The Weighty Facts of Drinking Water

Drink more water, lose more weight. Staying hydrated is important for health. Not only is it essential to preventing dehydration, which will lead to a variety of not only physical health problems but also mental and emotional ones. Properly hydrating throughout the day aids the body physically by improving digestion, regulating blood pressure, maintaining proper organ function, lubricating joints and the spinal cord, while maintaining body temperature. When the body is running optimally through proper hydration, thinking and mood also improves.

The importance of hydrating may seem obvious as we all have been taught that the body is mainly water. How much exactly? As far back as 1945 HH Mitchell writing for the Journal of Biological Chemistry sought to quantify how much water makes up the human body. Not satisfied with the guesstimates that the human body was 60% to 90% water, Mitchell and his research team broke it down to specific body parts. In this exhaustive study the research team determined that the brain and heart were composed of 73% water, the lungs 83%, skin 64%, muscles and kidneys 79% and even the bones were calculated at 31% water.

As if the Mitchell study was not exhaustive enough, medical, and scientific research continues to study the water composition of the body. In the 21st Century it is accepted that generally the human body is 60% water. Many believe that they can quickly lose weight by cutting back on hydrating. Yes, water adds body weight which can fluctuate by as much as 5 pounds when water fasting, however it is an unhealthy way to try to lose weight. In fact experts agree that a steady hydration throughout the day will more effectively aid in controlling weight.

Lose Weight by Drinking Water

Like everything in life, moderation is the key. Nutritionists point to many reasons how drinking water can lead to healthy weight. These include:

• Appetite Suppressant- Is it hunger or thirst? The body often confuses thirst with hunger. When hungry it is natural to reach for something to eat, but is it really hunger. Dehydrating bodies signal the brain that it needs input. Often it is not calories that is needed, it is hydration. A drink of water will alleviate the feeling of hunger, a sure sign that the body was thirsty not hungry. When a person drinks water instead of reaching for a bite to eat, they are consuming less calories, thus they are walking the road to losing weight. The water will also expand the stomach, signaling to the brain that it is full and satisfied. This is the first step in using water to lose weight. Drinking a zero-calorie beverage, water, is preferable to having an unnecessary bite to eat. This is the key, not all munchies are food related, in fact throughout the day most are because of the onset of dehydration.
• Metabolism Booster – Drinking water throughout the day keeps the metabolism stimulated. Like a smoothly running engine, the body will make the most of its fuel and continue a steady burn of calories throughout the day. As dehydration sets in, the body tends to stop burning calories, think fat, and slow itself down to preserve fuel. As the metabolism slows, fat is stored instead of burned.

The other benefits of a controlled daily measured hydration regiment include, reducing the consumption of drinks with high caloric values, think soda, alcoholic beverages, processed fruit, and energy drinks. Substituting eight ounces of soda a day with water has been shown to save measurable inches from the waist annually. The takeaway is to hydrate with water throughout the day to maintain a healthy weight.