Water is one of the essential elements of life, as it plays an important role in supporting various body functions. In addition to its many health benefits, drinking water contributes effectively to the process of losing weight and slimming. In this article, through the Dalili Medical website, we will review how water can help achieve weight loss goals and improve overall health.

How does water contribute to weight loss?

 

Regardless of the issue of weight loss, it is necessary to realize that water is an essential element for the body and vital processes. It is sufficient to know that the percentage of water in the body reaches about 70%.

Water constitutes an essential part of the composition of every component in the body:

- Muscles: 75%

- Heart: 79%

- Brain: 85%

- Bones: 22%

- Blood: 95%

- Kidneys: 70%

So, whether you are seeking to lose weight or not, it is important to maintain an adequate amount of water daily. But to enhance the desire to drink water, it is useful to know the reasons that make it an important and helpful factor in the process of losing weight.

What is a water diet?

 

A water diet is a diet that relies on drinking only water, and aims to cleanse the body of toxins, although its effectiveness has not yet been proven. Some recommend increasing the amount of water consumed at the expense of food for a few days, then stopping if a significant weight loss is observed. Some also believe that eating an apple with drinking water is a good option. To add flavor to the water, you can soak it with fresh fruits, in addition to thinking about strategies to increase your water intake in general. The water diet is a type of intermittent fasting, where you abstain from eating anything except water. It has increased in popularity as a quick way to lose weight in recent years.

How is the water diet applied?

 

Start by drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach immediately after waking up.

You can drink a glass of water every hour.

Drink a glass of water about 30 minutes before meals.

Drink a glass of water about an hour before bed.

The water diet is a new method for us, as some people have started following it to lose weight quickly, such as the keto diet, which has been admired by many thanks to its amazing results and ease of application.

**How ​​to start a water diet?**

 

There are no specific scientific recommendations for starting a water diet, however, it is preferable not to follow this diet by certain groups without medical advice. Among the people who are advised not to follow the water diet are those with gout, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as those who suffer from eating disorders, in addition to the elderly, pregnant women, and children. If you want to start a water diet, you can allocate 3-4 days to prepare your body, by reducing the amount of food you eat. This can be achieved by eating smaller amounts at each meal or by fasting for a period of the day. The water diet can last for a period ranging from 24 to 72 hours, during which time it is forbidden to eat anything but water. Most people typically consume between two and three liters of water per day during this diet. Although the water diet can last between 24 and 72 hours, if you have any health concerns, it is best to end the diet and not continue for longer than that without medical supervision.

What are the expected results from following the water diet?

 

Since the water diet significantly reduces calorie consumption, you will notice significant weight loss quickly. Research indicates that you can lose up to 0.9 kg per day when following the water diet for a period ranging from 24 to 72 hours.

What are the best times to drink water that help burn fat?

 

First, drinking water on an empty stomach is one of the best healthy habits that enhance the body's diet.

Drinking a cup of warm water in the morning on an empty stomach is an effective recipe for burning fat.

It is important to make drinking water in the morning a daily habit that is practiced every morning. Therefore, it is preferable to drink water on an empty stomach every day before eating anything else, making sure that the cup is large and lukewarm.

Drinking lukewarm water on an empty stomach helps boost metabolism and increase fat burning in the body. It also helps cleanse the intestines. In addition, drinking warm water on an empty stomach is an effective way to prevent constipation, digestive disorders, and cramps. Drinking water in the morning also stimulates blood circulation and helps in losing excess weight.

Second - Drinking warm water before meals Drinking water during meals is a major nutritional mistake. As Ms. Mas Watad points out, drinking water during meals can negatively affect the body's ability to lose weight.

This harmful habit causes the stomach to expand, which makes the person need to eat larger amounts of food to fill the stomach to the size it has expanded.

**The amount of water required to burn fat**

 

Experts usually recommend drinking about 8 cups of water per day. However, some cases may require drinking less or more than this amount according to individual needs. People who sweat a lot, exercise regularly, breastfeeding mothers, and the elderly need larger amounts of water than others. Therefore, it is recommended to drink between 1 to 2 liters of water daily to help lose weight.

**Benefits of drinking hot water for weight loss**

 

The benefits of drinking hot water in the weight loss process are evident through the following points:

1. **Increasing the metabolic rate**: After drinking hot water, the body lowers its temperature, which leads to activating the metabolism. This enhances the effectiveness of drinking hot water in supporting weight loss efforts.

2. **Burning fat**: Drinking hot water helps break down fats into their basic molecules, which facilitates the digestion process and prevents their accumulation in the body, thus contributing to the prevention of weight gain.

