The human body consists of 60% of water, and therefore drinking water and keeping the body hydrated contributes to improving body functions and reducing weight in various ways.
The importance of drinking water for the diet
Although there are many factors that affect body weight, and drinking water will not lose a large amount of weight on its own without changing lifestyle and eating habits, water is of great importance when wanting to lose weight, and in what comes an explanation for that:
- Stimulating metabolism in the body: Drinking water may improve the metabolism process in the body, as a result of stimulating energy production when drinking water, especially when the water is cold. Because the body needs more energy to raise the temperature of the water, and therefore the greater the amount of energy consumed, the greater the metabolism with it, but this effect is not so great that a large amount of weight is lost on its own, but it may help greatly.
- Reducing appetite: One study conducted on overweight and obese people indicated that drinking 0.5 liters of water before each meal, in conjunction with following a low-calorie diet, contributed to their weight loss by 44% more than people who did not drink water. before their meals, which helped to lose an additional 2 kilograms, and this may be due to the fact that water reduced the calories consumed during meals, because it reduced appetite.
- Reducing the amount of calories consumed from other drinks: It is worth noting that water is calorie-free, and therefore when drinking water instead of sugary drinks; Such as soft drinks and juice, this will contribute to reducing the calories consumed in meals, and help in losing weight.
- Improving fat metabolism: The process of fat metabolism is called lipolysis, and water is an essential part of this process. According to a review of a group of studies conducted on mice, it indicated that drinking more water contributed to improving lipolysis in these mice. Animals, but the results are still not proven in humans.
Improving performance during exercise: Drinking water helps improve muscle movement, joints, and connective tissues, and can reduce muscle fatigue and tension.
The Amount of water a person needs daily
The daily water needs of individuals vary according to many factors. such as age, gender, level of physical activity, and whether or not there is a specific disease; So whoever suffers from some diseases; Such as kidney disease, chronic diarrhea, or others, they have different daily water needs than healthy people.
In general, healthy people need an approximate daily amount of water as follows:
- Women: 11.5 cups of water per day, and women need more water during pregnancy and lactation.
- Men: 15.5 cups of water per day.
However, it is worth noting that 20% of the daily water needs are obtained from food, and therefore women may need 9 cups, and men 12.5 cups of water.
Tips to drink more water
Here are some tips that contribute to getting more water daily:
- Keep a reusable water bottle: This can help you drink more water.
- Set an alarm: You can also set a reminder to drink more water using a smartphone alarm.
- Replace other drinks with water: One way to drink more water, boost health, and reduce your calorie intake is to replace drinks such as soft drinks with water.
- Drink one glass of water before each meal: For example, if a person eats 3 meals a day, he consumes 3 cups of water from his daily needs.
- Adding flavor to water: There are some people who do not want to drink water, and therefore it is possible to add flavor to it. Like lemon, cucumber, or a mixture of cut fruits to motivate them to drink it.
- Drink 1 cup of water per hour at work: If you work 8 hours, for example, drinking 1 cup of water every hour you work adds up to 8 cups to your daily water intake.
- Eat more water-rich foods: vegetables and fruits are a rich source of water; such as lettuce, zucchini, cabbage, watermelon, melon, and others, in addition to being a rich source of vitamins and minerals.