by Every person wants to make himself fit and slim and want to lose weight in a very short time. But during this time there are different types of doubts in your mind like what to eat, what not to eat etc. One of the biggest doubts among them is how much water to drink to lose weight.
TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
- Exercise and Nutrition
- Can water reduce belly fat ?
- Does dehydration cause weight gain?
- What is the clear relation between hydration and weight status?
- How does drinking water help to lose weight ?
- How much water do you drink to lose weight
- Formula to calculate the amount of water to lose weight
- Tips for drinking water
Exercise and Nutrition
These are the 2 most important fundamentals on which a healthy and long lasting weight loss plan is based. Even if you are following a good fitness routine which includes enough exercise every week to burn fat and are also consuming a balanced diet which includes foods rich in fiber like fruits, vegetables, dry fruits and seeds etc but one nutrient without which your weight loss plan will fail is water.
We all know this fact that 60 % of the human body is made up of water and hence water is the most important nutrient for our life. The most beneficial fact about water is that all the fruits and vegetables that are considered the best for weight loss contain water and they meet 20 to 30 % of our body’s daily water needs. To maintain good health, it is necessary that there should be no shortage of water in the body.
Drinking enough fluids, especially water, is extremely important and beneficial no matter what the season and what part of the world you live in. But in this article, we are telling you about what is the relation with drinking water for weight loss or weight loss, read further.
Can water reduce belly fat ?
Several studies have indicated that drinking water has many benefits and weight loss is one of them. A study published in the journal Obesity in 2011 suggested that consuming a hypocaloric diet (also known as a low-calorie diet) along with drinking water can help with weight loss and reduce the rate of obesity.
Especially in the elder age, for whom it is very difficult to lose weight. In this study, 2 groups of people were tested for a period of 12 weeks. One group was given a low-calorie diet along with increasing their water intake, and the other group was given only a low-calorie diet. During this, the researchers found that the group that drank more water lost more weight than the group that drank less water.
The main reason this group lost more weight is because drinking more water resulted in a reduction in calorie intake, also improved metabolism, which helped burn fat. Another study published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2017 reported that participants who consumed plain water instead of diet drinks and other beverages for 12 months not only helped them manage weight, but also helped with abdominal pain.
It also became easier to reduce the fat around. In addition, their insulin sensitivity improved and cholesterol levels decreased. This suggests that drinking more water not only helps in burning fat but also helps in regulating the factors that work to increase belly fat.
Does dehydration cause weight gain?
While consuming more water helps in weight loss and most dieticians and nutritionists recommend drinking water as a weight-loss tool.
Now there is a question in your mind.
What is the clear relation between hydration and weight status?
It have not yet been fully understood. Some studies suggest that even mild dehydration (lack of water in the body) can cause headaches, poor digestion, constipation, lethargy, muscle cramps, dry skin, and swollen joints.
All these problems can affect the body in such a way that it leads to weight gain. Since water is very important for all the functions of the body, due to its deficiency or insufficient quantity, there can be many health related problems including weight gain.
How does drinking water help to lose weight ?
For a long time, it is popular that water helps in weight loss. For example, 30 to 59% of American adults began drinking more and more water to lose weight.
Apart from this, many such studies show that water helps in reducing weight and keeping the weight stable. So let’s know how water helps in reducing weight.
1) Water helps burn more calories
Drinking more water burns more calories in your body, which is known as resting energy expenditure. Drinking water increases the resting energy expenditure in adults by 24 to 30% within 10 minutes and its effect lasts for at least 60 minutes.
2) Drinking water before meals reduces appetite
Some people claim that drinking water before a meal reduces appetite. But its effect is especially strong on middle-aged people and adults.
3) Drinking enough water does not lead to weight gain
Water has no calories at all. This means that if you drink enough water, you are saved from consuming more calories, which does not lead to weight gain. The main reason for this is that the amount of calories and sugar is very high in beverages other than water.
4) Water increases satiety
Drinking water, especially 10-15 minutes before a meal, not only improves satiety or satisfaction, but also makes you feel full for a longer period of time. It helps in controlling excess hunger, overeating and craving for something, so that you can lose weight quickly in a short period of time.
It has also been told in research that there are many occasions when people are really thirsty but their brain confuses thirst with hunger and hence they make the mistake of eating something instead of drinking water.
Therefore, if you drink enough water, then there is no possibility of getting such mixed signals from the brain. This naturally reduces your overall calorie intake, especially in the case of junk food and high calorie drinks.
5) Water improves metabolism
Most people who are overweight find it difficult to burn calories quickly. Studies have suggested that drinking enough water can help burn calories even when you are at rest. Research has also revealed that drinking water also helps in burning carbohydrates and fats quickly.
A study published in 2016 in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition states that increasing the amount of water consumed leads to two important metabolic processes in the body – hydrolysis and lipolysis. These actions not only help break down all types of food into energy, but also break down lipids and fats.
6) Water detoxes body
When the body does not get enough water, toxins start accumulating in the body. These toxins lead to weight gain, obesity, inflammation and many other chronic diseases. Keeping the body hydrated by drinking water not only helps in removing these toxins from the body but also gets rid of the problem of bloating due to the accumulation of these toxins in the body.
You must have heard about detox drinks like green tea, black tea and activated charcoal drinks which help in flushing out the toxins accumulated in the body but here it is important to know that water is the best detox drink that you can use.
7) Water improves exercise capacity
Water is essential for muscle function, so drinking enough water helps the muscles, connective tissues and joints to function properly. Drinking water helps in relieving muscle cramps and fatigue. Many people who want to exercise for weight loss are unable to follow a workout routine for a long time because they do not drink enough water.
Therefore, it is very important to drink enough water throughout the day, especially before and after doing any kind of physical activity. By doing this, your ability to exercise improves which is essential for long term weight loss.
How much water do you drink to lose weight ?
Generally it is said that 2 liters of water should be drunk daily. But according to research, for some people this number can be even 5 liters per day. It depends on your fitness level, body type and size, diet and sleep.
If you are trying to lose weight, you must be doing some exercise. Therefore, take good care of the amount of water in your body after the workout and before the workout. If the amount of water in your body is not sufficient after exercise, then you may have to face problems like headache and dizziness. You must drink water even during workouts.
Apart from this, also keep in mind that taking juice, coffee, tea also increases the amount of water in the body. Even eating fruits and vegetables like cucumber, tomato, peach, watermelon also increases the amount of water in the body.
Formula to calculate the amount of water to lose weight
Take care of your weight, drink water according to your weight. Obviously, different people require different amounts of water.
Formula: Weight (in kg) × 2.2/ 50 = Water needed (in litres) per day
If you exercise, you will have to drink more water than the amount of water taken out.
Add 0.35 liters of water to that number for every half hour of exercise.
For example – If you weigh 100 kg, and you exercise for an hour every day, then you should drink 5.1 liters
[100 x 2.2 / 50 + 0.7(0.35*2)]
of water in a day.
Above we have made a list for 40 to 100 kg people, from which you can easily know your water requirement.
Tips for Drinking Water
Keep these things in mind –
- Drink water even when you are not thirsty. But when you feel thirsty, it means that the message has reached your brain that you need water. So keep drinking little water throughout the day. For this, you can also set a reminder in your mobile.
- If you’re doing exercise , you need more water. Keep in mind that do not drink too much water during the workout, but drink a sip of water to moisten the throat.
- If you don’t like drinking plain water, you can add lemon, mint or citrus fruits to taste.
Thanks for reading this article
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