Does Drinking More Water Help Lose Weight?

At Prime Fitness in Totowa, New Jersey, our personal trainers help you with all types of problems, making suggestions, both large and small, to help you reach your goals. We find many people are looking for ways to aid in weight loss. One that’s simple but can help you lose weight is drinking more water. Hydration is important, whether weight loss is your goal or not, but knowing it can aid in weight loss can add an extra incentive.

Fill up on water before a meal.

It’s simple, but true. If you drink a glass of water before a meal, you’ll eat less. There are several studies that prove that it’s true. One study showed that the caloric intake was lowered by about 75 calories. That doesn’t sound like much until you consider that’s 75 calories three times a day, which equals 225 calories a day or 1575 every week. In a little more than two weeks you’ll lose an extra pound without any effort, since it takes cutting 3500 calories to lose a pound.

Drinking water can boost your energy level.

The body needs water to function, without adequate hydration it’s not working its best. Your body is between 55 and 65% water, so it makes sense. Even slight dehydration can slow you down. If you don’t believe that, the next time you’re tired, instead of getting a cup of coffee, drink a bottle of water. You’ll feel the difference immediately. It boosts your metabolism as much as 30% and that increase can last as long as an hour and a half. Just drinking 8 ½ glasses of water a day increases the average person’s metabolism enough to burn an extra 96 calories.

You might think you’re hungry, but you’re really thirsty.

The body sends mixed signals sometimes. The line between thirst and hunger can get murky and you interpret it wrong. People may think they’re hungry, when in reality, they’re really thirsty. If something juicy, like fruit or a milk shake, sounds delicious, maybe you’re just thirsty. Before you rummage through your refrigerator to find that perfect item, often eating several others that don’t do the job, drink a glass of water first.

• If you drink a glass of water before a meal, you’ll burn even more calories by making it ice cold water. The body burns extra calories to warm it and the body after you swallow it.
• Substituting water for soft drinks can certainly reduce your caloric intake. Don’t even consider artificially sweetened ones, since studies show they increase the size of your waistline.
• Even mild dehydration can cause a drop in your energy. That means you’ll burn fewer calories. Make sure you sip on water throughout your workout to maximize the benefits. Carry a bottle of water with you and sip on it throughout the day.
• According to animal studies, even mild dehydration can slow fat burning. The cause may be hormone changes or the fact that water expands cell volume, which cause you to burn less fat.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness NJ