The experts: Brooke Alpert, R.D and Keri Peterson, M.D., a physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a medical advisor for Women's Health
The answer: "I don't think that water directly affects weight loss," says Alpert. "However, I think water consumption is directly correlated with weight loss." As in: Water does not have some magical property that burns fat (sorry!), but it definitely can help you with your weight-loss efforts (hooray!).
First off, staying hydrated could help you avoid overeating. "A lot of people confuse thirst for hunger," says Peterson. "So they'll tend to eat rather than drink water." If you're craving a midday snack and want to make sure your pangs are caused by hunger, not hydration, have a glass of water first. Then see if you're still hungry 30 minutes later, says Peterson.
5 REASONS TO DRINK MORE WATER
H20 is free, easily accessible, and has MAJOR health benefits
A new study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology finds that staying hydrated may be more important than eating fiber for staying regular.
Researchers analyzed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data on about 9,000 adults from between 2005 and 2008. The researchers were interested in determining if people who consumed less fiber and liquid had a higher likelihood of…irregularity. And yep, both men and women who had low dietary sources of liquid were more likely to have TMI problems. But—and here’s the shocker—low fiber intake wasn’t associated with the same effect.
Water keeps your body running
It helps regulate your body temperature, keeps your joints cushioned, protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and gets rid of waste through sweating, peeing, and the like, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here are a few more reasons to hydrate on the regular:
It could help you lose weight In a study published in the journal Obesity in 2010, adult dieters who drank a bottle of water before each meal for 12 weeks lost more weight than the dieters who didn’t drink the water beforehand. We’ll drink (water) to that!
It may prevent kidney disease People who consume the most fluids have a significantly lower risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a 2011 study out of the University of Sydney in Australia.
It can make you run faster—and safer
In a 2011 study, 14 runners completed two sets of laps—one in which they showed up hydrated and got water during breaks, and one in which they had to limit their fluid intake during the run and for 22 hours beforehand. When they were able to get their hydration on, the runners had faster times and lower gastrointestinal body temperatures and healthier heart rates post-run.
It’ll put you in a better mood
In a study published last year in The Journal of Nutrition, mildly dehydrated young women experienced headaches, fatigue, worsened mood, and difficulty concentrating. Yikes.
Ready to drink up now? Make sure you know the real deal on water-drinking myths, then refill your water bottle.