Water Intake Is a Key Secret to Long-Term Weight Loss

Since you’re a busy reader, we’ll spare you the whole blog and give you the tip upfront:

Drink just 1 cup of water more than you usually do. If you can, drink it instead of a soda or fruit juice.

See? It’s an easy trick. But to learn why drinking water is the secret key to any weight loss regimen, keep reading below.

Your Body Is Bad at Communication

How do you know when you’re hungry? It’s easy, right? Your stomach growls, your body feels like it’s running on fumes, you have a bit of a headache…so you run out and grab a bar or a salad. Here’s the thing: a glass of water could have solved all of that instead.

See, your body has a hard time differentiating between hunger and thirst. Your body craves calories and water, but it doesn’t necessarily crave them in different ways. Headaches, irritability, fatigue—these are both symptoms of dehydration and low blood sugar. So how can you tell which one is which? The best answer is you don’t—instead, default to drinking water in response.

Not only will this abate your cravings, but it can actually push your body to burn more calories.

The Scientifically-Backed Weight Loss Power of Water

Several studies have documented the power of water to aid weight loss. Why do you think every fad diet in the world includes the words “and drink plenty of water”? Even if you made no other changes to your diet, just drinking more water would contribute to better overall health.

Here’s what researchers have found:

• 2 studies found that drinking cold water increased calorie burn by 25% for a 60-minute period.
• Over a 12-month period, drinking 1 liter a day led to 4.4 lbs. of weight loss with no other lifestyle changes.
• People who drank up to 1.5 liters a day showed a significant reduction in body fat and BMI over a 12-week period.
• Drinking water before a meal resulted in 4 pounds of weight loss over a 12-week period.
• Drinking water before breakfast resulted in 13% fewer calories consumed.

Even if you’re just trying to maintain your weight, water gives you an edge in an uphill battle. People naturally gain about 3 pounds every 4 years. Just adding 1 cup of water a day to your diet could reduce that gain by .23 pounds, and replacing 1 cup of a sugary beverage could reduce your natural 4-year weight gain by a pound.

Keep in mind, that’s with no other change in diet.  

If you’re making weight loss part of your New Year’s resolution, then the most important thing you could do—more important than ordering a salad or hitting the gym—is ask for water wherever you go.