At Next Level Fitness in Irvine, CA, we encourage drinking more water. Not only does drinking adequate water improve your health, it can help you lose weight. 55% to 65% water, depending on your sex and age. Your heart and brain are approximately 73% water and your lungs about 83% water. You can see how important it is. Dehydration, even mild dehydration, can cause physical symptoms that range from brain fog and body aches to exhaustion. Mild dehydration can make your workout more ineffective and you’ll burn fewer calories.
Your metabolism will be slower if you’re dehydrated.
Even mild dehydration can cause your metabolism to slow. If you want to give it a boost, drink a glass of water. It boosts your metabolism by 30% for anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, especially if it’s cold. Studies on the effect of water on metabolism show that drinking two liters of water a day—approximately 8 ½ cups—increased the metabolism of the average person who drank less water, enough to cause them to burn an additional 96 calories. In 36 days, you’d lose an extra pound with no extra effort.
Calm those cravings with water.
Our body is amazing and tells us what we need, as long as we know how to listen. Sometimes, people misread those messages. Have you been hungry for something, particularly something juicy, but even after eating tons of calories failed to satisfy that desire? Sometimes, you interpret the message the body is sending and you’re really thirsty, not hungry. Try drinking a glass of water before you grab a sandwich or other food. You might find that it was all you needed to be satisfied.
Drinking water before a meal can actually help fill you up and help you lose weight.
One study compared two groups. One drank two glasses of water before a meal and the other didn’t. Aside from that, both groups continued their normal habits, including normal eating habits. Throughout the study, the group that drank the water at less than the group that didn’t and lost 44% more weight. It was a simple solution that made a significant difference.
- If you feel the bloat and have problems with water weight, don’t quit drinking water, drink more. If you’re dehydrated, your body holds water to make sure there’s enough for vital organs. Drinking extra water provides that and flushes waste, like extra sodium from your system.
- Opt for water over soft drinks. Not only do soft drinks contain calories and chemicals, they make you thirstier. Many manufacturers bury the flavor of salt with extra sugar and the salt makes you thirstier.
- If you drink water, make it cold water. Your body burns extra calories to warm the water and every little calorie counts. It’s easy and one little trick that’s satisfying on a hot day.
- As you get older, staying hydrated becomes harder. It may be one reason older people have slower metabolisms. Dehydration in seniors can often be mistaken for senility and dementia, plus cause UTIs.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness