Many people try to increase their intake of water, but most people only do so for a short term. The reason for this is because many do not enjoy running to the bathroom more often than before. Though, this many be extremely discouraging and annoying, you should fight through it. Once your system gets used to this lifestyle, your bladder will as well, and the "every 20 minutes" trips to the toilet will end. During the early stages of this process, your body is flushing out the water it has been storing for all those years. This process takes awhile, but it is an amazing thing. Once your body becomes accustomed to this system, your body rids itself of the water you don't need that was being stored in your ankles, hips, thighs and perhaps your belly. Your body figures "Hey, why bother keeping all this excess water/weight when I'm getting all the H2O I could ever ask for!"

During the early stages of increased water consumption, your body will start to sweat more often, but as you continue to maintain this healthy lifestyle your bodily functions will return to normal.

8 Glasses a Day?

The 8-glass-a-day stereotype is pretty accurate and healthy, but only for the average person. If you are overweight then you should be drinking another 8 ounces of water for every 25 lbs you are trying to shed or are carrying. If you live in a hot/humid climate you should also drink more than just 8 glasses a day.

Spreading out your water intake is crucial. Drinking large glasses of water one after another is not that healthy. In a day, pick 3-4 slots when you can drink a tall glass of water. Then in between those time frames you can drink smaller amounts of water by just sipping bits of water throughout your day. This way you will not feel sick or full due to the consistent intake of large amounts of water over a short period of time.

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8 Glasses a Day?

The 8-glass-a-day stereotype is pretty accurate and healthy, but only for the average person. If you are overweight then you should be drinking another 8 ounces of water for every 25 lbs you are trying to shed or are carrying. If you live in a hot/humid climate you should also drink more than just 8 glasses a day.

Spreading out your water intake is crucial. Drinking large glasses of water one after another is not that healthy. In a day, pick 3-4 slots when you can drink a tall glass of water. Then in between those time frames you can drink smaller amounts of water by just sipping bits of water throughout your day. This way you will not feel sick or full due to the consistent intake of large amounts of water over a short period of time.

The Taste

For those of you who detest the plain taste of water, here are a few solutions:

1) Add a slice of lemon or lime to your drink (of water).
2) Try flavored water with no added sugars (calories).
3) Add a "very small" dash/sprinkle of salt.

Though other fluids may help hydrate your body, those beverages will have extra calories, sugar and additives. Furthermore caffeinated drinks may cause dehydration due to the fact that they are considered to be diuretics drinks which can force your body to dehydrate.

Remember that water is a natural appetite suppressant. As such, if your goal is to lose weight, then increasing your water consumption is a necessity. It is important to note that your brain does not really know the difference between hunger and thirst. Thus, if you are feeling hungry, your body may be telling you that it is just thirsty! So it is very important to keep your body hydrated at all times so that you don't get misleading hunger pangs which will make you eat unnecessary calories. In addition to reducing your appetite, drinking water has a few other benefits. Drinking more water can improve your skin complexion, reduce constipation, reduce symptoms of headaches and improve your overall energy level. The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight and improve your health, remember to always keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water!


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