We’ve all heard that we should be drinking more water, but why? Because getting hydrated helps with both weight loss and better health. And I’ll share those details with you in this post.
But even when we know things are good for us it can still be hard to follow through on adopting new healthy habits like drinking enough water.
So I’ll give you several strategies for consuming more water to make it easier for you.
But first, I want to give you the most exciting and motivating benefit of getting hydrated first. Drinking more water can actually boost your metabolism and help with weight loss! Yes, it’s true! Let me explain in some more detail.
The research on hydration and weight loss
A clinical research center in Berlin, Germany did a study with seven men and seven women, none of which were overweight or had health issues. They wanted to see if drinking more water had any effect on their metabolism.
After drinking about 17 oz. of water, their energy expenditure, or metabolism, increased by 30%. The researchers concluded that increasing water consumption to 1.5 liters/day (just over 6 cups) could help you to burn 17,400 extra calories in a year!
Other studies have also shown that getting hydrated helped to promote weight loss in women.
Tips on how to put that science to use
So if you’ve been looking for ways to increase your metabolism just drink more water! One way to trick your body a little is to drink a glass of water (NOT carbonated) about half an hour before a meal. This will fill up your belly just a little so you won’t feel as hungry. And that’s been shown to help people lose weight.
Another tip is when you feel like snacking, drink a glass of water instead. You might realize you were more thirsty than hungry. But also remember, it’s ok to let yourself be a little hungry for a while! We’ve gotten too used to filling our bellies all the time that we just don’t like that feeling of emptiness.
What if you also substituted a glass of water in place of another other high-calorie drink you might enjoy daily? Think of the calories you’ll save, and burn, with just these two changes to your diet! High-calorie drinks are a huge downfall for weight loss efforts anyway.
Try my water detox challenge
If you know you’re a little addicted to drinking things other than water then try this experiment. Switch to drinking water for 3 weeks in place of your usual drinks. We’ll call this a “water detox”. Weigh yourself before and after the experiment. Be sure not to change anything else in your diet or activity routine.
You’ll most likely lose a few pounds but you might find out that you don’t miss those drinks as much as you feared. This will be the biggest benefit! If you commit to doing it for just 3 weeks you might realize you can do it forever!
But even if it just motivates you to cut down some on those higher-calorie drinks that would be a big benefit. Small changes can add up to big results over a long period of time! I’ve known several people who gave up soda and lost a lot of weight with just that one change.
Another great tip: when you’re out drinking with friends, drink a glass of water in-between each alcoholic drink. This will keep you better hydrated but also sober longer! And of course, it will cut down on some of the calories you would otherwise take in.
Related article: How alcohol affects weight loss.
The importance of water
Water does so many important, and necessary, things for our bodies that seriously affect our health. This is not an exhaustive list but according to Harvard Health Publishing :
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- Water carries all of our nutrients to our cells
- It flushes bacteria from our bladders
- It helps to regulate our body temperature
- It can help prevent constipation
- It controls our blood pressure
- And it cushions all of our joints so we don’t hurt when we move.
Without water, we would die in 3-4 days. We can go much longer without food.
Unfortunately, we don’t always know when we’re getting dehydrated. Some of the first signs are dry mouth, dizziness, low blood pressure, weakness or fatigue, muscle cramps, and dark-colored urine.
How much do we need to hydrate?
So that brings us to the question of how much water do we need in a day? Opinions vary but Mayo Clinic states that women should get about 11.5 cups and men 15.5 cups of fluid every day. This includes all liquids we take in during the day though, not just water. But plain old water is calorie-free!
Remember that some of the foods you consume also contain water. So you don’t have to drink it all. Some fruits and veggies have a lot of water in them but bread and crackers don’t. So if you’re actually eating natural foods then you probably don’t need to drink as much water.
According to myfooddata.com, the 10 vegetables highest in water content are:
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- Lettuce
- Celery
- Bok Choy
- Radishes
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Watercress
- Tomatoes
- Green bell peppers
- Asparagus
And the 10 fruits highest in water content according to myfooddata.com are:
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- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloupe
- Peaches
- Asian Pears
- Blackberries
- Papaya
- Nectarines
- Plums
Of course, all of these fruits and veggies also contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which are all good for us. So think of how hydrated and healthy you would be just by eating more of them!
What if you made all of your snacks fruits or veggies with a high water content? That would mean you would be taking in fewer calories every day while also getting more nutrients. You’d be hitting two birds with one stone! And that’s always a smart strategy when it comes to healthy habits!
