So what happens when you don’t meet your daily water quota? You become dehydrated, and it can affect you in many ways – not many of which are enjoyable. While we know the typical effects (headaches, brain fog, cravings), most aren’t aware of the significant role hydration plays in your weight loss efforts.

Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to help boost fat-burning and, while we can’t claim that hydration alone sheds pounds, a hydrated body is much more efficient in the fat-burning process than a dehydrated one! It provides benefits that help you on your weight loss journey such as:

• Increased energy
• Elevated stamina
• Improved digestion
• Decreased bloating + water retention

Not to mention, staying hydrated may also help keep you from overeating by eliminating those thirst cues we often mistake for hunger.

How Much Water Should I Drink?

Now, how do you stay hydrated and how much water are you actually supposed to be drinking?

The Institute of Medicine recommends 91 ounces for women and 125 ounces for men, but it’s important to remember that those numbers include other non-dehydrating beverages and water naturally found in foods. It’s also important to remember that the right amount differs based on factors like size, weight, and activity level. When in doubt, the color of your urine is a great indicator! You’ll know you’re well-hydrated if your urine is clear or very light in color. If you’re seeing darker colors, it’s time to refill that water bottle.

On to the important things: how to track hydration for weight loss! Here’s a few ways to keep yourself accountable + ensure you’re hitting your daily goals:

Keep a Journal or Planner Section

Most of us use a planner or notebook of some sort. If you’re a pen-and-paper type, set aside a section in your daily planner or notebook to track cups or ounces to go until you reach your goal.

Make Your Water Bottle Work for You

If you’re old-school, it’s as easy as grabbing a sharpie and drawing lines for each cup until you’ve reached your goal amount! You can even include motivational phrases for every few cups to keep yourself going throughout the day.

If you want something a little more high-tech (or just another thing to add to your holiday list) then consider one of the many smart water bottles on the market! Many of these link to apps and give a daily or weekly summary to help identify times when you could be forgetting to drink your water.

There’s an App for That

Speaking of…there’s absolutely an app for tracking hydration for weight loss! Free apps such as MyFitnessPal or S Health are fuss-free and simply require you to add it in cup-by-cup for a daily log. For those that might need a little extra budge, try an app like Plant Nanny that allows you to keep a virtual friend alive with your water intake!