It may be surprising but water makes up 2/3 of your body mass. You need water to maintain an optimum level of hydration, flush away harmful toxins, cleanse the body, cool off, help joints work and to aid food digestion. You need 2 liters of water daily for all these bodily functions.

Wow, isn't that a whole mouthful? But wait, water is also important in helping you lose weight.

Yes, drinking sufficient water can actually help you lose weight. On the contrary, not drinking enough water can make you put on weight, besides putting your health at risk.

But how does water help you lose weight? Here's how and why:-

1. Your body's metabolism depends on water to continue functioning properly. Not having enought water will significantly slow down the process of breaking food down and converting it into energy. This will lead to unnecessary weight gain for you.

So, if you are dieting and you seem to have hit the dreaded plateau, then you are probably not drinking enough water. Drink more water to correct the situaion.

2. Your body's process of digestion and elimination of residues is also dependent on water. Not drinking enough water? Get ready for an uncomfortable case of constipation and a host of other problems in the intestines.

Poor digestion leads the body to seek out more food since the body "thinks" that it is not eating enough. This is usually the first sign of trouble for you.. A dehydrated or water-deprived body feels hungry, thus tempting you to eat more food than you should.

3. Water also acts as a good food filler or substitute. A big cup or glass of water before a meal can fill your belly and reduce your hunger pangs. That's why dietitians and weight loss experts advise us to drink lots of water to fill up our tummy first. Now you know why!

You should drink water gradually and steady throughout the day. Never drink a larger gulp all at once because your body can only absorb so much at one time. It will discard the rest as waste so that that's bad for you.

You can also take fruit juices, weak tea and coffee instead of plain water for hydration purposes.

And for the ladies, drinking a lot of water will not make you retain it. Dehydration forces your body to hang on to what it has, not abundance of water.

If you need help losing weight, besides drinking lots of water, it may be a good idea to also look for some weight loss supplements.