Is water important for weight loss?
Guest Post by Theresa Grisanti, MA, CHHC
Do you get enough water? Not tea, coffee, soda, or juice but pure water. Dehydration is one of the biggest deterrents to weight loss and it is more common than most people think.
Dehydration can easily be mistaken for hunger, illness or lethargy. As our culture has moved away from listening to our body’s signals, we fail to understand how our body signals cravings.
The common misconception is that we know we need water when we feel thirsty. The truth is if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
As we have moved into the new year and people are focused on weight loss and resolutions it is important to note that dehydration will prevent you from losing weight and water is the only pure form of liquid that adequately hydrates and cleanses the body.
Symptoms of Mild to Moderate Dehydration
Do you ever have any of these symptoms?
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Sleepiness or tiredness
- Hunger
- Thirst
- Decreased urine output or dark urine
- Dry skin
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Physiological Functions of Water
Digestion requires water to move food through the digestive system and carry nutrients into the bloodstream. Lack of sufficient water can result in constipation and infections within the digestive tract.
How Dehydration Affects Weight
If your body is even 1% dehydrated, your metabolism is significantly decreased. This is because dehydration lowers blood volume and makes the delivery of oxygen to the cells more difficult. Without oxygen in the cells the rate of fat-burning diminishes, the removal of toxins from the cells is impaired and the ability becomes unable to provide nutrients for energy production within the cells and muscles. The result is lethargy and stagnation.
Digestion with insufficient water is significantly reduced and can lead to overeating. All food contains some portion of water and in an attempt to satisfy its thirst, the body will continue to send hunger signals in the hopes of getting more water into the system.
We have also come to equate all forms of liquid as equal to water. When we begin to feel thirsty or tired, we immediately reach for highly caffeinated beverages. These diuretic foods actually cause the body to release more water rather than providing water.
It is essential to add increased water intake to your life if you are serious about weight loss.
Solution
Obviously getting more water is important but how can you maximize your water intake to lose weight. Recent studies have shown that drinking 16 ounces of water before a meal will reduce caloric intake by 75–90 calories. The body is satisfied more quickly and hunger is abated.
If you are wondering how much water to drink each day, the general recommendation is to drink 50% - 100% of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should drink between 75 - 150 ounces of water per day.
If that sounds like a lot of water don’t be scared. Put a glass of water by your bedside. When you wake up drink the entire glass before your first meal. This will help your body to get started and give you a better sense of how to recognize when your body is thirsty throughout the day.
Another tip is to drink warm water with lemon to support the digestive system and help the body clean out toxins removed from your system while you were sleeping.
Theresa Grisanti has been studying and applying her understanding of health, nutrition and intuitive eating for more than 15 years. Her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, included instruction from leaders in the holistic healing field, such as Andrew Weil and David Wolfe. Find out more about Theresa's new program Break Free From Dieting and learn how to lose weight the natural way.
Disclosure: I did not receive any financial compensation for this post. See my full disclosure.
If you are wondering how much water to drink each day, the general recommendation is to drink 50% - 100% of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should drink between 75 - 150 ounces of water per day.
If that sounds like a lot of water don’t be scared. Put a glass of water by your bedside. When you wake up drink the entire glass before your first meal. This will help your body to get started and give you a better sense of how to recognize when your body is thirsty throughout the day.
Another tip is to drink warm water with lemon to support the digestive system and help the body clean out toxins removed from your system while you were sleeping.
Theresa Grisanti has been studying and applying her understanding of health, nutrition and intuitive eating for more than 15 years. Her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, included instruction from leaders in the holistic healing field, such as Andrew Weil and David Wolfe. Find out more about Theresa's new program Break Free From Dieting and learn how to lose weight the natural way.
Disclosure: I did not receive any financial compensation for this post. See my full disclosure.