Well, it’s not a supplement….it’s water
“I’ve plateaued. I was losing weight and then I just stopped. What am I doing wrong?”
I hear this on a regular basis.
Usually my response goes something like this, “how much water are you drinking?”
“Uhhhhh….”
You may or may not know that around 60% of your body weight is made up from water.
To put that in perspective, if you weight 150 lbs. then about 90 lbs. of you is water.
But did you know water can have a HUGE effect on losing weight?
When your water output starts to become greater than your water intake, you can become dehydrated. (Duh.)
You’re body receives this as a threat to survival and begins to hang on to every drop of water it does get.
It becomes more difficult for the body to transport away toxins, we also retain more and have a tendency to bloat.
The best way to combat this is to, you guessed it, drink more water.
Water suppresses the appetite
By simply drinking a standard bottle of water (16.9 ounces) prior to eating, it will help to make you feel fuller, causing you to eat less.
Studies prove that by drinking just one bottle of water, your body also burns 24% more calories for one hour after drinking.
Another way to get in more water is to eat a diet higher in water rich foods.
Water rich foods are healthier, more filling, and help cut down on calorie intake.
Higher water content foods tend to be larger (visually tricking the mind into feeling fuller), require more chewing (which slows you down and helps to eat to satisfied not stuffed), and are absorbed more slowly by the body which helps you feel more full.
Foods high in water content include fruits, vegetables, broth based soups, oatmeal, rice, and beans.
By drinking MORE water, you also increase metabolism. If you’re over 30 you’ve probably noticed your metabolism isn’t quite what it used to be. Not drinking enough water is not helping that situation.
A decrease in water actually causes fat deposits to increase.
The kidneys can’t function properly and dump the load into the liver. That extra work load makes it so the liver can’t do its job and the metabolism of fat slows down .
Water also helps energize muscles and prevents fatigue. If your muscles aren’t provided with enough water, everyday life/ performance is going to suffer. It’s a good idea to consume about two full glasses of water prior to exercise and that you continue to replace lost fluids (through sweating) during training.
Water helps normal bowel function.
Adequate hydrations helps keep things moving along and prevents constipation. Constipation- that extra few pounds you can’t figure how they showed up.
There you have it. This is just a little information on the importance of water. If you’re goal is fat loss, increased strength, or increased energy, drinking water is a necessity.