Drink up to avoid looking puffy

Looking just a little too puffy these days? Part of the reason why may be related to what you're eating. Another part could have something to do with how much you're exercising. And another part may based on something a bit less expected: How much water you're drinking.

It seems to make sense that the more water you drink, the more bloated you will become. Although this is probably true if you're talking about ridiculous (and potentially dangerous) amounts of water consumption, it's not true at all when you just mean average daily intake. In fact, the opposite is actually true. If you don't keep yourself properly hydrated, your body begins to retain water, making you look and feel more bloated.

This water conservation occurs naturally once our bodies switch into survival mode. If we're depriving ourselves of enough water, our body responds by replacing water at the first opportunity and then storing it. The end result can mean a bit of puffiness and softness to your physique.

The good news is that this is a very fixable problem. Drink more water -- at least 2 to 3 liters per day.