Water is essential in helping your body metabolize stored fat into energy; so much so, that your body's metabolism can be slowed by relatively mild levels of dehydration. A slow metabolism impedes your weight loss until eventually, you hit the dreaded diet plateau.

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. In the hypothalamus--a region in your brain that controls appetites and cravings--the control centers for hunger and thirst are located next to each other, and there tends to be some overlap. This has both advantages and disadvantages for the dieter. On the down side, it means that chronic mild dehydration can confuse these control mechanisms, leading to feelings of hunger, rather than thirst. But on a positive note, it means you can use water to reduce your appetite. For example, in one University of Washington study, drinking a glass of water reduced night-time cravings for most of the dieters studied.

Water also helps to prevent the sagging skin that often follows weight loss. It plumps the skin cells, giving the skin a younger and healthier look.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of as a byproduct of all the metabolized fat.

Drinking water can even help with constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from within, particularly from the colon. This leads to constipation. Normal bowel function usually returns with adequate water intake.

More generally, mild dehydration can result in a number of health problems. The symptoms of mild dehydration can include headaches, fatigue, cravings and constipation. But once you get your water in balance, you reach the "breakthrough point", a concept pioneered by Dr. Peter Lindner, a California obesity expert. In this stage of the diet, fluid retention eases, the liver and endocrine systems begin to function more effectively, you regain your natural thirst, and your cravings are significantly reduced. The end result of reaching the breakthrough point is improved metabolism.

So how much water should you drink daily?

The easiest way to tell if you are drinking enough water is to monitor the colour of your urine: it should be clear or very pale yellow. (Some supplements and medications may also affect your urine colour).

Get in to the habit of drinking enough water regularly. Never wait to drink until you're thirsty, because thirst signals that dehydration has already started to occur.

An adequate daily water intake for a sedentary, average adult during cool weather is generally eight glasses. Due to perspiration and loss of liquid, you should ingest additional water in hot weather.

You also need additional water when you exercise. Athletes attempt to enhance their performance by maintaining an optimal fluid balance while exercising. This generally means they drink six to 12 ounces of fluid in 15 to 20-minute intervals. Even if you're not concerned about your athletic performance, you should consume a similar amount of water when exercising, in order to maintain adequate hydration.

If you're overweight, you'll need an extra glass of water for each 25 pounds over average weight, because the extra weight creates additional metabolic demand.

Whether you're experiencing diet success or are stuck at a weight loss plateau, ensure that you have an adequate water intake. It could be the missing ingredient in your diet regimen.

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