You’ve been told time and time again that water is important for your health; that you should be drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day (even though this general advice may not be entirely accurate), but do you know why? You could just take our word for it – we don’t mind – but we think it’s helpful to know the WHY behind certain recommendations. In our experience, when someone understands why they’re doing something, they’re more likely to stick to it.
It’s estimated that a whopping 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This is a major health concern because every single one of your body systems relies on water to function properly. Being hydrated is associated with a good mood, healthy, glowing skin, and a normal functioning digestive system (you know what we’re talking about!). Proper hydration also helps suppress your appetite and plays a role in helping you maintain your weight.
Since we’re a weight loss clinic, we’ll start with the weight benefits of drinking enough water. According to researchers from the American Chemical Society, people on a diet who drank two cups of water lost 4.5 pounds more over a 12-week period than dieters who didn’t have any water before their meals. While this may seem minimal, it adds up to an almost 20 pound difference over the course of the year. And it’s a simple lifestyle change.
Staying hydrated can also ensure that your metabolism is working the way it’s supposed to. Researchers found that even mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism by as much as 3 percent!
Water is not just important for weight loss though. Drinking enough water helps prevent sagging skin, especially after a significant weight loss. That’s because water fills up the spaces in between the cells and plumps skin up, while also reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Water also ensures that your digestion system is moving smoothly – dehydration is associated with constipation – and it can even boost your mood. According to researchers at Tufts University, mild dehydration can leave you feeling tense, angry, fatigued, and even depressed.
So how do you make sure you’re drinking enough water? DO you drink enough water? If not, what are your plans to incorporate some more?
