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Water: The Key to Healthy Weight Loss
from: DietFitnessCenter.comFiber, carbohydrates, calories, and fat are all common terms that people think of when you say "weight loss". The one word that is truly more important than any of the others is "water". This little word is the key to a successful weight loss program.
Water has the natural ability to flush toxins out of your system. Toxins are created in your body by the foods you eat, drinks, and your environment. These toxins are flushed out of your system via urine, feces, and sweat, all of which cannot occur without water.
Science labs have studied the effects of water on a person's metabolism. The results are surprising- water increases metabolism for about half an hour after the water is consumed. So if you drink a glass of water before taking a walk, riding your bike, lifting weights, or even doing the dishes, your body will burn more calories than if you had done the exercise without drinking water beforehand.
You know that drinking more water makes you pee, but did you also know that drinking water helps you pass bowel movements as well? Drinking water prevents constipation, which in turn makes your body work as it is intended.
Drinking water with or before meals can help you feel full quicker. It is also a fact that hunger signals are sometimes actually thirst signals in disguise. If you are feeling hungry between meals, drink a glass of water. If you are still hungry 15 minutes after drinking water, go ahead and eat a healthy snack. When you drink water before a meal, your body signals you more quickly when you are full from eating. This helps you reduce the amount that you eat without making you feel deprived or still hungry.
Drinking too little water leads to dehydration. When your body is dehydrated, it retains water to compensate. When you retain water, you can get bloated and you will gain water weight. Drinking a lot of water cuts down or eliminates bloating, and you will find that you drop a couple pounds right away- just from drinking water!
One good way to add water is to replace sugary drinks with water. If you drink a lot of drinks containing caffeine, it may be necessary to slowly replace the drinks with water. For example, if you normally drink six Cokes every day, start replacing one Coke a day with a glass of water. After a couple days, replace two Cokes with water, and so on. In a couple weeks, you can completely eliminate the sugary drinks by substituting with water. Doing this slowly also allows your body to acclimate to less caffeine and you are less likely to suffer withdrawals or caffeine headaches.
Water is an essential part of the human body. Although you can go a month without food, you would be extremely lucky to survive a week without water. Water truly is the key to losing weight, and improving your overall health. So remember to drink plenty of water when you are trying to lose weight.
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