The benefits of drinking plenty of water are endless. It gives you healthy skin and nails, fuels your muscles, helps your body absorb nutrients and flushes out toxins. You will be delighted to know that drinking water can also help you lose weight, too. Stay one step ahead of the weight loss game by simply increasing your water intake and knock a few extra pounds off the scale.
READ: Why You Need To Drink More Than “Enough” Water
Drinking more water can help you lose weight in the following ways:
- Water aids in digestion and that will reduce the bloated or puffy look, making you look slimmer almost instantly.
- Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning kick starts your metabolism so you can burn more calories throughout the day.
- It fuels your muscles and helps in the fat-burning process during your workouts.
- Often when you are hungry for a snack you’re really just thirsty. Drink water instead of reaching for those extra calories. You might find that you are no longer hungry and saved yourself the extra calories! Use water as a tool to curb your appetite when dieting.
So how much water should you be drinking a day? A good rule of thumb is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces (your weight ÷ 2 = daily oz of water). If you are training hard consistently (5x a week) then you should drink at least 1-2 gallons every day.If you’re not use to drinking a lot of water don’t be overwhelmed by the numbers. You can drink way more than you think by just developing better habits and before you know it you’ll hit your daily intake amount without even thinking about it.
READ: 7 Benefits of Drinking Hot Water
Use some of these tips to help you drink more water:
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning.
- Drink a glass of water after every meal.
- Buy a water bottle and carry it with you everywhere so you’re never without water.
- Use a water tracking app or set reminders in your phone to keep you drinking every hour.
- If you’re craving a sugary drink, tell yourself that you can have that drink ONLY after you drink a glass of water. Use your soda/juice as a reward for drinking a glass of water. You’ll discover that you cut your soda/juice consumption down without much effort at all. Take it to the next level and make yourself drink two glasses of water instead of one!
- Spice up your water with lemon, cucumber, or zero calorie water enhancer. You can even try a different one each time so that you have variety all throughout the day!
- Make it a game! Think of fun ways to take a sip of water at home or at the office. Maybe you take a swig right before you reply to every email or during every commercial break of your favorite TV show. Get creative and have fun!
Raise a glass to water and slim waistlines. Cheers!