Drinking copious amounts of water every day is advice that is often given but rarely followed. It is sound advice because our bodies require enough water in them to perform most metabolic functions and processes that happen in our bodies. With all the benefits drinking enough water has been proven to have, is one of those benefits helping with weight loss? Scientists, through different studies, have come to the conclusion that this is true, But how does it do this? Keep reading to find out!
Water Suppresses Appetite
When your stomach is full, it signals the brain to stop eating. Drinking water can trigger the same response as long as you are not dehydrated. Also, drinking some water before a meal can make you eat less which can be very important in helping you lose weight.
Water Increases Metabolism
Some studies have suggested that drinking water actually leads to an increase in the rate of burning calories in select people. Water has also been shown to increase the amount of energy our bodies consumed while resting, also known as the resting energy expenditure.
Water Helps You Recover from Exercise
If you are using exercise as a way to lose weight, you need to drink a lot of water to replenish water lost through sweat. Water also helps prevent cramps and keeps joints lubricated which reduces the possibility of injuries. In addition, a well-lubricated body is also able to work out harder and longer.
Water is also very important to keep your heart, lungs, and other organs working as they should during exercise. Also, our bodies need water to help excrete the waste produced during exercise. Drinking enough water helps with all of these and ensures your muscles are ready for the next training session.
Staying Hydrated Reduces Stress
Studies have shown that dehydration can lead to higher cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the “stress” hormone because it is responsible for triggering feelings of stress in all of us. When this happens, people tend to binge eat or fall into unhealthy eating habits that are caused by loss of appetite. All of these things are not good for our weight. By staying hydrated, we can ensure that the levels of cortisol in our bodies remain low and we do not feel too stressed.
Drink Clean Water
Even with all the weight-loss benefits water affords us, it is a very potent transfer medium for bacteria and other pathogens that can make us sick. To ensure this does not happen, ensure the water you drink is clean and safe to consume. Modern water filtration systems do a good job of this, but if you want to be absolutely sure, use a filtration system that uses ultraviolet light to kill mold, algae, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens we cannot see with our naked eyes.
Drinking water is not only good for our bodies, but it has also been shown to help reduce stress and help us in our weight loss journeys. There is therefore no reason why we all should not be following the advice of drinking eight glasses a day.