Got Water?
Research from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that since calories in liquid form are less satisfying than those consumed in solid form, people who consume extra calories through beverages do not adjust their food intake accordingly to account for the extra calories. If this information is not enough to get you to cut down on soda, juice, alcohol, coffee and tea, then how about this: water can actually promote weight loss! Every person with whom I've worked who has been successful at losing weight and keeping it off has attributed at least a small portion of their success to increasing their water consumption. It can help you burn calories faster, break down fatty tissue in the body, and carry out the waste created by fat loss. Being well hydrated can actually prevent water retention! If you are retaining water, drinking enough water will bring you back into fluid balance by diluting the salt concentration in the blood. Water can help with constipation by softening the stool. You may actually eat less when you are well hydrated since water helps your stomach feel fuller and because feeling hungry can actually be a signal of dehydration rather than actual hunger for food. Aside from the benefit of weight loss, water can help prevent kidney stone formation in individuals who have had kidney stones in the past. It can also reduce the risk of colon cancer in women. Furthermore, water is essential for the body to function properly -after all, water makes up about 60% of our total body weight. It carries nutrients through the body and helps regulate body temperature. Even slight dehydration can drain your energy and decrease mental clarity. By now, you should be convinced to start drinking more water, and the next question on your mind is how much? The simple, yet controversial, answer is at least eight cups a day. Some recent new articles have claimed that eight glasses of water a day is more than enough for people since we get fluids from other beverages and the foods we eat. But what will you drink instead? You might be able to swap out one or two glasses of nonfat organic milk, but really nothing else is as good as plain old water. Your water requirements vary depending on diet, weather conditions, and activity level. If you are starting a fitness plan this summer, pay extra attention to your water needs. Increase your water intake on hot days or if you exercise. If you are trying to lose weight, drink 1 extra glass of water for every 25 pounds you want to lose. For the average person, a good range to shoot for is 7-11 eight-ounce (one cup) glasses per day. To help get started, make yourself a schedule like this one:
Remember that caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are poor substitutes for water, since they can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose fluids.
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eople are always asking me about how they can lose weight. Knowing that this is not a question with a simple answer, I always try to find out about the not-so-obvious sources of calories in their diet. One area where I almost always hit the jackpot is in beverages.