How Drinking Water Can Help You Slim Down

Summer is upon us! And once again, instead of planning ahead for the inevitable pool party, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself by continuing my ice cream obsession into another year. And that’s fine, because one-piece bathing suites are back in style and don’t equate my personal value with my fat/muscle ratio. However, I wouldn’t mind feeling a little healthier and (fingers crossed) dropping a pound or two. So, while trying to ignore the tempting pop-up articles promising to reveal “How to lose 30 pounds in one week” (pretty sure that’s just starvation), I came across a great tip that is actually do-able and sustainable: DRINK MORE WATER. Yep, staying hydrated helps with weight loss. H2O really has it going on.

Elitia Barnes

What Studies Have to Say

While there aren’t a lot of scientific studies on the impact drinking water has on weight loss, of the studies available, results all support the fact that drinking more water can help us lose weight!

One study done by the American Chemical Society was particularly promising. The clinical trial observed the weight loss of 48 obese men and women between 55 and 75 years old. All 48 participants followed the same low calorie diet, but half of the group drank 16 ounces (basically 2 glasses) of water before eating each meal.

The Result? People who drank water before eating lost an average of 15.5 pounds over the three month study. Those who didn’t, lost an average of 11 pounds. That’s a 4.5 pound difference just from drinking water! Sounds good to me!

Why This Works

Drinking water can help you lose weight for some pretty simple reasons.

- When you drink water before each meal, like in the American Chemical Society study, you are going to feel full faster. A lot of times our bodies confuse being thirsty for being hungry. One way to drink more water and avoid mindless snacking is to drink a glass of water first. This gives you a chance to find out if your body is actually hungry or just thirsty before opening that bag of chips.

- When we stay hydrated our bodies have more energy! With more energy we are more likely to make it to stay active or stay on the treadmill that extra 10 minutes.

- When you make water your go-to drink, you are less likely to drink as much soda, fruit juice or other drinks full of extra calories and sugar.

- Drinking water helps our kidneys flush out toxins and detoxify our bodies.

The Take Away

I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely going to take advantage of this easy weight loss hack. One thing I recommend is investing in a fun reusable water bottle - this helps me remember to drink water before meals and throughout the day. Who knows, I may even switch it up and drink some bubbly water too!

Alright, now get out there and enjoy the summer! (Don’t forget your water bottle)