Pint of water could help in weight loss (Photo : REUTERS/ERIC THAYER)
Water has so many benefits, and literally no disadvantages aside from causing excess urination. One of its benefits is helping people shed the pounds and fit into fitter, healthier bodies.
Gyms teach you how to train your ass off, that's a given, but when it comes to asking trainers about weight-loss secrets or how to diet while you train, silence is usually the response - unless you shell out the cash for a nutritional program.
What if all you need to do is just one thing that could change everything?
Follow these simple tips, understand the science behind them so you know what you're doing and why you're doing it, and watch the results come quick.
Here are five reasons why drinking more water will help you lose weight.
Zero calories
Water contains no calories because the human body cannot metabolize it further to get energy out of it. Humans have no mechanism of converting water into energy.
This means that no matter how much water you drink, you'll never add any excess fat or weight on the scale. The only weight you'll put on is water weight, which you'll wizz right out before going to bed.
Cold water burns calories
Drinking cold water instead of room temperature water is said to use up more stored energy because the human body needs to regulate the temperature and get it back to normal. This process increases the human body's calorie expenditure.
Yes, your body is burning calories to keep warm.
Water keeps organs healthy
Water keeps organs like your kidney, liver and heart healthy and hydrated while you are pushing your body to the absolute limit during exercise.
With the amount of stress that we place on our bodies when we work out, it's important to keep hydrated because the body's internal organs need water to function. We've all heard that the human body is made up of mostly water, so your really can't get enough of the stuff.
Water makes you feel full
Like food, water takes up space inside your stomach, making you feel full and curbing hunger pangs as long as you drink lots of it.
The more water you drink, the heavier your tummy will be, tricking your mind into thinking that it gorged on food.
Drink one glass of water before every meal. This is a common practice in the military. Water makes you feel full, more satisfied, and as a result, cravings are lessened. Drinking one glass of water before you eat anything will prevent you from over-eating.
Oxygen from water melts fat
Water contains oxygen which is coursed through your body via your bloodstream. Fat needs oxygen to burn so as long as oxygen is available, you will use more fat than other sources for energy.
Drink at least five glasses of water a day, maybe more. At the very least, drink five though. The first one must be when you wake up immediately in the morning, which the Japanese have been doing for centuries, the last glass before you sleep at night.
The other three glasses come before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then try your best to squeeze in a few more throughout the day.
What you shouldn't do
Water has so many benefits if you drink enough of it, but there are things you should avoid.
Stay away from sodas, which are essentially buckets of sugar that you are putting inside your body. Also, fruit juices contain lots of sugar too, sometimes even more than soda so don't be fooled. Same goes for sports drinks.
Confused? Stick to water.
Try sticking to water for a month and see how much lighter you feel afterwards. Cutting out sodas and sugary drinks in your diet for a month could potentially lose you up to 10 pounds just by doing that alone.
