Drinking water is one of the easiest and most essential things you can do to help you shed those extra pounds. We all know that we should drink at least six 8-ounce glasses, or about 2 1/2 liters, of water a day, and once you learn why you should drink the water, it's much easier to motivate yourself to do so.
Drinking water helps speed up our metabolism. The liver is responsible for converting stored fat to energy. When the liver can concentrate on this job, we end up with a fast working metabolism. Unfortunately, the liver has other duties as well. One of these jobs is helping out the kidneys. Well-hydrated kidneys work well and need little help from the liver. Kidneys that don't get enough water, though, rely on the liver to help out and your metabolism slows down.
This isn't the only reason why drinking water is so essential to your weight loss. Your body stores water, always afraid that it won't get enough. And if you aren't drinking enough water a day, your body is right. When we are properly hydrating our body, the water weight that is stored is released.
Water also helps out our muscles. Developing muscle tone is one of the best ways to lose and keep off weight. A thirsty muscle cannot develop the strength it needs. If you stay hydrated your whole body will work with you to lose those extra pounds and help you feel healthy.
Another great thing about water is that it helps us feel full. If you drink a full glass of water a little before meal time, you may find yourself eating less. Water also aids in the digestion. Plenty of water in your body means that you are getting the most nutrition from your food.
It can be hard to get into the habit of drinking a lot of water. It's true that when you start out, you will be going to the bathroom more than normal. The good news is that the frequent trips don't last forever. Once the stored water is flushed out of your system, your body will return closer to normal.
Some people don't drink water because of the taste. Although tap water can taste quite strong, good bottled and filtered water shouldn't have much of a taste at all. You can always add lemon, lime, or cucumber to make the water more palpable.
Although straight water is the best if you are looking to lose weight, you don't need to be confined to that as your only liquid. Fruit juices, vegetable juices, and herbal teas will all help hydrate you. Be aware of the sugar, salt, and caloric intake of the juices.
Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate you, so don't count coffee, soft drinks that contain caffeine, and alcoholic beverages in your daily six glasses. You don't have to avoid these drinks completely, but try to drink extra water to make up for these beverages in your diet. If you are trying to lose weight, restrict alcohol and soft drinks because calories from these can add up over time.
It's best to drink water throughout the day, rather than trying to get in all of your water needs at once. If you find yourself feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated. So while you don't have to gulp down water all day, drink enough so that you are never feeling thirsty.
I have lost lot of weight and my skin has turned clear since I began to deliberately drink lot of water. At times I feel the taste as awful but you get habituated to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment