You probably know that when you want to lose weight it’s a good idea to choose a diet plan, cut back on calories and add exercise. But what most people don’t know is that there are so many health benefits of drinking water and it should actually be a part of your diet regime. But what if you aren’t really a fan of drinking water? I know for me I need to trick myself into liking water. On occasion, I add what I can to water to make it taste more flavorful. But when I check out the ingredients on some of these flavored drink mixes, I notice many ingredients that are banned from Whole Foods. No thanks, I’m trying to get healthier and these chemicals are not how I want to do it. It also turns out that people who drink fake sugars in zero calorie drinks actually gain weight instead of lose weight1.
You can imagine how happy I was to find 310 Lemonade. Not only does it make water taste great but it also has an appetite suppression to help me with my weight loss goals.
The Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Studies suggest that people who actually drink water before they eat, actually lose more weight than those people who don’t add water2. It’s important to drink two cups of water, half an hour before eating, just like they did in the studies. Not only does it make you more full before a meal so you eat less, but by choosing a healthier drink like water, you’re also decreasing your calorie intake3. Sounds like a bonus to me!
Is it Hunger or is it Thirst?
It also turns out that sometimes we confuse thirst with being hungry. So when we reach out for potato chips in reality we should be reaching out for a tall glass of water. Those are added calories we’re consuming for no good reason. If you stay hydrated throughout the day, you can avoid overeating4. So before you crave that midday or end of day snack, have a glass of water first. Wait 30 minutes. And if you’re not hungry any more, it might have meant you were just thirsty and saved yourself some unwanted calories.
Water Burns Calories
In some studies, they found that overweight and obese children had a 25% increase in resting energy after drinking cold water. This means you increase the amount of calories you burn. They also found that adults increased their resting energy by 24-30% within 10 minutes of drinking water5. By this point, it sure sounds like drinking more water really is the way to go for a successful diet plan.
Water Improves Your Exercise
I bet you didn’t know this, but drinking water can affect your workouts. People that are dehydrated do less reps and feel tired more quickly when exercising6. This can be the difference between burning a lot more calories or not. I had no idea. Now that I do, I will be sure to drink more water next time I’m at the gym.
How Much Water is Enough?
We keep hearing different rules of how much water we need to drink. But most nutritionists suggest that for weight loss and to maintain an ideal weight, you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day7. If you’re still not sure if you’re drinking enough water, check the toilet. Your urine should be clear or light yellow.
Sources:
1. Lizette Borelli: 7 Ways to Lose Weight by Drinking More Water with your Diet (July 8, 2013) http://www.medicaldaily.com
2. Peter Janiszewski: Drinking Water Prior to Meals May Help Weight Loss (May 3, 2016) http://medicalxpress.com
3. Kathleen M. Zelman: 6 Reasons to Drink Water (May 8, 2008) http://www.webmd.com
4. Alison Goldman: Q&A: Can Water Really Help You Lose Weight? (March 25, 2014) http://www.womenshealthmag.com
5. Adda Biarnadottir: Can Drinking Water Help You Lose Weight? (October 15, 2015) http://ecowatch.com
6. Leta Shy: The Drinking Mistake That’s Costing You Pounds (December 17, 2015) http://www.popsugar.com
7. E.C. LaMeaux: How Drinking More Water Can Help You Lose Weight http://life.gaiam.com
