Does Water Speed up Your Metabolism?

Your metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns calories. There are many factors that determine your metabolic rate, genetics being one of them, but there are also things that can help to speed up metabolism that you have control over. Water consumption is one of those things.

Water and Metabolism

• Cold water may increase metabolism even more.

  Water has been shown to increase the rate at which your body burns calories by as much as 24% according to www.MyFit.ca. There is even speculation that drinking cold water can increase your metabolism even more because your body must burn calories in order to warm the water to body temperature for digestion.

Water's Function in the Body

• Water is an important component of digestion which is a crucial piece of the metabolic picture. During the process of digestion, calories are either absorbed and used for fuel, stored as fat, or eliminated. Water helps to lubricate the digestion process and www.SideRoad.com points to a healthy digestive system as one key to a healthy metabolic rate. Water helps all of your organs to function well, and replenishes hydration lost through perspiration, urination, and basic body functions.

Recommended Amounts

• According to www.SideRoad.com, a person should consume six to eight glasses of water throughout the day. This recommendation may not be ideal for every person, so as a general rule, if your urine is nearly clear, chances are you are getting enough water. You shouldn't be drinking so much that you have to urinate every hour.

Other Ways to Speed up Metabolism

• Muscle burns calories whether you're using them or not.

  Drinking water alone won't necessarily result in noticeable weight loss or dramatic increases in metabolic rate, but when it is incorporated into a balanced lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise, results will show. According to www.ConsumerAffairs.com, strength training and cardiovascular exercise are both ways to increase the rate at which your body burns calories. Strength training helps to build lean muscle and muscle burns more calories which will increase your resting metabolic rate. Running on a treadmill or doing other cardiovascular training will obviously burn calories during the activity, but you will also continue to burn more calories for four to six hours after your work out is complete while your body is recovering. This, along with a diet that includes several small meals balanced with healthy whole grains, protein, and healthy fats (such as monounsaturated fats), and of course, adequate water consumption will impact your metabolic rate.

Warning

• Prior to starting any new diet and exercise routine, talk to your physician. If you have any health complications or genetic predisposition to certain ailments, your doctor will be able to give you the individualized advice you need to speed up metabolism.