You must have heard your elders saying, “You must drink more water each day.” Do you know why is that? Well, it’s because drinking water has innumerable benefits. And one of those benefits is weight loss. Do you want to know how drinking water can help you lose weight?
If you said yes, this blog is for you. Below you’ll find some scientifically proven ways by which water helps lose weight. So, let’s get started.
How can drinking/consuming more water help you lose weight?
Drinking water helps burn more calories
When you drink water, your body burns more calories. And this is what we call resting energy expenditure.
According to a study, consumption of just 500ml water increased the energy expenditure by about 24%. And this increase continued for 60 minutes. It means for 60 minutes after consuming water, 24% more calories were burnt.
Another study showed that consuming cold water further increases the resting energy expenditure.
Drinking water (just before a meal) can help you reduce your appetite
When your stomach feels full, it sends your brain a signal to stop eating. And when you don’t eat excess food, you automatically lose weight, right? And this is something water helps achieve.
Pre-meal water consumption in adults significantly reduced the energy intake in older adults, a study says. This simply means if adults consume water before a meal, they tend to eat less. And less energy/calorie consumption means weight loss.
Water lowers the calorie intake and thus the risk of weight gain
Water is calorie-free (naturally). So, if you consume water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages, your calorie intake will reduce. And if you consume fewer calories, you’re more likely to lose weight.
How much water should you drink?
There’s no one size fits all approach that you can follow here. It’s because water consumption varies from person to person. It depends on several factors such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Daily workout time
- Metabolism Rate
- Location
However, experts suggest that 1-2 liters of water are necessary to prevent dehydration, indigestion and to keep the system working. So, you can go for
- Ounces: 34–67
- Liters: 1–2
- Glasses (8-oz): 4–8
Of water per day.
Please Note: Too much water consumption is also a health hazard. It might lead to water toxicity. So, always consult your physician before consuming too much water.
What are other benefits of drinking water?
Relieve Constipation
Due to the lack of water in your body, the stool becomes hard and difficult to pass. And this is what we call constipation. However, fluid(water) intake is known to have eased this condition in both adults and young kids.
Prevent Kidney Stones
According to some experts, water consumption helps pass out kidney stones naturally. Drinking ample water might also prevent the formation of kidney stones in the first place. However, there isn’t enough research/evidence to back this claim.
Treat Headaches
A study was conducted on 393 individuals. Out of the total, 40% of individuals experienced headaches because of dehydration or lack of water. It simply means by consuming ample water, and you can treat headaches in some conditions.
Takeaway
Adequate water consumption brings along numerous benefits, such as weight loss. Drinking water spends more of your body’s energy and reduces calorie consumption, leading to weight loss.
However, make sure to never drink too little or too much water. It’s because poor water consumption leads to indigestion and dehydration. On the other hand, too much water consumption can lead to water toxicity.
