Well, water is really important - in fact we can't live without it as it is essential for life! If you don't drink enough water you can experience fatigue, headaches, dry skin and lack of concentration.

We lose water each day through the skin (sweating), the lungs (breathing) and, of course, urine and this needs to be replaced to avoid dehydration. This increases when we exercise or if the weather is very hot.

You need water for optimum health and particularly digestion, as water is needed for the absorption of many nutrients, to prevent constipation and to carry the waste away from cells for the kidneys to eliminate.

Water is also needed to keep your body at the right temperature and blood at the right thickness, plus many of the body's biochemical processes take place in water - including the metabolism of fat! Dehydration can also often be mistaken for hunger, so it is worth having a drink of water before you eat to see if you are still hungry.

The recommended daily water intake is around 1½ to 2 litres a day, or 8 glasses. This should be spread fairly evenly throughout the day, if possible. This is where our water meter can be very useful in keeping track of how much you have drunk. You can count most liquids towards your water intake (with the exception of alcohol, which causes loss of water!), but do remember that tea and coffee are not as hydrating as pure water, so make sure you allow for this. Fruit and herbal teas are not dehydrating and make good substitutes.

Overall, keeping hydrated can help with weight loss and hunger management. As it is relatively cheap, freely available and will definitely benefit your health, I think you should try and increase the amount you drink for a week or two and see how you feel.