Weight Loss: Does Drinking Water Make You Lose Weight?

Water is life’s necessity. You heard from health experts recommending us to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to keep our bodies hydrated. 

Besides that, there’s something more about water that you’re going to find in this post. 

Drinking water does not merely quench your thirst, but it may also help you lose weight!

Excess weight gain is a worrisome concern for many people. Finding the most effective, natural, and economical way is indeed a challenge for some. 

So, how can water help you reduce those excess pounds? Let’s find out!

How does water help with weight loss?

About more than sixty percent of our body is water. And it’s a need for all of our vital organs to function correctly. Water is essential in the excretion of body waste and the absorption of nutrients. 

Many studies claim that increasing water intake can aid weight loss. Here is how water can help you:

1. Water stimulates your metabolism which helps you burn more calories

Water contains no calories. A study claims that increasing water intake will stimulate your metabolism by up to 30%, making your body burn calories. 

Drinking more water increases mitochondrial function. And this in turn speeds up lipolysis and breaking down fats for energy through hydrolysis.

Drinking water for weight loss in higher amounts will help decrease your body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body composition.

2. Water suppresses your appetite, which can control your calorie intake

The idea of drinking water before meals is the key to control your appetite!

When hunger strikes at an odd moment, you’ll surely look for food. Hold it up because maybe you’re not hungry at all.

Thirst indicates that we are mildly dehydrated. Sometimes, the brain mistakenly interprets it to hunger. 

The next thing you may have to try is to drink water instead of grabbing something that will only contribute to excess caloric intake.

Clinical trials confirmed that taking two 8-ounce glasses of water before a meal effectively sheds excess body weight. 

Earlier studies on dieting adults’ water consumption suggested that drinking 2 cups of water before meals make one eat between 75 and 90 fewer calories. 

After 12 weeks, they lost up to 5 pounds of body weight compared to those who do not routinely drink water before meals.

Drinking water before and during meals, it causes changes in your subjective satiety sensation by slowly shutting down such food cravings or your appetite.

Such changes can make you feel less hungry, and the water you take will also make your tummy a little fuller and satisfied.

3. Drinking water can lower your chances of gaining weight

You better drink more water over your favorite sweetened beverages. Sugary drinks have a high caloric value. Water has none.

According to a study review, replace water with sugary can lead to weight gain if the consumption of these products goes out of hand.

Instead of drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, shift to drink water instead to quench your thirst. 

In a 2015 study, researchers observed the effects of replacing diet beverages with water on body weight as part of the weight loss program for overweight and obese women.

This study concluded that these women had shown significant weight reduction. 

4. Water helps the body to excrete waste

Your body cannot regularly eliminate all body waste if you are dehydrated. The more waste retains in your body, the more you are likely to be bloated, constipated, and feel heavy. 

Water is vital to help the kidneys excretes toxins and waste out of the body through sweat, feces, or urine.

When your body is dehydrated, the kidneys hold water and waste products due to electrolyte imbalance. That retained water and body waste may contribute to some additional pounds to your weight. 

Related: How to Lose Weight Quickly for Your Wedding

Can drinking a lot of water help you lose weight?

Yes, drinking water can help you reduce weight and trigger faster weight loss.

Research shows that if you increase your water intake, you consume less food, which lowers their energy or calorie intake.

Also, the fewer chances you consume soft drinks or fruit drinks. It can also help your palate to be more inclined to eat vegetables, fruits, and low to medium fat dairy products. 

Not drinking enough water for your body will slow down your digestive system’s function, decreasing your fat metabolism. At some point, it will make you feel bloated and tired.

How much water do you need to drink for you to lose weight?

One research shows that fluid intake has an impact on body weight and body composition. It’s a general recommendation that you should drink six to eight glasses of water a day. 

Studies suggest that the amount of water that one should take varies per person. 

Individualized water intake will depend on a person’s age, sex, health condition, physical activity, and the ability to sweat in planning weight management.

To see if you are drinking enough water, check the color of your urine.

It would be best if you aimed for light yellow urine. A dark yellow pee may indicate that you need to drink more water.

Does drinking hot or warm water help you lose weight?

Warm water helps you have proper digestion, lowers blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate, making you sleep better. 

A study shows that heating the water from 22 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius can boost a thermogenic effect of up to 40%.

Individuals who consumed warmed water in the study experienced an increase in energy expenditure, burning a few more calories.

Furthermore, hot water can stimulate intestinal contraction to eliminate waste products and excess water weight, making you feel less bloated.

Does drinking cold water help you lose weight? 

Cold water can help improve your energy levels as it activates temperature sensors in your body.

It increases your heart rate, causing an adrenaline rush in your body, making your body work harder to recover its core temperature.

It also helps to burn a few extra calories and increases your energy levels in the process.

Related: Metabolic Syndrome: A Complete Guide to Causes and Treatment

Takeaway

We need water for survival and to have a good health condition. The amount required to take varies per person. 

Remember. Water is helpful if you want to lose weight.

Drinking more water can increase your metabolism, lose excess body fat, burn more calories, excrete metabolic waste and help with weight loss.

Drinking hot or cold water may or may not make a difference in losing weight. It is still important to manage the quality and quantity of the food you eat to get the best weight loss result.

Try to control yourself. Whenever you feel like drinking a can of sweetened beverages, or when your sweet tooth is aching a taste of sugar, fight that urge and turn away.

Chug a glass of water immediately and convince yourself that it’s going to be worth it. 

Most importantly, stay hydrated all the time!