We all know that water is an indisputable building block of life. This is proven by the fact that you can live for about a month without eating food but only last 3-7 days without drinking water.
However, water doesn’t just keep you alive and healthy it also helps you with unexpected things like physical fitness and weight management. If you are currently working out on a regular basis, doing extra exercise or simply becoming more physically active, then water is your best friend.
In this article, I will list 3 solid scientifically proven ways that water helps with fitness. When reading this article, remember that water does far more than what is mentioned in the list below. This means that you should still keep on top of your hydration even if you’re not a gym buff because drinking sufficient water also helps improve your general health too.
1. Water Helps Your Body Better Tolerate Pain
One of the biggest barriers to staying physically active is tolerating the extra pain that it brings. But do you know that drinking water can help make your pain less painful?
This is according to a study published in the Journal of Psychophysiology. This landmark study was conducted on 17 healthy male subjects taking part in 2 separate tests. The first test involved the participants regularly drinking water and the second test required them to drink much less. Both tests were conducted over a day and at the end of each day, the participants’ put their feet in ice-cold water for up to 4 minutes.
The results? Well, the participants were able to tolerate the cold for much longer when they were properly hydrated.
The researchers concluded that staying better hydrated helps reduce pain sensitivity. This is something to think about the next time you’re about to work your body hard, make sure you drink enough water!
2. Water Improves Energy Levels
We all know that staying physically active is much easier when we have lots of energy. But do you know water can both increase and improve energy levels? This is according to a recent study published in PLoS ONE.
This is why you should always check if the cause of your fatigue is dehydration. A dehydrated body becomes tired because your body needs to work harder in order to perform even the most basic functions. So free up your body from having to do extra work by drinking enough water, which can also lead to better energy levels.
3. Water Reduces the Urge To Eat Junk Food
Staying fit isn’t just about how much you workout, it is also about what you eat and this is yet another area that water can help.
The sad fact is that most people will often confuse hunger with dehydration. The result of this is the over consumption of excess calories. However, a study conducted by Dr Amanda Daly from the University of Birmingham shows that simply drinking water before each meal leads to weight loss. She concludes that this works because water reduces your overall food intake.
Although adding water to your diet before meals won’t necessarily stop you eating junk food, it can prevent you eating when you’re not actually hungry and eating less in the long run.
Final Thought
Sufficient hydration is an essential part of staying alive and healthy. But studies are now showing that drinking enough water can have significant benefits for those of us trying to stay fit and keep our weight under control. This article should be sufficient to make anyone seriously consider whether they are currently drinking enough water and if not, to start consuming more.
- Here Are Three Surprising Ways Water Keeps You Fit - June 10, 2017
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