It has become a common notion that drinking water helps a lot in losing weight. There are numerous studies that prove this to be true so people who try to lose weight increase their water intake. But even if drinking more water has become an SOP in weight loss, how does drinking more water actually help people lose weight and what are there drinking water for weight loss tips we do not know about? If you find yourself asking these questions, this one is for you.
Why Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight
Medical News Today gives six reasons how and why water helps us lose weight. First, water naturally suppresses our appetite. When the stomach senses that it is full, the brain receives signals to stop eating. Water helps the stomach feel more full so hunger is reduced and unnecessary snacking is curbed. Second, water helps burn calories. This is known as resting energy expenditure and has something to do with how quickly you burn energy even if you are at rest. People burned two to three percent more calories than normal in 90 minutes after drinking water.
Third, water helps remove waste from the body. A body that is dehydrated cannot remove waste properly. But if we drink more water, toxins and waste are filtered and excreted correctly while organs retain the essential electrolytes and nutrients. If waste is not excreted, the body experiences bloating, swelling and fatigue from the waste buildup. Fourth, drinking more water reduces liquid calorie intake. This simply means that if you drink more water, you drink lesser volumes of sugary drinks like soda, juice, sweetened coffee or tea.
Fifth, water metabolizes stored fats or carbohydrates. This means that water burns fat so drinking more water burns off fat from the food and drink you eat, even stored fat. Lastly, water helps your body during workouts. It helps the muscles, tissues, joints, lungs, heart and other organs move and work correctly. This then results in an effective workout routine.
Drinking Water for Weight Loss Tips To Know
Now that you know how water helps in the weight loss process, it is now time to know about the most effective tips. Livestrong gives doable tips to lose weight in two weeks simply by drinking water. If you are bent on doing these tips, know that the average healthy weight loss rate is one to two pounds a week. It is beneficial to keep track of your progress.
1. Drink before every meal. In a study, it is found that those who drank water before each meal lost about five pounds more than those who didn’t. Those who drank water said that their stomach feels full without additional calories so they feel that they want to eat less. So consistently drinking water before eating will help you lose about one pound a week.
2. Drink plain water and only plain water. Skip other drinks.
3. Sip a glass of water when you are hungry. We all know that sometimes people think they are hungry when they are in fact just thirsty. So if you feel hunger pangs or are feeling tired, drink some water first.
4. Know that there is such a thing as drinking too much water. The Institute of Medicine recommends that the right amount of fluid intake (including the water you drink, fluids from other beverages and from the moisture from food) is 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women. So, try not to go overboard. If you do, you might get hyponatremia, which makes your blood diluted that minimizes your electrolyte levels. Although this condition is rare, it is a possibility.
Aside from these four, another tip that is effective to many is drinking lemon water. Lemon water is a drink made from water that is mixed with fresh lemon juice. This helps improve digestion, enhances focus and increases energy level. Because of these benefits, drinking lemon water is part of many weight loss programs. This beverage is very low-calorie, just six calories to be exact if you squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the refreshing water. In addition, drinking lemon water boosts metabolism which leads to weight loss. Although there are notable benefits, it is important to understand that lemon water is not necessarily better than plain water. More specifically, lemon water has no added benefits over regular water, Healthline says.