Doing this one simple thing as soon as you wake up will help you lose weight

© Provided by Mirror In the lead up to Christmas, most people want to keep tabs on their calorific intake.

We know what's coming – slabs of juicy meat, piles of goose fat-covered roast potatoes, and, we hope, plenty of chocolate too.

There's one simple thing you can do to help you eat healthily and jump-start your body every morning. It takes minimal effort, and does a great deal of good.

It's drinking a big glass of water as soon as you wake up.

There are numerous reasons for doing so – benefiting beyond just weight loss or maintenance. And, pairing it with a balanced diet and regular exercise, it's a basic foundation to keeping or getting back in shape.

A lot of the world's high achievers drink a cool glass of H2O when they wake up, according the Business Insider . Arianna Huffington, for example, who's clued-up on healthy living. 

Rania Batayneh, MPH , a nutritionist and the author of " The One One One Diet ," simplifies the reasoning behind glugging a refreshing glass of water in her book.

Basically, water helps kick-start your metabolism. Essential carbs and proteins you consume daily are transported by water, so being hydrated helps you get all the nutrients you need and, um, get rid of what you don't need quickly.

Starting your day with water is like an alarm clock for your body. It tells it that you're awake and active. It's vital to calorie burning.

Water also fills up you up – often, we mistake thirst for hunger. We need to eat, but often when we feel like a snack, it's just because we're craving water. Drinking water regularly throughout the day is essential to weight loss in general.

© Provided by Mirror "When we are not adequately hydrated, we can mistake thirst with hunger, which leads us to eat more," says Rania.

Water is optimal for other reasons. You probably have a coffee early in the day too, which dehydrates us. Water helps counteract that and maintain balance.

Water also helps our alertness, fuels our brain to get on and work, and is needed to fend off sickness, too. Water is invaluable.

"The mornings set the tone for the rest of your day," adds Rania.

"If you feel sluggish, it will reflect in your activity (morning workout), productivity at work, and even your routine with the kids."

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