How Much Water Should You Drink to Lose Weight?

Water and weight loss make the perfect pairing. You’ve heard the rumors, you’ve pondered their promise, and now you’re ready to learn how the relationship between your water intake and weight loss works. You’ll be glad to know there’s more fact than fiction found in this phenomenon – with the receipts to back it up. If you’re looking to learn how much water to drink to lose weight, we’re here to dig into the details.

How Water Works for Weight Loss

Water can impact weight loss in a variety of ways, most notably through metabolic function, hunger and caloric burn.

1. Improves Metabolic Function

When you’re looking to lose weight, increasing your hydration levels is a must. For starters, in order to burn fat, you need to make sure that your metabolism is functioning to the best of its ability. Water can work wonders in optimizing the metabolic and digestive processes. According to the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, two studies conducted in 2003 and 2011 reported a 30% and 25% increase respectively in metabolic rate as a result of increased water intake.

2. Curbs Hunger

Proper hydration can also curb your hunger. Not only does water fill your stomach and signal to the brain that you’re full, but in some cases, you may actually think that you’re hungry when really you’re thirsty. In a 2014 study published in the Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine, researchers found that drinking water before meals not only aided in appetite suppression but went on to increase weight and fat loss. This isn’t to say you should be swapping your meals for a tall glass of water but rather that it’s important to stay mindful of your hydration levels if you frequently feel insatiably hungry.

3. Reduces Calorie Intake

Though water itself doesn't directly burn calories, it can aid the body in doing so. A study published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showcased a 30% increase in resting energy expenditure right after drinking water. Water can also replace sugary drinks you might be used to sipping on throughout the day. Increasing your water intake in place of your soda or juice intake can significantly reduce your calories, aiding in weight loss.

Taking into consideration how water works for weight loss, it’s clear hydration is an undeniably beneficial addition to your weight loss plan. But exactly how much water should you drink each day to fully reap the benefits?

The Hydration Equation

Studies claim adult men should drink around 15.5 cups of water per day, while adult women should drink around 11.5. Yet, water intake isn’t one-size-fits-all, and proper hydration is dependent on more than just a person’s sex. That’s why smart water bottles from HidrateSpark pair with the HidrateSpark App to customize hydration goals based on a variety of factors, including weather, weight, height, activity, pregnancy, and elevation. The only way to identify what will work best for your hydration is to get personal. 

When you download the HidrateSpark App and enter your personal parameters, our Hydration Equation produces a customized daily water intake goal specifically suited to your lifestyle. The equation resets daily based on your environment, as well as on individual activity levels should you choose to sync up your fitness trackers.

Tips for Increasing Your Water Intake

Even if you know how much water you should drink daily, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically and consistently do so. Incorporating water intake hacks into your daily habits is essential to staying healthy and hydrated. So how exactly can you make drinking more water part of your everyday life?

For starters, you’re going to want to make sure that you always have your water to hand. From there, you need to make sure that you drink it. The HidrateSpark collection of water bottles absorbs the responsibility of remembering to drink and holding you accountable. Using Bluetooth technology, our smart water bottles track your water intake and send reminders when it’s time to drink. Not only do our bottles keep your water cool, but they come in a range of colors, too.

Hydrate Your Way to Weight Loss

With your HidrateSpark bottle at the ready, you can hydrate your way to weight loss throughout the day. Allow the reminders to help you form habits, hit your daily goals, and hydrate you before meals for that added fat-burning boost. Explore our full range of smart water bottles to get started.

Sources

Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research - Effect of ‘Water Induced Thermogenesis’ on Body Weight, Body Mass Index and Body Composition of Overweight Subjects

Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine - Effect of excessive water intake on body weight, body mass index, body fat, and appetite of overweight female participants

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism - Water-induced thermogenesis

Mayo Clinic - Water: How much should you drink every day?