“How much water should I drink to lose weight?”
“How much water should I drink to lose weight?” is among the most frequent concerns I get from people who want to attain their ideal physique.
This is for a reason! Dehydration could make your metabolism slow down, feeling tired and unmotivated. Drinking water can also boost your energy levels, boost the appearance of your skin and help you shed weight.
Water alone isn’t going to make you lose weight – it’s not a miracle elixir or magic potion. But if you drink enough of it regularly, there’s no doubt that water will boost your weight loss efforts.
This article will explain exactly how much water you should drink every day to lose weight…and why your current water intake might already be working against you.
Many health professionals advise men to drink the 125 oz mark of total fluid every day, and women should regularly aim for around 90 oz of the total fluid. This includes food, drinks, and water from any sources…not only the water you consume while at your desk, working on your computer.
For many people, these numbers are way too hard to maintain daily. They also don’t consider whether or not you exercise regularly – which is a big part of the equation.
If you’re trying to lose weight, strive to drink at least 64 oz of water every day…which equals 8 cups. Water will help keep you hydrated and have room for an occasional cup of tea or coffee.
If you exercise regularly, it is recommended to drink more than 64 ounces per day…especially in the case of more than an hour of aerobic exercise.
At a minimum, you should ensure you are drinking sufficient fluids to ensure that the urine you’re passing through is clean (unless there’s a supplement for B vitamins, in which case, it’ll turn as a vibrant yellow).
Suppose you’ve not been getting enough liquids in your system, and you’re noticing that the color of your urine turns stinky or dark. In that case, that’s an indication that your kidneys are temporarily compromised…and this isn’t good to be a good indicator of weight loss.
If you fail to meet your minimum daily requirement of 64 oz of water per day, chances are:
a) You’re not exercising regularly – this means that you don’t require the same amount of water as those who do at least an hour of aerobic exercise every day.
b) You’re not taking in enough fiber.
Fiber assists in moving nutrients through your digestion tract that means less waste and less toxic substances •)
You’re dehydrated. How much water does the average person require?
Calculating the amount of water you should consume every day isn’t as difficult as many think.
However, if you’re looking for an easy formula, I’ll give you a suggestion:
1 Liter of water for every 50 lbs of body weight (154 oz total / 3 lbs = 51 oz per pound)
If you’re slightly overweight, rather than multiplying your current weight by 1 liter…use your desired weight instead.
For example, if you weigh 180 lbs but would like to weigh 160 lbs, take your current intake and multiply it by 0.8 instead of 1.
If you weigh 160 lbs, your daily intake would be 80 oz…which isn’t too far from the standard 64 oz amount. If you have muscle mass and aren’t very active – which many people who lift weights regularly are – then 64 oz will probably be insufficient.
In that case, I’d suggest aiming for a minimum of 80-100 oz per day…unless you want to feel tired all day long and experience sugar cravings that make it hard to stick to your diet goals.
The Problem With Commercial Beverages
There’s no such thing as “bad” water or “good” water – but there is such a thing as drinking too much of the wrong kinds of water. And unfortunately, most people fall into this trap…
Drinking water is important, and it can boost your weight loss efforts…but drinking too much of the wrong kinds of water (soda or artificially flavored drinks) can make it harder to lose weight! Here’s why:
1) Heavy Metals And Other Toxins. Water isn’t just H 2 O – there are all kinds of minerals and chemicals in tap water these days. Although many naturally occur in our environment, they also wind up in municipal water supplies through several different sources, including runoff from fertilizers used on farms and chlorine treatment to kill off bacteria.
Municipal drinking water isn’t “pure” as you might think – nor does it have to be. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates drinking water supplies around the country…so it’s not likely to be contaminated with radioactive waste or biological agents that can kill you…but it can contain heavy metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic.
If you live in an older home – especially one built before 1940 – there’s a good chance your pipes are also made of lead.
2) Caffeine And Sugar. Many people fail to realize that when they drink caffeinated beverages like soda, coffee, or tea, they increase their daily calorie intake quite dramatically without knowing it.
For example, 12 ounces of cola contains around 10 teaspoons of sugar plus about 40 mg of caffeine for approximately 200 calories.
If you drink 2 cokes each day, you’re adding an extra 400 calories to your diet without knowing it. Soda may not contain as many nutrients as whole foods – but it does contain caffeine and sugar…which over time can slow down your metabolism.
How much water should I drink to lose weight, Diet FYI