More water, please!

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Permalink Reply by Tony on April 3, 2008 at 12:49pm

A key component of any healthy weight-loss plan: Water! It's so important that I recommend drinking at least six 8-oz. glasses as a daily goals. So, what is it about water and weight loss?

People who drink an average of six to eight cups of water each day consume 200 fewer calories. Experts aren't sure if the water itself helps quench appetite, but what is clear is that water drinkers are healthier overall. They tend to have better eating habits and drink less soda. Not to mention, drinking water can be distracting--you may be less likely to reach for something unhealthy if you have a tall glass of H2O in hand. In fact, many nutrition experts recommend drinking water when a craving first hits to delay--and potentially even prevent--an emotional eating binge. And it's also a good idea to hydrate when you feel the urge to eat just to make sure you're not confusing hunger for thirst.

Water isn't only a weight-loss aid, though. It's necessary for all physiological processes, including digestion and calorie burning. Also, if you're consuming more fiber-rich foods, such as fruit, veggies and whole grains, drinking a lot of water can help prevent constipation. Another perk: Water can help make your workouts a little easier. When you exercise, your muscles actually hold on to water. If you're not adequately hydrated, you're preventing your muscles from operating at full capacity. You're much more likely to feel fatigued when you're thirsty also. Finally, studies show that drinking water can help ward off certain cancers, such as bladder and kidney cancers. Drinking regularly helps dilute toxins and flushes them from your system, thus, reducing the amount of time they're in your body.

Here’s another added bonus courtesy of Getyourleanon.com - water helps reduce fat deposits. Drinking just 10-12 oz glasses of water a day cooled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit will burn as much as 200 calories, that’s the equivalent of jogging 3 miles! It does this by taking energy to heat the water up to your body temperature. Add a lemon to the mix to help keep your blood sugars in balance. :-)

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Permalink Reply by Bob Pressley on April 3, 2008 at 10:24pm

Another great tip Tony. The cool water only makes sense, just not something I had thought of!

I notice a big difference when I don't get enough water for sure...

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Steinberg on April 7, 2008 at 12:09pm

I have started drinking cold distilled water after I have been working in the garden. You have no idea how good it tastes because it is quenching the thirst without the brain obstacle of "what flavor am I drinking?" I also drink a lot of cranberry juice mixed with orange juice. But I do drink 1 - 2 Diet Coke's on ice every day, probably for caffeine. If not, I'll drink Irish breakfast tea with half and half and Sweet and Low. Not healthy. So maybe I'm 1/2 and 1/2.

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Permalink Reply by Cedric Seay on May 3, 2009 at 1:45pm

Water also activates digestive enzymes which is possibly why it confers a health benifit to the drinker even though water itself isn't made of much.

-CeddeeBear

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Permalink Reply by Rick Dorey on June 11, 2009 at 7:23am

I work on the eight glasses a day idea as well. The evidence may be anecdotal but when loosing weight I notice that my clients loose faster when they keep their water intake up. Nothing more then observation but it does appear to effect their weight loss.

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