Fat Loss Tip #2) Drink More Water

I know, I know, we've all heard this one over and over again. But how many of us really drink enough water? I'm talking at least 10 8 ounce glasses of water a day, minimum. You should really try to take in a full gallon of water each day. Keep reading, and I'll include a secret tip on a specific way to drink water that will increase the number of calories your body burns each day.

Why, you ask? Let me count the ways. First of all, our bodies are over 70% water. That should tell you something right there. And you all know that you can go much longer without food than you can without water.

The body needs a lot of water in order to maintain its daily functions efficiently. In addition, water helps to flush out harmful toxins, as well as prime the body for fat loss.

If your body isn't getting enough water, it does everything it can to hold on to the water it does have. The problem with this, is the way it holds onto the water. You see, over 70% of your muscle is made up of water. It helps to give your muscles that full, pumped look (along with glycogen).

However, if your body is not taking in enough water, that water is used for other things, leaving you bloated. And the way to get rid of that excess water, believe it or not, is to take in enough water.

This will rid you of that excess water weigh that bloats you, and begin to help your body run more efficiently and priming it to begin dropping body fat.

Once you begin taking in enough water, your body starts dropping weight, possibly 4 or 5 pounds in the first week. Now, this is mostly water weight. However, doing so optimizes your bodily functions, allowing it to run more efficiently and start burning stored body fat for energy.

Here's another little trick you can use. Instead of just drinking water, begin drinking ice cold water. You see, there is a metabolic cost to eating. In other words, the digestion of food, as you'll read about in the next tip, takes calories. Well, so does drinking ice cold water.

The body needs to heat up this water in order to be able to use it properly and doing so takes energy, i.e., calories. You can burn another 50 to 100 calories a day by drinking one half gallon to a gallon of ice cold water per day.

It doesn't seem like much. However, in addition to all the other benefits of taking in enough water, by drinking ice cold water, you can drop almost a full pound of fat each month, or about 10 pounds per year.

Not too bad, if you ask me. Part III coming soon.

Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com and the author of Get Fit Fast. He articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine and he is a regular contributor to Body Talk magazine. Check out his site on building muscle and losing fat