How Much Water Should You Drink For Optimal Weight Loss?

You want to lose weight as quickly and safely as possible. Since water is the way in which fat is flushed from the body, it is obviously an important part of your weight loss strategy. But what is the optimal amount of water to drink, and how much is too much? In this article we give some clear guidelines for drinking the right amount of water for optimal fat flushing and weight loss.

First a little background about water.

• Water accounts for about 55% of body weight in females
• It accounts for about 60% of body weight in males
• All of our tissues, bones and muscles contain water; it is critical to keeping us alive and healthy
• The body needs about 2 liters of water every day just to take care of normal body function
• If you feel thirsty, you have probably been dehydrated for at least a few hours

Okay, so what about water and my weight loss plan?If you're not getting enough water it's difficult for your body to function properly, much less to flush out extra fat. An while your body does get water from some foods and other drinks there's nothing that's as easy for your body to process as 100% pure water. Many people substitute coffee, soda, energy drinks and alcohol for their liquid intake, thinking this counts toward their water needs. This is not true, as some of these drinks tax the system, as well as serving as a diuretic, which ultimately leaves you dehydrated.

Top tips for losing weight and drinking water:

1. Guideline: Drink at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses per day, or 48-64 fluid ounces. If you are under 150 pounds you can get away with the smaller figure here, while others should stick with the 64 ounces.
2. If you are overweight, drink another 8 ounces for every 25 pounds you are overweight.
3. Tap water works but try and get filtered water, or at least distilled (spring water doesn't necessarily mean it is better for you). The more pure the water the better it is for losing weight, since it passes through the body more easily.
4. Try and drink the majority of your water between meals.

These are guidelines, rather than exact figures since every body requirements are different, and you'd need to take into account altitude, climate and such to be exact. There are helpful water calculators online, or you can consult with your doctor or nutritionist if you are concerned exact proportions, but for must people these guidelines will support a healthy body and weight loss goals as well.

Can you drink too much water? Yes, there is a point of diminishing return, where drinking too much water places a burden on your body and depletes electrolytes. Experts tend to be conservative in their opinion, some warning you not to drink more than 5 liters per day, unless you work outside in hot temperatures or sweating excessively.

Your commitment to drinking water can make a noticeable improvement in reaching your weight loss goals, as well as keeping you healthier over the long term.

Kathy writes diet reviews for diet plans such as Fat Burning Furnace and others. Kathy has a Holistic Life Coaching certificate, and she researches and writes on weight loss, health and wellness topics.

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