Water: the key to weight loss?

​Trying to lose weight and can’t? Are you stuck? Have you plateaued?
Maybe you are missing the most basic of all elements required in the human body…
WATER!

If you aren’t drinking enough water, you can have a hard time losing weight. Fat metabolism doesn’t happen very efficiently when a person is dehydrated.

How do you know if you’re dehydrated?
I want you to do something for me right now. Stand up. Put your arm out to the side, and notice the veins on the inside of your wrist. Now lower your arm and notice what your veins do. If your veins plump out with your arm lowered, and smooth out with your arm straight out to the side, then you are dehydrated.

How Much?
How much water should a person drink in a day? Half your body weight in ounces. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should be drinking 80 ounces. That’s 10 eight-ounce glasses of water. My glasses are about 12 ounces, so that would be almost 7 glasses per day. You may need more if you exercise a lot or live in either a hot or a cold climate. In a cold climate, you’ll lose more water because the air is very dry. And for each cup of coffee you drink, add 2 cups of water per day.

What happens when you don’t drink enough water?
Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms? You might be dehydrated.

• Excess body fat
• Sore muscles
• Headaches
• Kidney stones
• Joint problems
• Upper respiratory problems
• Poor muscle tone
• Digestive problems
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Toxicities
• Water retention
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Dark colored urine
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Heat exhaustion
• Seizures
• Urinary tract infections
• Drop in blood pressure
• Kidney failure

Are you having any of these symptoms? Add up how much water you’re taking in. You might be too low.
The human body is about 65-70 percent water. You can imagine that we need to replenish that water to have normal bodily processes happen the way they’re supposed to. Dehydration will affect every system in the body; every process the body is trying to accomplish.

And you may ask: But I don’t want to be running to the bathroom all the time! How can I possibly drink that much water!? Your body will adjust. Give it a few weeks, and your bladder will expand to accommodate, allowing you to go less often, with more excreted each bathroom trip.

Well, there you have it. Why it’s so important to drink the correct amount of water. I came down 8 pounds my first week of drinking more water. I’m not saying that I’m going to lose 8 pounds per week. However, it’s a great start and a great motivator.

Could it be that simple? With a healthy diet of quality proteins, fats, fruits and veggies, it is certainly worth trying. Not only for weight loss, but also for having a fully functioning body!

References:
1. Wholistic Approach. Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education. 2018.
2. Mayo Clinic Staff. Dehydration.
    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086. 

Author: Connie Kelly - Naturopath, B.S. MedSci, N.H.E. (Natural Health Educator)