Drinking water doesn't burn fat by itself. But it helps in very concrete ways: it replaces calorie-heavy drinks, helps you tell thirst from hunger and, before meals, can make you eat a little less.
How much to drink
The most widely used references suggest about 2 liters a day for women and 2.5 liters for men, counting the water that comes from food. A practical, personal rule is to use your weight: about 35 ml per kilo. For someone weighing 80 kg (176 lb), that's 2.8 liters, or 11 glasses of 250 ml (8 oz).
Water before meals
In a study of middle-aged and older adults on a diet, those who drank 500 ml of water before each meal lost more weight over 12 weeks than those who only followed the diet. It's not magic: water takes up space and helps you notice fullness sooner.
How to hit your goal without thinking
- One glass when you wake up. It's the easiest of the day and gets the morning going.
- One glass before each meal. That's three glasses with no effort.
- Keep a bottle in sight. What stays in view is what you drink.
- Log as you go. One tap per glass, right away, so you don't have to remember at night.
Water is one of the day's three
In Bora, drinking water is one of the three things that close your day, together with eating within your budget and moving your body. The app calculates your amount from your weight, capped at 12 glasses, and in the morning the instruction on screen is often exactly that: start with water. Each glass is one tap, including from the Home Screen widget.
Sources
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(3):1459.
- Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Comber DL, et al. Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity. 2010;18(2):300-307.
This content is for information only and doesn't replace advice from a doctor or dietitian.
