Water: Essential for Health & Weight Loss

Did you know that not drinking enough water can hinder your weight loss efforts? It’s true. Our body relies on water for a lot of different functions. Water is used for carrying nutrients to cells, flushing toxins out of vital organs, and keeping the tissues in our ear, nose, and throat moist. In fact, every system in our body depends on water for one thing or another. It makes up 55 - 78% of the human body.

Now, I’m not saying that drinking more water will actually help you lose more weight. The message I am trying to relay here is that water is necessary for our body to perform at its best. Not getting an adequate amount of water impacts the way we feel. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. In turn, lower levels of energy may effect your interest in exercise and other activities, and we know that exercise is extremely important for losing weight!

So how much water should you be drinking each day? There isn’t really a magic number. How much water a person needs varies based on exercise, environmental conditions, weight, and other factors. The Institute of Medicine recommends that on average women should drink around 2.2L a day, men around 3L. The easiest way to ensure that you consume this recommended amount: drink water at and between your three major meals of the day. You’ll be a lot less likely to forget, which is a problem I have myself.

Note: you may have realized that I did not mention the “eight ounces, eight times a day” suggestion above. It is just a myth! There has been no scientific evidence found to back it up. Consequently, you should banish it from your mind.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water#cite_note-25
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283