Water is given prime importance when it comes to consumption by the body to survive. And rightly so. Since, water has myriad benefits. “Stay Hydrated” is a default health advice that you will see in multiple lifestyle articles.
Water is very closely associated with weight loss as well. Multitudes of explanations are available on the internet as to why drinking lots of water will aid you in your weight loss journey. But have you ever fact-checked these claims about the one thing you drink the most during the day. If not, then we are here to present you some facts and bust some myths associated with water.
THE MORE, THE BETTER
Well, this is not true for anything, even if it is said in the context of water. Drinking too much water can drastically lower your sodium levels, which can prove to be fatal. This particular phenomenon is known as hyponatremia or water toxicity.
THIRSTY DOES NOT MEAN DEHYDRATED,
Another misconception is related to thirst. People generally think that they are dehydrated. Thirst is a wrong measure for dehydration. Sometimes, fluid level in the body drops by 4 percent before you even realize that you are thirsty. If you really want to see if you are drinking enough fluids, then you should notice the color of your urine.
THE ‘8 GLASSES OF WATER’ ADVICE
Similar to the more, the merrier concept, many people abide by the advice of drinking 8 glasses of water every day. Although it might work for some, hydration levels are different for everybody. It varies on the basis of a person’s activity level, health, and diet.
WATER AND APPETITE
Water is a great appetite killer. During the weight loss journey, a person is advised to drink water before meals so that their portion is reduced. Doing this, you will automatically consume fewer calories.
How much water should you drink?
Simply because drinking water aids weight loss does not mean you should just live on water or drink 5-10 liters of it every day. In fact, research shows that how much water your body needs should be determined by your age, body size, activity levels, health status, atmospheric temperature and humidity and level of sun exposure. People who live in tropical climates, sweat too much, engage in manual labor or intensive exercise every day may need to drink more water than others. Older people and pregnant women should also monitor their water intake after consulting their doctor about how much water they require. In general, experts recommend that adults should drink about two liters of water every day. You can easily measure your water intake by using the same bottle to drink water all day, every day.
Staying hydrated is considered to be one of the most effective ways of maintaining good health. Drinking ample amounts of fluids, especially water, is beneficial no matter what season it is or which part of the world you live in.
Many research studies indicate that drinking water has many benefits, and weight loss is just one of them. A 2011 study published in the journal Obesity suggests that drinking water while maintaining a hypocalcemia diet (also known as a very low-calorie diet) can reduce overweight and obesity rates among older adults, who usually find it difficult to lose weight quickly.
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