If you eat properly and exercise at the right intensity, frequency and duration, but still aren't losing fat, you're probably not drinking enough water.

Water is essential for the metabolism of fat. Metabolism includes all the processes that go on in your cells to handle the food you eat and the fuel you store. Fat stored in your body is converted to energy in the liver. However, another function of the liver is to do what the kidneys do— cleanse your system.

For the kidneys to work properly they need plenty of water. If you become dehydrated and deprive your kidneys of water, the liver has to divert its resources to compensate for the kidneys, lowering its fat metabolizing capability. When the kidneys don't have adequate water, the liver can't metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys are fully hydrated. If you are not diligent to drink sufficient water, you're setting yourself up to store fat.

Your body is amazingly adaptable to change its physiological processes to survive harsh conditions. If you don't drink enough water, your body will tend to store water as part of its survival mechanism. You may swell and feel bloated, mainly around your hips, thighs and ankles. (Incidentally, a similar thing occurs if you don't eat enough calories. Your body will start adapting to surviving on fewer calories.
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When you first start to drink lots of water, you may find that you initially go to the restroom frequently. This happens because your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing. As you continue to keep your body well hydrated, it should rid itself of the excess stored water it doesn't need.

It's a fact that most people don't drink enough water for optimum health-eight, 8-ounce glasses a day. But if you're overweight, you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also increase this amount if you live in a hot climate or exercise at an intense rate.

Try to pick three or four times a day when you can have a big glass of water, and then sip in between. Don't let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated. Start drinking water before you get thirsty.

Keep 33-ounce water bottles full of water wherever you spend most of your time. This makes it easy to drink your daily requirement of water.

1. In the car
2. By the bed
3. In your purse
4. By the computer

Water is the most important nutrient affecting exercise performance. When you workout you need water to cool your body, carry nutrients to your cells to be burned, and carry waste to your kidneys. If you are very tired while exercising, you may be extremely dehydrated. So before, during and after exercise it is very important to drink plenty of water. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 8 to16 ounces of fluid before exercise, at least 4 ounces every 15-20 minutes while working out, and then at least 24 ounces afterwards. If it is hot or your workout has been intense, these amounts must be increased. You can also weigh yourself before and after exercise. Sixteen fluid ounces of water weighs 1 pound, so if you lose one pound during your exercise session, make sure you drink at least 16 ounces to replace it.

Don't rely on your thirst to tell you when to drink water. By the time your brain signals thirst, you may already be dehydrated. Dehydration can cause fatigue, dizziness and headaches.

One simple way to find out if you're drinking enough water is to check the color and quantity of your urine. If your urine is dark and scanty, you need to drink more fluids. Note that supplements can also color your urine, in which case it is better to check the volume. If it's clear and plentiful, your body is probably sufficiently hydrated.

Don't like water? Try adding a slice of lemon or lime. Or, try flavored water. But watch out for extra calories, sugar and additives.

Caffeine is a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate the body. There is evidence that caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly.

1. It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion.
2. It makes your skin look younger. Skin that has become saggy, either due to dehydration, aging or weight loss will fill out slightly when the skin cells are hydrated.
3. It improves muscle tone. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective.
4. Decreases appetite. When you drink all the water you need, you will quickly notice a decrease in your appetite.

If you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, more water might be just what you need.