A typical person should drink 64 ounces of water a day. That breaks down to eight 8-ounce glasses. There are factors that can increase the amount of water you need. These include your fitness routine or activity level, what you weigh, certain medical conditions, and whether it is hot or cold outside.
Drinking Water for Better Health
Water is actually an energy booster and alleviates dehydration, which causes you to feel fatigued. If you feel thirsty, you are already a little dehydrated. Dehydration increases stress to the body and mind because 70% to 80% of your brain tissue is actually water. Water also helps to prevent muscles from cramping and lubricates your body’s joints. It is also great for digestion and keeps your bowels regular. In addition, water has been proven to be effective for aiding weight loss.
Drinking Water for Weight Loss
Drinking two glasses of water 20 to 30 minutes before eating a meal can help you lose weight more quickly and lose more weight than not drinking before your meals. This will also help you consume less calories during your meal.
Being as little as 1% dehydrated results in a drop in your metabolism.
Your body has a difficult time differentiating hunger from thirst. By not drinking enough water during the day, your thirst may be interpreted as hunger, and you may eat more food than you actually need.
If you are fasting to lose weight, drinking water is essential to staying healthy.
Drink Ice Water to Maximize Your Calorie Burn
Calories measure the amount of energy in your food. They also measure the amount of energy that is required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. This means that your body actually burns calories by drinking iced water, approximately 17.5 calories when drinking a 16-ounce glass of iced water. If you drink the minimum recommended amount of water a day – 64 ounces – and drink it iced instead of non-iced, you will burn up to 70 calories each day. When combined with a healthy diet and fitness routine, these numbers add up and can translate into more weight loss.