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The importance of water in weight loss
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Last year, the media made a big deal about a study saying we don’t need 64 oz of water daily. This may be true if you aren’t overweight. When trying to lose weight, you’ll want to drink at least 64 oz of water a day to help rev your metabolism and allow your body to work properly. According to WebMD®, a German study showed that test subjects’ metabolism increased by 30%, 10 minutes after drinking only 17 oz of water.
When you don’t get enough water, your liver has to help your kidneys filter toxins from your blood stream. When you drink enough water that your kidneys are able to do their work, your liver can work on metabolizing fat instead.
When you don’t drink enough water, your body tends to hold on to the water it does get. When you first start drinking more water, the weight you lose will be mostly water weight. Initially, you’ll make more trips to the bathroom. Don’t worry, by day 3 or 4 the number of bathroom visits will drop.
There are two theories on how much water you should drink. One says you should halve your weight in pounds and drink that many ounces: a 200 lb woman would drink 100 oz of water. The other states that you should start with 64 oz and drink an additional 8 oz of water for every 25 lbs you need to lose. Ideally, you should drink enough water that your urine is clear or almost clear when you use the bathroom.
It is possible to drink too much water too quickly. When you do this, you can get water poisoning. You should drink your water consistently over the course of the day, stopping at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime for obvious reasons.
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