With water to lose weight

One thing that most people overlook when trying to lose weight is drinking a lot of water.  For some reason, getting enough water is not important for some people.  They will have a glass of water if they are really thirsty, but otherwise they simply don’t drink very much water at all.  This is a pretty bad habit to fall into for a number of reasons.

First, staying hydrated helps us with all of our body’s processes.  We need sufficient hydration for proper digestion, brain function and other bodily needs.  Second drinking water helps keep your stomach full and also gives you some sort of oral fixation that helps you avoid doing things which are detrimental to your weight such as snacking.  Also, by drinking lots of water, we have to go to the bathroom more, which gets us off our lazy butts, out of of our desk chairs and over to the restroom more often.  This may seem like a silly benefit, but for people who work in an office and are literally sitting for four hours straight, it is a huge benefit to get up and walk around once every few hours.

I have heard different arguments about how much water a healthy person needs to consume each day.  I have heard anywhere between 64 and 128 ounces of water per day.  I think it varies from person to person, weather and activity level.  For example, a large man who goes for a run on a hot day in the sun is going to need a whole lot more water than a small person who works indoors all day.  You just need to listen to your body and drink water as you see fit.  One indicator for me is urine color.  If it is a darker yellow, I am probably not getting enough water and need to drink more.  If it is a clear color, I am doing OK.

I have a desk job, so it is pretty easy for me to satisfy my hydration needs each day.  I have a 32 ounce cup with a lid and a big straw.  It is pretty goofy looking, but works very well.  I make sure to fill it each morning and refill it several times throughout the day.  It always sits on my desk to the left of me and I take a sip anytime that I have a slight pause in my work.  Whenever it is not there, I often catch myself grabbing for it and feeling slightly confused when its missing.

Another great time to get your water needs is to drink water with your meal.  You can help curb your appetite by drinking a lot of water around meal time.  Simply drink a glass of water before you start eating, a glass of water with your meal and then a glass of water after your meal.  You can end up having smaller meals and feeling fuller while getting that extra water you need.