Easy, Inexpensive and Effective Weight Loss Aid............ Water

Before we look at how it assists weight loss - just by beginning to substitute other beverages you normally drink for water is a great strategy to reduce your daily calorie intake and help prevent weight gain.I'm afraid there's bad news for booze hounds wishing to lose weight. Whilst alcoholic drinks are empty of nutrients your liver processes them like fat. If you want to drink but don't want to impact your weight loss, restrict yourself to just one drink per day and remember to further reduce your fat consumption for the day to compensate. Soft drinks, fruit juice, coffees jazzed up whipped cream and sprinkled chocolate, the two sugars in your cuppa are all contributing to your fat and/or carb consumption.

(Sure you can opt for artificial sweeteners but with the suggested evidence of their negative side effects its not the healthiest option).

Tea with only skim milk and no sugar or green tea is a better option if you need a caffeine hit. ("Green tea and weight loss" - upcoming article).

There was a study suggesting caffeine increases fat-burning potential ("How Caffeine Boosts Fat Loss" - upcoming article) however caffeine besides being addictive is also a diuretic. The danger of this is that the water content in caffeinated drinks does not stay in the body long enough to quench thirst but still has a direct action on the pleasure sensors in the brain.

So a person becomes addicted and consumes a lot of diet drinks but still continues to feel thirsty. Because they've already drunk a lot of fluids, they mistake thirst for hunger. End result? Snacking when it when food wasn't actually needed. Talk about F-A-I-L!

So the next time when your body is sending what you think are hunger signals - recognise they could actually be thirst signals. Drink some water first and see if the hunger subsides.

Water also ensures that your kidneys are working to their full potential. If the kidneys don't have receive enough water the liver then has to take on more responsibility for the kidney's job of toxin removal. Because it has to do more work it isn't as productive overall and isn't as effective at its other job - fat metabolism.

The other benefits of water in your weight loss regime include:

Allowing a more effective workout. Muscle cells that are hydrated contract more easily easily so perform better.

Off-setting potential side effects from certain diets. For example if you are on a high protein diet for weight loss (e.g. Atkins Diet) this is taxing on the kidney so regular water intake is essential. If you are on a high fibre diet for weight loss water will help prevent constipation. (High protein and high fibre diets to feature on upcoming articles).

Who knew humble water could achieve so much in your journey to healthy permanent weight loss (and rocking your smoking hot booty)? Raise your glasses everyone - Cheers!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water should I be drinking?

Eight glasses a day is recommended for the average person, but some experts say you should drink another glass for every 12 kilos you are above your target healthy weight.

If you live in a hot climate, are ill (vomiting/diarrhea) or having a hard work out you should also account for this by increasing your intake.

Water? Boring! What can I do to vary the taste?

To mix things up try water with:

a twist of lemon (for cleansing)

a dash of aloe vera juice (enhances your digestive system)

a tablespoon of cider vinegar (aids metabolism)

(Lemon detox, cider vinegar for weight loss featured in an upcoming article)

Be careful of flavoured or vitamin waters as some brands contain a lot of sugar.

So is there such a thing as too much water?

Yes, it is called water intoxication. Low sodium levels (hyponatremia) can cause headaches, blurred vision, cramps (and eventually convulsions), swelling of the brain, coma and possibly death.

Research has shown a person with normal kidney function can safely drink up to 10 liters of water a day. However I do not recommend you try this unless you're prepared to spend a lot of time in the little girls/little boys room.

Does it make any difference whether the water is room temperature or cold?

No however you may wish to consider the following differences.

Cold water is absorbed faster from the stomach and may be preferable during exercise as it lowers your internal body temperature

Room temperature water however may be easier to consume in larger quantities.

I actually have a bit of water retention especially noticeable around my ankles. Won't drinking more water make it worse?

Water aids the body rid itself of excess sodium, which causes fluid retention. The body retains fluid if there is too little water in the cells. If drink enough water on a regular basis, there will be no need for cells to conserve water and this will reduce fluid retention. Goobye cankles!

Kick start your weight loss by:

Drinking a large glass of water before meals to helping you eat less because you will feel fuller.

If you feel hungry throughout the day, try a few sips of water first just in case it is thirst instead.