If your liver cannot perform this function fully, it metabolizes less fat causing more fat to be stored in the body.

When your body does not have enough water, your body will retrain water because it thinks something is wrong.  Water is then stored outside the cell (extra-cellular spaces).   As a result, your feet, legs and hands may swell.  Taking diuretics will relieve the problem temporarily by helping the body rid excess water and salt.  The body will still look at this as a treat and retain water causing the problem of swelling to return.

The best way to avoid the problem of water retention is to feed your body lots of water.  Only when enough water is in your body, can it naturally release water.  Excess salt in your diet will cause your body to retain water.  You body can only tolerate sodium (salt) at certain levels.  The more salt you consume, the more water your body needs to dilute it.  To purge your body of unneeded salt, drink more water.  With enough water in your body, salt can easily be removed from your body via your kidneys.

Overweight people need to drink more water because metabolic load increases with increased weight.  Remember water helps to burn fat, so overweight people need more water to burn more fat.

Water is necessary to maintain muscle tone by preventing dehydration and giving muscles the ability to contract and extend.   Water helps prevent sagging skin that usually follows weight loss by helping the shrinking cells to “float”.  This in effects plumps the skin, making it resilient and healthy.  Water helps to rid the body of waste especially during weight loss.  During weight loss the body has more waste to get rid of.  All the metabolized fat must be flushed out the body.  Water helps relieve constipation.  When the body doesn’t have enough water it holds on to it.  As a result, your colon doesn’t have enough water which causes constipation.

How much water is enough?  There is much debate on that.  Some people claim you should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day but we are all different sizes. Another method based on your size is to drink at least half your weight in ounces each day, and adjust it according to your activity level.  See recent article titled, “How Much Water Should I Drink?” for more information.  For people that are overweight, it’s recommended that they drink one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight.  For people who exercise or in hot environment, more water should be drunk to prevent dehydration.

Remember to drink cold water because it’s absorbed quicker than warm water.  

When you body gets enough water, it functions optimally by improving you endocrine gland function, alleviating fluid retention, metabolizes more fat and reduces hunger.  Use water as a strategy to lose or maintain your weight.

 

Copyright © 2009 By Patrick Birmingham (Associate Writer)

      

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