Water is an important element for many different reasons. Let’s start with ourselves: we consist of approximately 50 – 75% water depending on our body composition. Water is responsible for a multitude of body functions: regulating body temperature, transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells, dissolving minerals and nutrients, helping with digestion, protecting organs and tissues , lubrication of the joints, among others.
Oh, and it increases the metabolism. Just in case you want to know if the water can help you lose a few stubborn pounds – the answer is a resounding “YES! “.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, drinking 500 ml of water increases metabolic rate by 30% in healthy men and women. The maximum effect was reached 30 to 40 minutes after the subjects drank.
Consider another study that highlights the properties of water for weight loss. Researchers at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom conducted a 12-week experiment in which 84 obese adults received basic weight loss counseling and were placed in one of two groups. The first group had to drink about 500 ml of water half an hour before their meals, while the second group had to imagine their full stomach before each meal. In conclusion, experience revealed that the first group lost 1.5 kilos more than the second group.
This is great news for those who want to lose a few pounds, but in any case we should drink enough water – six to ten glasses a day, anyway. Before deepening further the relationship between water consumption and weight loss, we will briefly discuss other benefits to water health:
- Helps maintain our vigilance
- Prevents headaches
- Stimulates our cognitive abilities
- Protect our heart
If you are among the large number of people wishing to lose a few pounds, a key factor will be good hydration. In addition to feeding our body before, during and after physical activity, we should monitor our water use all day. This is essential because adequate water can ensure that our metabolism is functioning at full capacity while suppressing the desire to overfeed.
We will give you the formula to calculate the optimal water consumption, as well as a basic figure that can serve as a quick reference point.
Please note that it is not necessary to focus on exact figures of water consumption. Just try to be as specific as possible to the extent reasonable. At the same time, if you feel better drinking from the bottle, feel free! Measuring cups can be useful though.
First, here are the steps as well as a quick explanation on why you need this amount of water to lose weight effectively:
Step 1: Check your weight
Obviously, it's important to have a precise number of your weight to determine the optimal water consumption. This is necessary because the higher the weight, the more water consumption will be.
If the number on the scale has a decimal place, round down if it is 0.4 or less; round up to the next digit if it is 0.5 or more. If you are using an analog scale, find the exact number as possible.
(Example: 100.2 kilos = 100 kilos - 100.5 is rounded to 101, etc.)
Step 2: multiply this number by 3
You will get the number of centiliters you need.
(Example: 101 x 30 = 303 cl, about 3 liters
Step 3: Determine your activity level
Our level of physical exercise has a direct correlation with our water consumption. By exercising or doing any physical exertion, our body will naturally evacuate water, which means that it must be compensated.
For every 30 minutes of exercise, add 50 cl
Step 4: Calculate your water consumption
Simply add the numbers found in steps 2 and 3.
Here is an example of a calculation:
Weight: 101 kilos
101 x 3 = 303 cl
30 minutes of exercise per day = 50 cl
303 + 50 = 353 cl (3.5 liters) = about 14 glasses of 25 cl
Here's how much water your body needs to lose weight:
Weight Quantity Nb of glasses of 25 cl
40 kg 1,2 l 5
45 kg 1,35 l 6
50 kg 1,5 l 6
55 kg 1,65 l 6-7
60 kg 1,80 l 7
65 kg 1,95 l 8
70 kg 2,1 l 8-9
75 kg 2,25 l 9
80 kg 2,4 l 9-10
85 kg 2,55 l 10
90 kg 2,7 l 11
95 kg 2,85 l 11-12
100 kg 3 l 12
105 kg 3,15 l 12-13
110 kg 3,3 l 13
115 kg 3,45 l 14
120 kg 3,6 l 14-15
125 kg 3,75 l 15
Here are some helpful tips to help achieve our water consumption:
- Drink two 25cl glasses of water before each meal. That's 1.5 liters.
- When you get up in the morning and before going to bed, drink another 2 glasses of 25 cl: that's another 1 liter.
(Note: if you are concerned about having to get up at night to go to the bathroom, drink these two glasses in the morning instead).
By simply following these two tips, we will already have 2.5 liters of our daily water. This should make your daily goal a lot easier!