This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
The key to a successful diet is to follow a meal plan that is high in the right foods, and cuts out all of the wrong foods. There are many different types of diets, and none of them will work for everyone. The trick is to find one that works for you and stick to it. Most diets call for foods high in fiber and proteins, with a reduced intake of carbs and sugars. But whichever diet you follow, there is one huge mistake that you can make – and it will ruin your results no matter what your meal plan looks like.
Most diet plans don’t mention much about drinks, aside from the advice to cut out sugary beverages. But if you don’t pay attention to your drinks, you can seriously harm your diet - because the most common diet mistake doctors typically see is when people forget to drink enough water.
It seems way too simple to be true, but it is true: maintaining proper hydration is directly related to weight loss. Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Sometimes when you think you're hungry, your body is actually just in need of more water. Plus, water helps remove toxins from the body and can even help you to burn calories and fat.
Most experts advise people to drink eight glasses of water per day, each at the amount of eight ounces. Getting this right amount of water into your diet can help you feel more hydrated, less hungry and help increase your metabolism.
If you don’t drink enough water while you are on a diet, you will likely feel the results of dehydration more severely compared to when you are not dieting. When you are already cutting back on various food groups, it is especially important to maintain balance in all other areas of your diet.