Have water throughout the day to prevent dehydration

Nov 15 2012

Many people may have heard that on average our body weight is around 2/3 water of which 2.5 litres are lost daily. We get around 1 litre of water we need from our food but to balance the total loss the rest needs to be from the drinks we have. It's recommended to drink around 1.2 litres per day which is the equivalent of 8 x 150ml glasses. The exact amount a person needs to drink will vary depending on a range of factors, such as their activity levels, temperature or their size. So water is important to keep us healthy but what most aren't aware of is the role it can help play when losing weight.

For our bodies to function properly we require water - if we don't get enough we are said to be dehydrated. An easy way to check if you are dehydrated is if you don't pass a lot of urine or the colour is dark. Other common symptoms include headaches and fatigue. When following a low calorie diet it's these symptoms that can be easy to mistake for hunger - making us more likely to overeat if we are not properly hydrated. Even when we are feeling a bit peckish, drinking water can help curb our appetites until mealtimes helping to eliminate too much snacking.

Many people get bored by drinking only water and are then tempted to choose sugary soft drink options - that will contain a lot more calories.

Caron Leckie, nutritionist at delivery diet company Diet Chef says "The great thing about water is that its calorie free. It's important to keep us healthy by drinking water to replace the fluid lost throughout the day. We should plan to have water with us throughout the day until it becomes a habit - making it easier to get enough every day. If you don't like the taste of plain water a sugar-free, low calorie cordial can make it easier to drink"

At Diet Chef, customers are encouraged to drink their recommended intake of water every day while also enjoying delicious calorie controlled foods in their diet plan. Understandably, staying hydrated can sometimes be a bit difficult, but once people start to stick with it, they find that regular intake of appropriate fluids begins to become part of their normal routine.

Source Diet Chef