Drink More Water to Lose Weight
If you feel hungry, drink some water first. Maybe you were just thirsty.
Sometimes we don’t always interpret our body signals well. We may think we are hungry when all we need is to drink water. Often, our thirst sensors are not sensitive. By the time we notice our mouth feeling dry, we may be far behind in our fluid intake.
Water can:
- Fill you up and decrease appetite
- Speed up metabolism
- Improve blood flow
- Substitute for other beverages that contain calories, allowing you to improve calorie balance
- Improve digestion
Recent research reported at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society found that those who increase their water intake by 2 cups a day lost an extra 2 pounds in a year’s period. And those who substituted water for sugary drinks lost an additional 5 pounds a year.
Recent studies have shown that we can increase our metabolism up to 30% faster just by drinking ice water. Some of this effect is due to the presence of the water itself. The coldness of the water is also a factor. The body has to expend energy in order to warm the water to room temperature. What a great way to burn calories!
Many of us are chronically dehydrated and you may be as well. When you are dehydrated, your blood flow is a little sluggish. Your bowels may be sluggish. You may feel fatigued. Cellular mechanisms just don’t work quite as well. Fat burning and getting rid of by-products of metabolism can slow down.
Muscles just don’t perform as well when you are dehydrated. Competitive athletes know this secret. They must be well-hydrated before the big game in order to play at their best. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t treat your body with the same care and attention.
Water can also be filling. It takes up a lot of space. So when it distends your stomach, it helps create a feeling of fullness. There are stretch receptors in the stomach that sense when you are full. But they cannot distinguish between a glass of water and a boatload of apple pie. These receptors trigger hormones like CCK to tell your brain that you are full. You no longer need to seek food. The hunger drive is calmed.
So how much water should you drink? You should probably drink between 2 and 3 quarts/liters of fluid daily. You may need to increase this number if you are exercising heavily, have a fever, or live in dry desert-like conditions.
