How Much Water Should You Drink to Lose Weight?

Drinking water is one of the simplest, cheapest and most effective methods for improving overall health. By increasing your intake of fresh, unaltered, unsweetened water, you can drastically improve the health of your skin, cardiovascular system and urinary tract-- while decreasing your risk of dehydration and its complications. For those trying to lose weight, water offers yet another important health benefit: it enables faster, longer-lasting, healthier weight loss than dieting alone.

How Water Helps You Lose Weight

Water acts in several ways to facilitate weight loss. People who routinely consume soft drinks tend to be overweight, because these sugary drinks overload the body with excess calories. Habitual soda drinkers can often decrease their calorie consumption by as much as 20% by replacing soda with water. At least one well-designed study has also demonstrated that water decreases calorie consumption; people tend to eat significantly less after drinking before meals.

How Much Water You Should Drink Before Meals

In one weight loss study, participants drank two eight-ounce glasses of water before each meal. The water-drinkers lost 15.5 pounds over the course of 12 weeks, while those who did not drink water before meals lost 11 pounds. The study's findings suggest that dieters can accelerate their weight loss by as much as 30% per 6 months, simply by consuming two glasses of water before every meal.

How Much Water to Drink in General for Weight Loss

Sipping water throughout the day-- not just before or during meals-- can help to enable better weight loss. Those who have a tendency to eat or drink as a nervous habit-- noshing or sipping sodas while chatting and watching TV-- can replace snacks and soft drinks with water to cut a nervous-eating habit. In this case, there is no "correct" amount of water to drink for weight loss-- it will be no greater than, or less than, the amount consumed in lieu of calorie-laden snacks and soft drinks.

Drinking Water for General Health

For improving both weight and general well-being, increase your water intake throughout the day to meet your individualized needs. Mayo Clinic's recommendations for fluid intake range from 1.9 to 3 liters per day-- meaning that most adults should drink at least two liters daily to maintain a healthy weight and general health. This amount increases substantially among athletes, manual labor workers, and those exposed to significant heat. A qualified health care provider can help you to determine your own ideal fluid intake.