My mother used to tell me that she was going to drink a lot of water on a daily basis, so that she could lose some weight that week. She believed that the water would fill up her stomach and keep her full, then she would not feel like eating. Is water a good addition to your health and dietary plans? And, if so, in what way does water actually help?
Water is indeed a great asset to a dietary plan of any sort, and especially to that of a weight loss program! It is a great medium for washing the mucous membranes throughout the body. It is also the best fluid for filtering body metabolites that accumulate throughout the night; one of them being cholesterol.
As an addition to a weight loss-oriented diet, however, water is a filtrate that simply moves fluids through the body. It moves quickly through the day, and by the end, you could have filtrated 64 ounces or more as fluids. Of course, anything you drink is considered a “water” fluid.
Research on the activity of water during weight loss, states that water is responsible for one half pound of weight loss per week. It also influences digestion and elimination as it continues through the system.
Health advisers have recommended water for years, stating that they can tell if people are drinking water by looking at the condition of their hair and skin. As a filtration agent, water helps by moving bacteria and other agents out of the body quickly.
Water is not a weight loss agent simply by “filling your stomach up” early in the day. It is just too quick a body agent to work in that way. But, try this yourself, and see if you can just “feel better” and more awake by having a glass of water when you first get out of bed each day!
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By Rita Larsen, RD, CD; Elite Sports Clubs Nutrition Educator & Diet Counselor