Lose Weight Drinking Water?

Given the massive amount of medical evidence that shows the health benefits of maintaining an optimal weight, it's really no surprise.

Ironically, even though more people want to lose weight, obesity is increasing across the world at an alarming rate. Even children are now becoming obese, which does not bode well for their future.

However, the number of techniques available for losing weight can be quite intimidating.

Recently, there has been interest in using a single, simple element to help people lose weight. Can water help you lose weight?

Before answering this question, it is important to understand that water is vital to all systems of the body. As the human body is made up of about 70% water, its importance to the body's functions is almost equal to that of oxygen.

Without the proper amount of water in your body, you will find it very difficult to lose weight at all. Your immune system, your circulatory system, your muscular system, your nervous system, and most importantly for losing weight, your digestive system all depend on proper hydration to function.

You are handicapping your attempt to lose weight if you do not drink enough water. It used to be recommended that you drink between eight and ten 8 ounce glasses of water per day for optimal hydration, but that advice does not take into account your build (a body builder probably needs more than a very small woman, for example), how much water you get in your foods (things like lettuce and other salad stuff are high in water), the climate where you live and so on.

What is most important is to get enough water for your needs. Most people probably don't get enough water.

Besides drinking enough water, you should carefully interpret how your body conveys both hunger and thirst to you. Research has shown that many times, when you experience feelings of "hunger," it is often actually thirst.

The next time you are feeling hungry, it would do you good to drink an 8 ounce glass of water, slowly. Then, wait 20 minutes and see if your hunger goes away. Your results may surprise you. Another way you can use water to help you lose weight is by drinking it as cold as possible. If you are drinking say 64 ounces of water each day, at 32°F, your body will burn an extra 70 calories warming that water up to your body temperature. While this may not seem like a lot, over the course of a year, this comes out to be equivalent to about 7 pounds of body fat. But be careful about who you tell this method to - they might think you're crazy for telling them they can lose 7 pounds in a year by drinking cold water!

A final way you can use water to help you lose weight is by replacing all your sugary drinks with it. Sugar filled drinks such as cola and juice are widely understood to have contributed to the obesity epidemic that America is currently experiencing.

A typical can of cola can contain as much as 200 calories. Again, this may not seem like a large amount - although who would eat 6 teaspoonsful of sugar at one time? - but over the course of a year that could be over 20 pounds of body fat. If you drink a few of these types of drinks per day, you will see immediate and quick results by replacing them with simple H2O.

You may take water for granted, but it can be a very powerful tool in helping you to lose weight. As part of a healthy and balanced diet, indeed, water can help you lose weight.