3. **Reducing appetite**: Drinking water before meals helps reduce the feeling of hunger, which leads to reducing the amount of calories consumed, and this contributes positively to maintaining weightWithin normal levels

Are there any risks from drinking large amounts of water?

 

Although it is important to drink enough water, it should be done in moderation.

Drinking excessive amounts of water can have negative effects, and may be life-threatening in some cases. This happens when it causes what is known as water intoxication, which leads to an increase in the level of water in the body and a decrease in the level of sodium in the blood, which can cause serious health problems if not dealt with quickly.

Therefore, it is recommended to adhere to the recommended amount of water for adults, which is 2.7 liters per day for women (about 11.5 cups) and 3.7 liters per day for men (about 15.5 cups).

In the case of practicing sports activities professionally, it is preferable to consult a nutritionist to determine the appropriate amount of fluids that should be consumed daily without being exposed to any risks.

The amount of water required daily for a person**

 

Many people ask about the appropriate amount of water that should be consumed to benefit from its benefits in dieting, which is as follows:

- Men need about 15 cups of fluids per day.

- Women need about 11 cups of fluids per day.

This amount of water can be obtained either by drinking water directly or by eating different foods.

**Ways to increase your water intake during the day**

 

**Start the day with a glass of water:** Start your day by drinking a glass of water immediately after waking up. This will help activate your metabolism and enhance hydration after hours of sleep without drinking fluids.

**Carry a water bottle with you at all times:** Make sure to carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go. This habit will remind you to drink water regularly and help you achieve your daily water intake goal.

**Set specific times to drink water:** Set specific times during the day to drink water, such as drinking a glass before each meal or every hour while working. This habit will help ensure that you drink enough water daily.

**Adding flavors to your water:** If you find it difficult to drink plain water, you can add natural flavors such as lemon slices, cucumber, or mint to make drinking water more enjoyable.

**Using apps to track water consumption:** There are many apps available that help you monitor your water consumption and remind you to drink it regularly throughout the day.

**How ​​drinking water helps lose weight**

 

1. **Reducing appetite** When you feel slightly thirsty, you may confuse thirst with hunger due to the nerve signals that reach the brain, which makes you tend to eat, while what you actually need is to drink water. So, if you feel hungry, it is preferable to drink water before eating to make sure that what you feel is thirst and not hunger. It is also recommended to drink water half an hour before a meal to stimulate the feeling of fullness and satiety, which helps you eat smaller amounts of food, thus contributing to weight loss in the long term.

2. **Stimulating metabolism** Drinking water, especially cold water, stimulates the metabolism and increases the burning of energy that the body needs to perform basic vital processes.

This is done by burning stored fat in the body, which leads to significant weight loss in the long term.

3. **Reduce Calorie Consumption** Many drinks such as soda, juices, and energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar.

4. Encourage you to follow a healthy lifestyle Many studies show that lack of fluids in the body leads to an increase in the secretion of the hormone cortisol, which increases the likelihood of eating unhealthy foods and leads to a decrease in the desire to exercise due to the feeling of fatigue resulting from dehydration.

6. Improve mood and enhance brain health The human brain is mostly made up of water, so dehydration negatively affects brain health, leading to feelings of anxiety and stress. Therefore, drinking water is very beneficial for brain health and the process of burning fat.

7. Regulate body temperature The body works to regulate its temperature through sweating, but dehydration reduces this process, which calls for the need for other methods to regulate internal temperature. Consuming water helps greatly in calming the body and controlling the temperatures necessary to perform various vital functions.

8. Get rid of constipation Constipation can occur as a result of not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, which leads to hard stools that accumulate in the digestive system, causing an imaginary weight gain in addition to many side effects of dehydration.

9 Drink water to flush toxins from the body Toxins accumulate inside the body, which are supposed to be excreted naturally through urine or stool, in the absence of sufficient amounts of water.

The kidneys work to flush toxins while retaining essential nutrients, but when water is lacking, the kidneys begin to restore some of the water to the body, leading to a feeling of bloating and fatigue. The person may notice an increase in the waist circumference as a result of this bloating.

10 Drink water to enhance the body's ability to exercise Sports activities help reduce weight effectively, which highlights the importance of adhering to drinking sufficient amounts of water. This is due to the role of water in maintaining the health of muscles, tissues and joints, in addition to its role in supporting the health of the heart and lungs. All of this is positively reflected in the body's ability to exercise regularly, and reduces the feeling of fatigue, exhaustion and muscle cramps during exercise. Through this point, the question of whether water speeds up metabolism can be answered, as water enhances the body’s ability to exercise, and exercise in turn contributes to increasing the metabolic rate.