Trying to get rid of your jiggling belly? Don’t forget to drink plenty of water! Studies show that drinking more water can benefit those trying to lose weight. It can also help healthy individuals maintain their current weight.
The amount of water you need to drink per day will vary by individual, depending on factors such as activity level, age, weight, and health status. Most people that are trying to lose weight should aim for at least 8 cups of water a day.
Simple ways to increase water intake throughout the day include sipping on water whenever you feel thirsty, drinking water with every meal, carrying a reusable water bottle, and eating food with high water content (such as watermelon and cucumber). More and more individuals are turning to using reusable water bottles instead of plastic water bottles because of their environmental benefit. If you live in an area where you’re concerned about the purity of your water, check out this guide to home water filters at TheWaterGeeks.com to learn about how a whole house water system could improve the quality of your water.
Now that you know how much water to drink and a few ways to increase your water intake, let’s move onto the reasons why increasing your water intake helps you burn belly fat faster.
Burns more calories
Drinking cold or room temperature water can increase your resting energy expenditure. This means that you’ll burn more calories when your body is at rest. This boost is temporary (typically about an hour). While you won’t burn as many calories as you would if exercising, getting into the habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day means you’ll still burn more calories than you would if you were drinking sugary drinks. And when you drink cold water, your body has to use extra calories to warm the water up before the water can be used for digestion.
Gives you more energy
If you constantly feel fatigued, it can be hard to motivate yourself to exercise. Whenever you’re dehydrated, your heart needs to work harder to pump oxygen throughout your body, which leads to you feeling sluggish. If you stay hydrated, your body can function properly, which means that you’ll feel more energized.
And if you’re feeling more energized, you’re more likely to have the motivation to work out. Drinking more water paired with exercise and a healthy diet is the best way to burn belly fat. Exercises such as lunges and push-ups are a great way to burn belly fat and can help tone your body.
Makes you feel fuller
Drinking water helps take up space in your stomach, which can help curb feelings of hunger. Drinking water before a meal will reduce the amount of food you’ll need to eat, because your stomach will feel full. This means you’ll eat fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss.
Sometimes people also reach for snacks when really all they need to do is hydrate themselves. If you’re feeling sluggish and want a quick snack, try drinking a glass of water first. This can suppress your appetite. If you’re still feeling hungry after drinking water, then it is time to reach for a healthy snack.
Aids your digestive system
Not only does drinking water before and during a meal help make you feel fuller, but it can also aid your overall digestive system. If you struggle with bloating and constipation, there is a chance that you’re not drinking enough water.
Water helps to soften food so that your body can more easily remove the nutrients. This allows the food to pass more easily through your digestive system. This increases your overall digestive health. This means you’ll experience fewer problems such as diarrhea or indigestion. The healthier your digestive system, the less likely waste will stay compacted in your body. Compacted waste also leads to bloating, which can add some extra inches to your waistline.
Helps remove waste
Waste build-up contributes to your overall weight. When your body is dehydrated or when your digestive system isn’t working correctly, it can be hard to pass urine and feces. This is because your kidneys retain fluids and because your stools become hard. Drinking water helps flush the toxins from your kidneys in the form of urine and helps loosen your stools so that you can pass feces. Getting rid of waste from your body can help you shed a few extra pounds.
Replaces sugary drinks
Many people reach for high-calorie drinks, such as soda or sweet tea, when they feel thirsty. Sugary beverages add unnecessary calories to your diet and can increase your overall weight. For example, a 12 oz can of Coca-Cola has 138 calories. Another downside of sugary drinks is that they don’t keep you hydrated in the same way water does.
Whenever you feel thirsty, that is a sign that you should reach for water instead of something sugary. Replacing those high-calorie drinks with water cuts those unnecessary calories from your diet, which can help aid in your weight loss.
It is also important to keep in mind that soda and sweet tea aren’t the only sugary beverages. Most juices, smoothies, and energy drinks also have high sugar and calorie count. If you have a habit of drinking these over water, start eliminating them from your diet. If the idea of completing cutting sugary drinks from your diet scares you, do it gradually. First, get into the habit of drinking a cup of water whenever you drink a sugary beverage. Then, gradually decrease the number of sugary drinks you’re drinking throughout the day. Eventually, you’ll get into the habit of reaching for water instead of reaching for a soda.
Concluding thoughts
Increasing your daily water intake is a great first step to burning more belly fat. If you’re actively trying to lose weight, you should also exercise and eat a healthy diet. The more hydrated you are, the more energy you’ll have and the better your digestive system will function.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.