Weight Loss Part 2: The Sensation of Hydration

       Today we are going to talk about the essence of life - water. Water makes up about 2/3 of our body weight and about 70% of our brain weight. Are you drinking enough of it? Hmm, be honest! Most of us do not drink nearly enough.Weight loss as well as other functions in the body are heavily impeded by dehydration. Weight loss is impeded in a few ways.
       First, if you are dehydrated, you may not know it. One of the first signs of dehydration is hunger. What, no way? WAY! If you aren't drinking then your body sends signals to your brain saying, "hey man, we are dying down here! If you refuse to drink some water then at least eat something with it." So if you are hungry, think for a second about how much water you have had that day. You may just be thirsty.
       Second, if you drink roughly 16 ounces of water before a meal, you will be more satisfied because the water fills your stomach up so there isn't as much room for food. This only works if your stomach isn't a vast chasm that no one knows the end to, like mine. However, it is a good idea to drink it before a meal anyway.
       Thirdly - is thirdly a word? I think I just made it up but spell check didn't catch it so I guess it is a word. Haha! Anyway, thirdly, water helps you lose water weight. Bwhaaaat? Yeah, think about it. You go through most your life dehydrated, so your body holds on to the water like G.I Joe with a Kung Fu grip. However, if you are drinking enough water on a daily basis then your body loosens its grip and you will not only lose fat, but water weight as well.
       Fourth and final one I will be discussing is how drinking cold water helps to raise your metabolism. Yes, it is true. Cold water makes it so your body has to increase your metabolism to increase the temperature of the water to your body temperature. Studies done on this subject estimate that over the course of a year, a person who increases their water consumption by 1.5 liters a day would burn an extra 17,400 calories, for a weight loss of approximately 5 pounds (check the source at the end of the blog). May not seem like that much, but hey that is 5 more pounds that you lost by drinking water people, so take it. Alright, I just gave you 4 ways that helping your body function properly with water can help you achieve some weight loss. So what are you waiting for? Drink, people, drink.

Want to read more about water? Check out:
Boschmann, M. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, December 2003; vol. 88: pp. 6015-6019. Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association; director, sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Daniel Moser, PhD, exercise physiologist, Elite Health and Wellness, Philadelphia.