If you want to succeed in your diet, you must consume an adequate amount of water.
Some people attempting to diet say, “I gain weight just by drinking water.” However, this is a misconception. Water has no calories, so no matter how much you drink, it won’t make you gain weight. Any weight gain observed immediately after drinking water is merely due to the water entering your body and will be excreted through sweat and urine over time.
To lose weight, it’s crucial to consume an adequate amount of water. Drinking a moderate amount of water before meals naturally reduces your meal intake. As the saying goes, “Drinking water makes you feel full,” and as the water fills your stomach, there’s less space left for food.
Moreover, drinking water increases metabolism by generating heat in your body, even during rest. In adults, drinking water resulted in an approximately 24-30% increase in basal metabolic rate within 10 minutes. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that both men and women who drank 500ml of water experienced a 30% increase in metabolism. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, focusing on adults over 40 and their water intake, revealed that the group that drank water showed greater weight loss than the non-water drinking group.
This happens because drinking water helps thin out the blood, leading to improved circulation and increased calorie expenditure due to the body’s effort to warm the cold water.
Furthermore, proper hydration can help reduce the production of cortisol. When the body’s metabolism drops, it enters a state of stress. This state triggers the production of cortisol, a steroid hormone generated in the adrenal cortex.
Cortisol should be produced when we are under stress and should disappear when pressure subsides. However, if the body remains stressed, excessive cortisol secretion can occur. This excess cortisol can raise blood fat and sugar levels, potentially leading to conditions like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
Therefore, preventing a decrease in metabolism is essential. As mentioned earlier, drinking an adequate amount of water can increase metabolism, making it a crucial element in preventing excessive cortisol production.
So, how much water should you drink daily? According to the 2020 Korean Dietary Reference Intakes, the recommended daily water intake for adult men is 2,600ml, and for adult women, it’s 2,100ml. These figures include water consumed from food, so the recommended amount of pure water intake is 981ml for men and 709ml for women.
However, it’s essential to find a balance between water intake and water loss. People who sweat a lot or engage in physical activities may need to consume more water to match their body’s requirements.
By. Soojung Sin (soojungsin@inews24.com)
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