Not thirsty? That is the first sign that you are dehydrated and need to drink! Hydration is key to health and balanced energy, and an integral part of weight loss. In addition to promoting digestion and helping flush your system, drinking enough water ensures your liver does not become overtaxed — it’s your liver that has to pick up the slack from the kidneys if they are dehydrated and not working properly. When the liver puts in overtime because the kidneys are water deprived, it cannot metabolize fat as efficiently as it can when the kidneys are functioning properly and sets the body up for excess fat storage.
The correct amount of water to drink per day is 2 litres (8 glasses). The key to drinking water is to not to drink too much at once. Doing so is neither healthy nor practical. To incorporate this new routine into your life, simply pick 4 times per day to drink a glass of water, and sip the rest — the other 4 glasses — throughout the day. Keeping a water bottle on your desk or in your car will help make this new habit stick. To reduce your carbon footprint and for health reasons, it is best to avoid drinking water from a plastic bottle. Invest in a glass or stainless steel one.
I also recommend drinking flat water rather than carbonated water such as seltzer or soda water. Carbonated beverages can cause bloating due to the release of the carbon dioxide trapped in the bubbles. This contributes to gas in the stomach and can slow stomach emptying. Club soda often contains sodium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate or sodium citrate, all contributing to the 75 grams of sodium in an 8 ounce (250 mL) glass. Drinking carbonated beverages (even sugar-free ones) can actually contribute to dehydration in the body. It is estimated that a glass of club soda is equal to the loss of a glass of water in the body. I have seen several clients follow the plan perfectly yet not lose a pound for a week or two because they are drinking so many carbonated beverages. As soon as the carbonated water is eliminated from the diet, their weight starts to come off once again.
Health benefits of drinking water:
• increase in fat loss
• increase in metabolism
• increase in energy
• decrease in joint pain
• regulation of appetite
• reduction in blood pressure
• promotion of regular bowel movements
• improvement in skin
To jazz up your water intake, try this weight loss water recipe below! You can keep it in your fridge in a pitcher throughout the spring and summer months for a refreshing and hydrating option.
Weight Loss Water
• 8 1/2 cups (2.125 L) water
• 1 tsp (5 mL) grated ginger
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 1 medium lemon or lime, sliced
• 10 spearmint leaves
Combine all ingredients and let stand in fridge overnight. Drink throughout the day.
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