By Michelle Pryor

I recently was challenged to the #HydrateMe Challenge with my daughter Hailey. As a health enthusiast and working in the health industry for more than 25 years, I know the value of getting enough water daily. However, my results were surprising—I was only getting four to five full glasses a day.

After three weeks of getting enough water each day, I can tell you I do feel better and my skin is not dry. I have also lost five pounds without doing any extra physical activities. As we move into the summer, I hope this article will encourage you to take the #HydrateMe Challenge, too, and keep track for 30 days by logging your water intake. It might just surprise you. Take the challenge today with someone you love!

Did you know that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated? Water is so important that even mild dehydration could slow down one’s metabolism and thus lead to weight gain. Conversely, increasing your water intake can reduce hunger cravings (especially those late night cravings which hurt your weight loss goal). Finally, lacking the proper amount of water could lead to fatigue and fuzziness and difficulty with performing daily tasks like simple math. Are you drinking a healthy amount of water each day?

Water and Weight Loss: Can 8 Glasses a Day Keep Fat Away?

Water may be the single most important factor in losing weight and keeping it off. Incredible as it may seem, water may be the only true “magic potion” for permanent weight loss. Drinking a glass of water before a meal can suppress the appetite naturally and can help the body metabolize stored fat.

Water plays a vital role to help maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. Being hydrated helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss—shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy, and resilient.

In addition, water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of—all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But, when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function returns.

So far, we’ve discovered some remarkable truths about water and weight loss:

• The body will not function without enough water, and can’t metabolize stored fat efficiently
• Retained water shows up as excess weight
• To get rid of excess water, you must drink more water
• Drinking water is essential to weight loss

How much water is enough?

On average, a person must drink eight 8 oz. glasses every day. That’s two quarts, or half a gallon, of water. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Water should preferably be cold—it’s absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water; and some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually help burn a few extra calories! When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced.

• Endocrine gland function improves
• Fluid retention is alleviated
• More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat
• Natural thirst returns
• There is a loss of hunger almost overnight

Information provided for education purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition.

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