow down.

When this happens sugars and carbohydrates will then be accumulated, stored and not burned.

#2. Removing toxins from your system

Drinking lots of water is an effective way of removing toxins from your body. Even if you are not actively trying to detox, i.e. juice fasting and/or intermittent fasting, it is ideal to regularly cleanse your body just by increasing the amount of water that you drink.

Fewer toxins in your system leads to better overall performance. You will also find yourself to be more energetic and active if you are fully hydrated.

#3. Controlling your hunger cravings

Drinking at least 8 ounces of water before you eat your meals is a very effective natural weight loss tip.

This will help you control your cravings, curb your appetite and prevent you from stuffing yourself with multiple servings of food.

Drinking water beforehand, means your body will only be able to accommodate a smaller portion.

Less is more when it comes to losing weight.

Smaller meals allows for your body to work more efficiently and burn the stored fat.

Benefits of Drinking Water

The benefits of drinking water does not end with only weight loss.

It also helps a lot with better concentration and improving blood circulation.

Water serves as a lubricant which makes our body function with ease.

When there is more water, better physical and mental performance is a direct result.

If you are the type of person who prefers having tasty or flavored drinks during meals or simply for quenching thirst, there are still options that you can go for.

Do not resort to grabbing a soda!

Adding lemon or lime to the water is a far better option.

In fact, lemon juice in water is advisable because this fruit’s peel has pectin fiber which could also help alleviate your food cravings.

It also promotes the liver to secret bile so your digestion is more efficient.

Green tea is also a great supplementary drink. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and improves your metabolism.

To read more about the benefits of adding green tea to your diet, check out the article: Health Benefits of Green Tea.

Does drinking water help you lose weight? Of course, it does, go drink a glass right now!

Here is a great article on WebMD agreeing with our assessment of the weight loss benefits of drinking water.

Go make some healthy changes, as soon as possible!