Second to oxygen, water is the most important substance and the most important nutrient for the human body. A little secret tip that you might not be aware of is that water actually helps you lose fat! Water is very under-rated in the role it plays in weight loss because its unsexy. Its available everywhere, there's no mystery about it, and so its not as marketable as a diet pill (for example).

I know a lot of fitness gurus tell you to constantly hydrate, but it seems to me that even they still underestimate the importance of water.

So how does drinking water help you lose fat?

First of all, water is one of the best controllers of appetites. One of the first things you should do if over-eating is a problem for you is to drink water regularly through out the day and before your meals. This is especially true if you like snacking throughout your day.

Let me explain.

Most people, when they feel hungry, are actually not hungry at all, they are in fact thirsty. Next time you feel hungry, drink 1- 2 glasses of water before you put any food in your mouth, and chances are that your hunger will be gone. If your hunger is gone, then you have no reason to eat.

If you still feel like eating, this means that you are eating for comfort or to fulfil some emotional need. To get a handle on this, as you drink water before your snack, really think about (and really feel) the disadvantages of eating that snack. And then think about the benefits of not eating it. This will help you overcome it for the moment - and that's all you need.

So what about some other reasons?

Firstly, adequate hydration increases your strength and increases your endurance. Research studies have shown that a well hydrated person can have up to 15% more strength and 30% more endurance just by providing the body with the water that it needs. Research has also shown that a 3-4% drop in water levels in your body, can lead to a drop in the ability for muscle contraction by up to 20%!

This means having adequate water means your feeling more energetic and vibrant throughout your day, and you're getting so much more out of your workouts. This means you're burning more calories, strengthening your muscle and you're doing exactly what is needed to lose those pounds of fat from your body (and your belly).

Secondly, your body retains a lot less water when you hydrate properly. When you drink water regularly throughout the day, your body won't feel like there is a shortage of water and won't instinctively hold water in your body. Holding water in your body creates a lot of counterproductive side effects for fat loss.

When you hydrate your body properly, your kidneys are able to metabolise your fats more efficiently. Why is this important to fat loss? Because your kidneys break down fat for energy better than anything else and this is exactly what we want. When we work out or need extra energy through our day, we want it to come from fat, not muscle.

Thirdly, water can also make your skin look fresh and toned. It helps you get rid of all that unwanted waste out of your body so it doesn't have to show up in all those unwanted places - stomach upsets, ulcers, acne e.t.c. Water is nature's detoxification agent and will really help you live a healthier, more energetic lifestyle, as well as get rid of all that waste from your body's natural process. One way it helps get rid of waste is by helping blood circulate your body better, so it is easier to get rid of all that 'crap' out of your cells.

Fourthly, water will also help you build tissue, so you can maintain muscle tissue easier. This is great for fat loss because muscle tissue burns calories faster than just about any other type of tissue in your body.

Fiftly, everything in your body will also run smoother with water. Water will help transport all those vitamins, minerals, proteins, carb's that you eat to where it is most needed and help them turn into something useable by your body. It'll also help transport all the other important chemicals in your body to help it create the environment to keep your body in a healthy state.

And finally, water will also greatly help you prevent injury against stress caused by any intense workouts by forming a cushion in your joints and helping it lubricate.

So you see, water is very under-rated for fat loss because it is so abundant. Now you have no excuse to overlook it anymore. Get enough water and be further along in getting to and maintaining your ideal body.

If you want to know how much water you should have every day for weight loss, you should read this article on it "How Much Water Do I Need For Weight Loss?".