It's common knowledge (or atleast I would like to think so) that water helps you maintain a healthy weight. But is cold water or hot water better for you?

I used to be of the opinion that cold water was better for you because it makes your metabolism work harder to "warm up the water" to aid in the digestion.

But a recent trip leaves me thinking that I have been mislead. Hear me out on this.

On Monday I went down to San Francisco to watch the Angels play the Giants. Before the game the wife and kid and I went down to Fishermans Wharf for some shopping and to kill some time before the game.

About 2hrs before the game was to start we got in a cab and headed to the stadium. Our driver was an elderly Chinese man. I told him where we were going and that we didnt want to walk because it was gonna be a long walk and plus we had been walking around Pier 39 for the past 2-2.5 hrs.

The driver then proceeds to tell me how he used to be a big guy like me and that he used to hate walking too. He goes on and on about how he was 275 lb (and he looked about half that size when I saw him) He said he used to have alot of problems with his heart, kidneys, liver etc.........all related to his obesity.

He said it all changed for him when he met up with a local Chinese doctor. The doctor told him about switching to hot water for his drink instead of cold water.

Needless to say I was like.....uh okay....who wants to drink "HOT" Water?

Then the Cabbie told me about this analogy that makes PERFECT sense on why he was able to shed 100 lbs drinking 4 cups of hot water per day.

He asked me a question:  "When you wash your dishes after you cook your meal, do you use hot or cold water?"

I of course said "Hot water"

He asked me why.

I said "Well because the cold water doesnt get the dishes as clean and the hot water helps break up the grease, crusted food etc"

He said "Exactly.........and its no different than with you body"

Supposedly the cabbie said it helps move along food through your digestive tract faster and helps keep his bathroom trips pretty regular and free flowing (if you get my drift)

He also told me that he was 65 years old......but by looking at him I woulda said like 50-55........he claims the hot water helps keep his skin moist and younger looking.

He went on to tell me about how all the junk he used to eat........hamburgers, hot dogs, donuts etc. He said all that junk, grease, fat etc that was in his stomach never left when he drank the cold water. So now he drinks hot water (32 oz a day) to help him break up all that extra fat he had...........plus he started eating salads and fish..........he said he would eat one porkchop a week, and one steak a week and that was it..........

After I started thinking about it.............the dish washing analogy makes perfect sense to me. Needless to say I have started drinking 20 oz of hot water (not so hot that it burns your tongue.....about the temp of a cup of coffee works) first thing in the morning, and 20 oz of hot water right before bed. It also works as a decent appetitte suppressant because I've found Im not as hungry during the day so far (granted its only been 2 days)

He said he lost a 100 lbs in one year drinking hot water...........his exercise consisted of 30 min walks everyday for 6 months...........the 45 min walks for the next 6 months, and now he said he walks for 60 min.....and thats it....

I am curious if anyone else knows anything about this........I thought it was fascinating and Im looking to add this 30-40 oz of hot water a day to my daily routine just to see how it works............