How Drinking Water Affects Weight Loss & Health

I have been told over and over again that drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day of water is essential, not only for good health but to aid in weight loss as well. Despite being told this, I continue to struggle with drinking enough water to keep myself hydrated. So, to give myself some extra motivation I decided to find out the real facts about how drinking water can wash away a little extra fat.

Water and Fat Metabolism
Your liver is the organ that metabolizes fat. Here fat is metabolized into usable energy for the body. This is the process of burning fat and is the key process for losing weight. When you don’t drink enough water it is actually your kidneys that suffer. Your kidneys are always busy filtering waste products from your blood and they require good hydration to work properly. When you are dehydrated the kidneys slow down and the liver has to pick up the slack. This means that the liver has to work to rid your body of toxins and is too busy to metabolize fat, thus fat metabolism slows down and you lose less weight.

Cycling Water in Your Body
When you first start drinking more water you will be running to the bathroom all the time. But just because you are peeing all the time does not mean that the water coming out is the same water you just put in. In fact what is happening is your body is ridding itself of water it has been storing for some time. This cycling of old water for new is a very important flushing process and will leave your body rejuvenated. And the good news is that eventually your body adjusts to the new amount of water being consumed and the frequency of bathroom visits goes back to normal.

Water Improves Skin Complexion
Drinking enough water also improves the condition of your skin. Water helps to flush impurities from your skin and keeps the skin cells “plump” so that wrinkles and sagging areas diminish. Who wouldn’t want that ?

How much water do you need to drink?
Well, the minimal amount an average adult should drink in a day is eight 8-ounce glasses. If you are an overweight person you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should drink this water throughout the day, not all in one sitting. Some experts have said that cold water is absorbed by the stomach faster and might enhance fat burning, but really as long as you are drinking water it doesn’t matter how warm or cold it is. Also, if you dislike the taste of water try adding a slice of lemon or lime to it for flavoring instead of adding empty calorie drink mixes.

So off I go to get a big glass of refreshing water. After writing and reading all the pros of drinking enough water it just seems like a no-brainer.