If you’re having trouble getting over the hump when it comes to shedding pounds, there’s a secret ingredient to add to your weight loss mix. No, it’s not diet pills or a chalky shake! The trick can actually be found right in your tap.
According to recent research, that old “wives’ tale” about water and weight loss is actually quite true. A study involving two different groups of overweight men and women showed that water drinkers do really lose more weight. Both study groups were asked to adhere to a low-calorie diet, but only one group was instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal. At the end of a 12-week period, the water drinkers lost an average of about 15.5 pounds. The non-water drinkers only shed about 11 pounds.
So, what it is about water that helps with weight loss so much? If you think about it, drinking water before meals really does make a lot of sense. As little as two cups of water can help you:
- Feel fuller – Drinking two cups of water before each meal is a great way to start off the eating process because it will help you feel fuller without adding calories to the mix. Water will begin to fill up the stomach, before the food even hits it. This, in turn, can lessen the amount of food consumed before the body feels sated.
- Begin the digestion process – Water can also kick-start the digestion process and get your metabolism kicked into gear. When this happens, you can benefit from your body potentially burning more calories faster.
- Stay hydrated – Adding two cups of water into the mix before each meal is also a great way to ensure the body stays hydrated. This can help you out with weight loss to an extent. It’s also incredibly important for overall health.
Why Water?
While you could technically drink up two cups of other liquids to get the same filling effect, there are potential downsides of doing so. Filling up on soda, for example, will likely add calories to your meal and defeat the purpose. Sugary drinks should simply be avoided when you’re trying to shed pounds.
