Drink to Your Weight Loss

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

When you're trying to lose weight, there are many things you can do, like eating healthier foods and exercising more. But did you know that drinking enough water every day can also help you lose weight? Let's explore how drinking water can be a big help in your weight loss journey.

The role of drinking water in losing weight

A healthy daily intake of water can help with weight loss in a few ways.

Curbing appetite: Drinking water before meals can make you feel less hungry, so you eat less. This means you end up consuming fewer calories. Sometimes, you may also mistake thirst for hunger. By staying hydrated, you can avoid the confusion and unnecessary snacking.

Boosting metabolism: Water helps your body burn calories faster. If you're even a little dehydrated, your metabolism can slow down. Drinking water throughout the day keeps your metabolism running smoothly, helping you to efficiently convert food into energy.

Enhancing exercise performance: Staying hydrated helps you feel more energised during exercise. When you're dehydrated, you might feel tired and unable to exercise as effectively. By drinking water before, during and after workouts, you can perform better and burn more calories.

Replacing sweet drinks: Singaporeans really love sugary drinks. But every cup of bubble tea or carbonated drink that you consume gives your body empty calories that can lead to weight gain. On the other hand, plain water provides hydration without added sugars or calories. Choosing water over sugary drinks reduces your overall calorie intake and helps control weight.

Removing waste from the body: Water supports your body's natural processes, including flushing waste and toxins from the body. Drinking enough of it helps your body properly digest what you have eaten.

Tips for staying hydrated

As food and other drinks contribute to your fluid intake, everyone needs to drink a different amount of water daily to stay healthy. Drinking at least six cups of plain water per day is a good start. Here are some easy ways to drink more water every day.

Carry a water bottle: Keep a water bottle with you all day so you can take a sip whenever you feel thirsty. This will also help prevent you from buying sugary and high-calorie drinks when you are out. Set a goal to refill your water bottle a few times a day to make sure you’re getting enough water.

Set reminders: Use your phone to set reminders to drink water every hour or two. This can help you turn it into a habit.

Photo by Julia Zolotova

Add flavour to your water: If you don’t like plain water, add some fruit slices such as lemon or cucumber. You may also try adding rosemary or mint leaves. This can make drinking water more enjoyable.

Check your urine: Pay attention to the colour of your urine, which says a lot about your hydration status. Light yellow urine means you are well-hydrated. Dark yellow urine tells you that you need to drink more water.

Drinking enough water every day is an easy yet powerful way to support your weight loss efforts. Make drinking water a habit along with healthy eating and regular exercise, and you'll be on your way to reaching your health goals. Stay hydrated and stay healthy!

Sleep is another important lifestyle factor that affects our weight loss journey. Find out why.