The Importance of Hydration

We’re often told about the importance of adequate water intake, but do you know why it’s so important? Water can contribute to weight loss – even fast weight loss – in several ways.

First, since our bodies need water to survive, they have a self-defense reaction when we don’t consume enough water. In response to dehydration, they start to hold on to every bit of fluid they get. This is called fluid retention, or bloating, and it can cause the scale to leap up by several pounds.

The cure for bloating is to drink more water. If you drink at least 8 glasses a day, your body will start to let go of the fluid it has been retaining. Your waist will shrink, and you will lose some superfluous pounds.

To tell if you’re bloated, clench your hands into fists. Do they feel tight and puffy? Are your rings leaving indentations on your fingers? If so, you might be bloated, and water can help.

Secondly, water acts as a vitamin delivery system. The vitamins you consume through food and supplements will be distributed throughout your body if you’re properly hydrated. If you haven’t had enough fluids, the vitamins will have trouble getting where they need to go.

Finally, water keeps our organs functioning at their highest level. This directly affects your body’s ability to burn fat.

You see, our bodies have a natural filtration system that gets rid of toxins and built-up fluid: the kidneys. But the kidneys need plenty of water to be able to do their job properly. If you don’t drink enough water, the kidneys have to call on the liver for back-up filtration. While the liver is busy helping out the kidneys, it’s not metabolizing fat as efficiently as it should, and more of the food you eat will be stored as fat.

You can avoid this situation by drinking at least 64 ounces of pure drinking water each day. A more customized approach is to drink 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of body weight. Thus, a 150 pound man would need 75 ounces of water each day. If you do a lot of sweating, or if you have a medical condition that leaves you chronically dehydrated (like diabetes) you will need extra hydration.