If you are looking for the safest method for losing those extra pounds then head towards your kitchen and drink the water to your heart content. No friends, we are not joking around as it is a fact proven by researchers. According to research by Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine, the recommended intake of water from all food and beverages by men should be 15 cups (125 oz.) and women should be 11 cups (91 oz.). Your water intake is affected by many physical factors like age, gender, body activity, weight and altitude.
A study has found that intake of water before meal helps in weight loss. It shows that adults and middle aged persons who drank two cups of water before every meal has lost four extra pounds that those who didn’t drink water before meal. Water ingestion before meal gives the body a sense of fullness which makes you eat less means less calorie intake by the body.
According to naturopathy physician Dr. Katrina Wilhelm if a person drinks water before and after 30 minutes of the meal then the water helps in digestion of food more efficiently as it helps in keeping the stomach acid concentrated. Here, we will tell you how you can increase your water intake to lose some weight.
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Drink water at interval of two hours
Taking water at intervals helps your body to get rid of extra water weight and remains replenished. If you only take water then it can reduce the amount of other fluids in the body hence your body retains the water weight. As per Riverside Health System, the color of your urine indicates that if you require water or other fluid. If your urine is dark in color it means that your body requires more fluid than water but if it is light in color then it is a sign of good health and you only need a glass of water on every two hours. You should drink a glass of water after urination so that your body remains replenished.
Drink mineral water
Yes, water is tasteless but it means that you have an opportunity of mixing your favorite flavor in it. But try to avoid the fake sugar or zero calorie sweeteners as the compounds in the sweetener turn on the sugar responding regions of the brain and thus it leaves no impact on weight loss. Wilhelm suggests mineral water over artificially flavored drinks as it is naturally flavored and benefit your body in two ways. The mineral in the water improves the taste as well as increase the bone density of the body.
Lose weight with green tea
Green tea is a rich resource of antioxidants and flavonoids which enhance the metabolism. Beat the summer heat by drinking green iced tea without any sweetener as this fake sugar can ruin your weight loss plan. You can ass fresh lime juice or seltzer to enhance the flavor.
Substitute carbonated beverages with sparkling water
Sparkling water or carbonated water can put off the cravings for carbonated beverages which are high in sugar content. But if you have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) then you should avoid it as the Carbon dioxide in sparkling water can cause gas and bloating.
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Try agua fresca
Drink agua fresca which is contains a combination of fruits, flowers, seeds or cereals blended with sugar and water to make light non-alcoholic beverages. You can make agua fresca of fruits by adding grapefruit, oranges, watermelon, raspberries or lemons to a pitcher of ice cold water which enhances the flavor. You can also take fruits and vegetables which are high in water content instead of flavored water. You can use flavor your water with organic produce instead of inorganic chemicals which can add calories to your body.
Take water rich food items
You can take food items which have high percentages of water in them like watermelon which has 92% water and 6% of sugar. There are other fruits like strawberries, grapefruits, cantaloupe and melons. Green leafy vegetables are also rich in water, minerals and fiber which aids digestion and thus helps in weight loss.
Cut down salt intake
Avoid eating processed food items like canned or frozen food, chips, ready to eat food as they are rich source of sodium. Cut down your table salt intake when you have increase your water intake as sodium helps in increasing water weight. It means if you take less sodium you will lose more weight.
Making water tastier
Besides fruit, agua fresca, hot and cold soups can also do wonders for your weight. You can have cold soups like gazpacho (a tomato based raw vegetable soup which is served cold) and melon soups. You can try hot soups like vegetable soup, broth, minestrone (an Italian vegetable soup which is thick in texture and includes pasta or rice), lentil soup etc. Another method is that you can make pureed soup by blending already cooked vegetables with the broth. Make sure that your soup has low sodium content in it.
Herbal Supplements
You can consider water additive or herbal supplement to balance the electrolytes in the body. When you are taking a pure water diet, sweetener or solid food is not recommended but you can take natural salts or herbal supplements which helps in preventing water intoxication.
You can try the above suggested methods to lose weight but it would be more effective if you take up some exercises and low calorie diet. It will make your body fit and healthy. You can couple the calorie restricted and water diet. If you are taking an intake of 16 ounces of water before every meal and limit your calorie intake which is 1200 for women whereas 1500 for men then you can lose more weight in less time and even maintain your weight for long time. In addition, Yoga practices and weight training gives you an overall fitness which makes your body look slim and attractive.