Stay Hydrated! Water, water everywhere! Drinking enough water is integral to losing weight on our diet plans, plus it should be a part of your everyday life.
Sadly, most of us fail to drink anywhere near enough water to keep our body functioning well. Some of the signs you are not drinking enough water are:
- Increased thirst
- Dry mouth
- Tired, lethargic or even sleepy
- Decreased in going to the toilet
- Urine is more yellow in colour
- Headache
- Dizziness
All of these are the early signs of dehydration and more than likely, we have all experienced them to a great or lesser extent.
Recommended Daily Water Intake
So now we know what we are looking out for, how much water should you be drinking? Well that can vary according to several factors including your own body, the external environment (particularly if it is very hot), the amount of exercise you undertake and what your diet is like. All of these can impact your body’s need for water.
Health experts say the recommended daily water intake is one to three litres per day. We recommend drinking three litres of water per day on our weight loss programs, as when you are losing weight, drinking enough water becomes even more important.
Drinking water can help increase the number of calories you burn, so drinking water to lose weight is a big part of your weight loss journey.
The Benefits Of Drinking Water
Here are just a few of the benefits of drinking water:
- Increases energy and consequently reduces fatigue
- It promotes weight loss
- Flush out toxins
- Improve skin complexion
- Maintain bowel regularity
- Reduce hunger
- Boost immune system
- Prevent cramps and sprains
- Reduce severity of a headache
Tips For Drinking More Water
Remember, that drinking water does not just have to be about sitting down and chugging endless glasses of cold water. You can mix it up with herbal teas or even better, make your own. My favourite is freshly cut ginger and lemon in a glass of boiling water, this is filling and feels like a little bit of indulgence in your day. It will give you such a boost and best of all, you are getting through your daily water requirement.
Now if all that is not enough to motivate you to drink more water in your day, I am not sure what we can do to help you. I would say that one of the biggest health benefits for drinking water, when you are trying to lose weight is the impact it has on your appetite. Trust me when I say, if you are feeling a bit peckish, drink two large glasses of water and see what happens. Almost instantly the hungry feeling will pass. Further, if you constantly sip on water it will keep that starving feeling at bay, so you don’t crash and pig out.
Another sneaky way to get more water into your diet is to mix things up with sparkling or mineral water. These can also feel like a great alternative to high-sugar fizzy drinks. You can almost always get sparkling water at restaurants and bars, and you can even enjoy it in a wine glass, so you don’t feel like you are missing out.
And as a final tip – get high tech with your water consumption. There are many great apps you can put on your phone to help remind you to drink water. Try out a few and see how this helps.
