Have you hit a plateau in your weight loss? Do you feel like you’re doing everything right to lose weight and it’s just not working? At ITG, occasionally some of our dieters will have a rough week. They know when they’ve cheated with the carbs, but if they’re not cheating, the typical problem is usually they’re not drinking enough water. The coaches here at ITG Diet always tell our dieters, “Water, water, water!” If you are experiencing times when your weight doesn’t seem to budge, make sure you look at your water intake and increase it as necessary depending on activity level and even during hotter weather.

Your body is constantly using up the water it contains. You are made up of about 60% water. Water is essential for the transport of vitamins, minerals, chemicals, and processes throughout the body all day and all night long. To replace that water, it is recommended that we drink at least 8 glasses each day to replace what was lost. Vegetables and foods containing water contribute about 20% of the water our body needs.

When your body enters ketosis, you have cut down your grams of carbohydrates each day and your body is turning to stored fat for energy. Water is a necessity on a ketogenic diet. Low carb diets are naturally diuretic. The fat and glycogen stored in your system need to be flushed out, and it takes a lot of water to do the job. You will need to use the restroom quite a bit and drink water to replace what you are losing. Drinks containing a lot of sodium (such as diet sodas) will make the body retain water instead of flushing out toxins.

You should drink water throughout the day. Even though it is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses, you need to adjust this number if you live in a hotter climate or are more physically active. Drink whenever you are thirsty or hungry. Sometimes, feelings of hunger are actually signals that your body is craving water and not food. Most of the time, if you are feeling thirsty, your body is actually already a bit dehydrated! Stay ahead of the game and always have a bottle of water at hand.

If you happen to become constipated on a diet or feel that your weight loss is stalling, do not make drastic changes. Boost your intake of water and get your weight loss kick started. Check with your doctor if you need help determining what amount of water your body needs. One of the best things you can do for your diet each morning is to drink two large glasses of cool water. They will begin to replace what you lost overnight and get your metabolism going in the early hours of the day.

Not sure if you might be dehydrated? Read our article about the symptoms of dehydration that range from mild to severe by clicking here.