Water and Weight Loss

If you’re eating a balanced diet but are constantly feeling hungry, have you stopped to consider whether you’re drinking enough water?

Sometimes when we feel hungry we are in actual fact thirsty so before reaching for the nearest snack, drink some water and see if that curbs the hunger pangs until your next meal.

Drinking enough water is important to everyone, young & old, small & large, as it keeps our body hydrated ensuring it can work to its optimum capacity.  Children are now encouraged to drink water during the school day as it improves their concentration.

But it’s even more important whilst dieting for the following reasons:

• Any initial weight loss may be largely due to loss of water; this water needs to be replaced in order to avoid dehydration
• To burn calories your body needs a good supply of water so it can function efficiently; fat burning slows down if you’re dehydrated
• If eating a balanced diet which includes plenty of fibre, water is needed to help digest the fibre (otherwise you will be constipated!)
• If you’re well hydrated you can reduce muscle and joint soreness when exercising as water helps maintain muscle tone by helping muscles to contract and lubricating joints
• Water is needed to flush out the toxins created when burning calories
• Drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner and therefore you will eat less

As a general rule you should drink about 8 glasses of water per day, but this will differ from person to person and from day to day.  If, for example, you are doing lots of exercise or it is hot, you may need to take on more water.  If you eat lots of fruit & vegetables which are water dense foods, then you may need a little less.

Your body will tell you if you’re drinking enough water – on your next visit to the bathroom pay attention to the colour of your urine – it should be a pale straw like colour.  If it’s a very strong colour or has a strong smell, then you probably need to increase your water intake.  To give you an idea of what you’re looking for, take a look at this chart.

Be aware that by the time you’re feeling thirsty you’re already dehydrated so make sure you drink throughout the day and carry water with you wherever you go.  However, don’t go to the other extreme as it is possible to drink too much water which can lead to a rare condition water intoxification (but don’t be alarmed, it is incredibly rare).