We have all heard about the importance of drinking those eight glasses of water a day, but did you ever stop to think how drinking enough water might help your weight loss efforts?

Water Works!

Brittney Fuqua, one of our community members, says drinking enough water is at the top of her list of weight loss tactics:

"To me, the most beneficial weight loss strategy is drinking plenty of water. At least two liters a day makes a huge difference, and it's really not as hard as it seems after you do for a few days. Not only does it help shed pounds, but it improves your complexion, too!"

Another community member, Nicci, knows all about the wonders of water. She has found that water is a worthy adversary against cravings. When a visitor recently asked if drinking enough water is really all that important to weight loss, Nicci had a lot to say:

"I have to personally vouch that it works. Not only is it completely healthy for you and something you should be doing already, it's also a natural appetite suppressant. In fact, many times when you feel hungry for a snack, you are really just thirsty. It's really easy to train your body to crave water instead of a candy bar; if I am tempted, I immediately grab my water and take a large gulp. I bring water to work in a large sport container so I can drink it there too. People call me the 'Water Girl'!"

One of our modern comforts actually contributes to dehydration. Air conditioning and heating systems in offices, homes, even cars decrease the humidity in the air. On average, we lose about 10 cups of water a day. That's pretty scary when you realize that our bodies are predominantly made up of water!

The weather plays a big part in dehydration, too -- especially in these dog days of summer. It is extremely important to drink enough water when you are going to be playing, working or exercising outside in the heat. If you begin to feel weak or dizzy, then it's time to cool down. Nausea may indicate that you are beginning to experience heat illness. If your symptoms do not improve, or, they worsen, do not hesitate to seek medical attention. Heat stroke claims many lives every year, especially in unusually hot summers like the heat wave much of the U.S. is experiencing at the moment.

Being thirsty is not the only symptom of dehydration. In fact, once you actually feel physical thirst, you may be well on your way to dehydration. Other signs of dehydration are dark or foul-smelling urine. Even mild dehydration is not only perilous to renal (kidney) function, but it can also have other physical and psychological ramifications like severe headaches or decreased concentration levels.

Did You Know if You Drink Soda, You Should Drink More Water?

You may have already read that I highly recommend the Weight Watchers program, because they really focus on learning portion control and good nutrition. Turns out they're also on top of preventing dehydration. There is a section of every Weight Watchers journal where you are to record your daily water consumption. But, did you know you might need to be drinking even more than your daily allotment?

A friend on the Weight Watchers program related to me that her leader told her group that each time she drank a diet soda that she should in turn drink two extra glasses of water (in addition to what Weight Watchers recommends daily). That's because drinking sodas and other beverages that contain caffeine actually contributes to dehydration. These types of beverages act as diuretics and cause us to empty our bladders more often.

Water Yourself

The good news is, water is available in lots of forms; you don't have to get bored with the water cooler at the office or by visiting the water fountain numerous times a day. Instead, keep a nice cold bottle on hand at all times. In the meantime, you can increase the amount of water you're taking in by eating foods that contain a high water content like fruits and vegetables.

You also should keep in mind the heat and humidity factors as well as your exercise and work habits. If you are exercising, you need to drink more water than the average person before, during and after your workout. If you are doing strenuous labor, or outdoors work in the heat, you will definitely want to go over the minimum as well. How much is enough? Six cups is okay; eight cups is great and 10 cups is super.

"But I Don't Like Water!"

Try adding lime slices, lemon juice, even peppermint to your water to add a little zing to it. You may find in time you simply develop a taste for plain water. Think back to when you were a kid. Were there a few vegetables you simply couldn't tolerate? Did you ever get caught hiding them in your napkin or trying to get the dog to eat it? Do you eat any of those vegetables now? Do you actually enjoy them? Over time you developed a taste for the offending veggie. Although most of us have grown very used to drinking our sodas, coffee or tea and the thought of drinking plain water makes us cringe, in time, you will find that you not only enjoy drinking water, you will crave it.

Another trick is to buy seltzer or carbonated mineral water in the beginning and add your citrus or mint flavorings to give the impression of soda. You could try the diet flavored waters like Clearly Canadian. After you have adjusted from having soda as a mainstay, you may gradually begin seeing that what you really want is the plain water and you can in turn give up the "zing" and the "fizz" of soda altogether.