Warning on water intake
If you have any health conditions that you’re taking medications for then check with your doctor about water intake. Some medications can cause dehydration (too little water). But there’s also such a thing as being over-hydrated, called hyponatremia. That’s less common but both conditions are deadly.
An easy rule of thumb to go by is that your urine should be a light yellow color. Dark yellow or orange urine means you’re dehydrated. Thirst is another sign to watch out for. If you’re thirsty you’re probably already dehydrated.
Getting hydrated properly as an athlete or exerciser
Some health professionals say to take your body weight (in pounds) and multiply it by .67 (or 2/3) then drink that many ounces of water per day. The amount of water you need to drink depends on your body size and activity level. So drink an additional 12 oz for every 30 minutes of exercise you engage in.
If you’re an athlete then you should read up on water intake specifically for your training situation. Athletes work hard, burn a lot of calories and sweat out a lot of fluids so getting hydrated properly is critical. They also lose a lot of electrolytes during training and events. So plain water may not be enough.
According to the American Council on Exercise, you can lose more than a quart of water (4 cups) in an hour of exercise. So their recommendation is to hydrate with 17-20 oz. of water in the two hours before a workout. Then drink 7-10 oz. of fluid about every 10-20 minutes during exercise.
You could also weigh yourself before and after a strenuous workout. Then drink 16-20 oz. for every pound lost during exercise. Remember that’s water weight you’re losing, not fat. The fat will come off more slowly.
Sports drinks can be used after exercise to replenish electrolytes – sodium, calcium, potassium, etc. – lost during your workout. These are especially helpful in hot, outdoor conditions. But these drinks tend to have a lot of sugar, so don’t drink them just for pleasure, or look for low sugar options.
Remember to always read labels so you know what you’re consuming.
Aging and hydration
Here are some things to consider when it comes to aging and water consumption. When babies are first born they’re about 75-78% water. That drops to about 65% by age one. The average adult is only around 57-60% water.
As we age our body water content naturally decreases but we also start to lose the sensation of thirst. Which means we can’t always tell when we’re thirsty. These are factors that predispose senior adults to dehydration. This is why it’s even more important to keep track of our fluid intake as we age.
As I mentioned earlier, some medications can also cause dehydration. So always be sure to ask or read about the side effects of medications that you’re on.
Urinary incontinence is another common problem in seniors that discourages drinking enough fluids.
Unfortunately, life is always changing and our habits need to change with them. So my advice is to stay informed to keep yourself healthy.
My final thoughts
Hopefully, I’ve shown you that getting hydrated is not only good for weight loss but also leads to better health. You just need to get in the habit of choosing water over other higher-calorie drinks. So start with my 3-week water detox to show yourself that it really isn’t that hard to change.
Water is the most important element needed for our bodies to function so we can’t take it for granted. Try to drink 2/3 of your body weight in ounces of water every day. To help with that, fill up a container (or two) at the start of your day so you know exactly what you need.
Keep that water container at your desk or by your side during the day and give yourself a time limit to drink it. It might seem a little crazy, or OCD, but it will help you feel more satisfied all day long. After a while, it will become a habit and you won’t have to think about it anymore!
You could also try some of my other tips to make getting hydrated easier:
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- Drink a glass of flat (not carbonated) water 1/2 an hour before every meal
- When you feel like snacking between meals drink a glass of water instead
- Start replacing some higher-calorie drinks with water
- Drink a glass of water in-between each alcoholic drink you consume
I’m confident that implementing these strategies will help you with your weight loss but also with better health overall!
Bonus tips for hydrating with more flavor
Here’s a great-tasting drink that I came up with to jazz up my water on occasion. You don’t really get any extra calories with it but you will get a little extra vitamin C! And this is a great way to substitute something healthy for something not so healthy.
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- Buy a bottle of plain carbonated mineral water. Get a lemon and squeeze its juice out. Pour a cup of your plain mineral water into a glass and add 1 Tbsp. of the fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t sound like it would be that great but you’ll be surprised how tasty the combo of bubbly water and lemon juice is!
- Another great idea I discovered through one of my favorite restaurants is to add some cucumber slices to your water pitcher. It gives it a very refreshing flavor!
Find creative ways of your own to get hydrated for both weight loss and better health!
If you try any of my tips on drinking more water then let me know using the contact form below how they worked for you. I would love to hear from others on whether these strategies are helpful!