When you try to lose weight, drinking lots of water is a key to achieve your goal. It is not an exaggerated sentence. Why Water is important, and how it will help us to lose weight, you can read in this article.
Water is one of the important elements of the atmosphere. As per Yogic study atmosphere has panchtatva, five elements: Ether (Akash), Wind Vayu), Fire (Agni), Water(Jal), and Earth (Prithvi). Similarly, our body has all these elements within it for the life process.
While you lose weight you need to balance your nutrients, minerals, and physiological reactions of the body. Water is the medium that balances the physiological process of the body.
Why Does Body Require Water?
- Water plays a vital role in the digestion process: Saliva is 98% water and 2 % composed of other elements including microorganisms. Saliva as a lubricant helps food to pass from the mouth to the esophagus. In the stomach, Water breaks down the food into nutrients and minerals. In the small and large intestines, these nutrients get absorbed with help of water.
- Water is a carrier for oxygen, minerals, and nutrients to pass from the digestion organ to other organs of the body. Our blood has 55% blood plasma that has 98% water. Blood is an oxygen and nutrient carrier of the body.
- Water helps to excrete non-essential waste products from the body. It is a natural detoxify our body. Water helps our kidneys for excretion waste out of our body system. Sweat and defecation are also the form of water for the excretion of unwanted substances.
- Water is a lubricant for joints: Synovial fluid is a lubricant and protective cover of joints and cartilage.
- The glow of skin, hair growth, and moisturization of the nose and eyes require water.
When you try to lose weight, you eat less and do more exercise. You do intermittent fasting or keto diet. These diet changes affect our digestion, excretion system, and energy level.
How Does Water Help To Lose Weight?
- Water is a natural appetite suppressor: Hypothalamus is the center for thirst, appetite, and emotions. Most of the time body gets the wrong indication of hunger if you are thirsty also. Try to drink water first if you feel hungry. After drinking a glass of water you still feel hungry. Then grab some food. It keeps you full.
- Water helps increase metabolism: Weight loss requires a good metabolism rate. Water improves metabolism by helping food digestion. During digestion fats, carbohydrates and proteins break down by hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is a reaction of the breakdown of a compound with help of water.
- Replace juices, caffeine drinks, and cold drinks with water. Other than water every drink will increase calories, but water has zero calories. The Harvard School of public health published an article stating how Water is a natural source of energy and is necessary to keep you hydrated.
- Water detoxes your body. During diets especially fasting or intermittent diets, it is necessary to excrete toxins or waste products. Without water, it is impossible to clean your body.
- Water is necessary to burn fats. Lipolysis is a process of fat metabolism. Hydrolysis is the first part of lipolysis which is incomplete without water. Water helps lipolysis of fats in food, drink, and stored body fat. One of the studies published in NIH states that water helps to reduce weight with 2 methods. 1st is a decrease in appetite and 2nd is increased lipolysis.
- Water helps in physical activity. Water regulates body temperature and lubrication of joints. It keeps you energetic and healthy. Therefore, it’s necessary to keep yourself hydrated before, during, and after exercise.
- Some studies show that water keeps you mentally motivated and fresh.
Some Tips on How to Drink Water Regularly:
– In the morning, drink warm water.
– If possible, replace your coffee or tea breaks with warm water.
– For adult males- drink at least 3-3.5 liter/ day for women- 2.5 liter per day.
– Drink 1 glass of water 30-45 minutes before your meal.
– Do not drink water at least for 1 hour after a meal. Because water may dilute gastric juices.
If you want to lose weight, then drink lots of water with your balanced diet. As a doctor I insist do not follow a crash diet to lose weight, those are harmful to our health.
Author’s Bio
Dr. Sujata Chougule, MD.: A homeopathy consultant and have 7 years of experience of online consultation. A yoga teacher and healthy food lover. Reading motivational, spiritual books are my hobbies. She is also a health blogger and like to write in simple language for common people.