How do you really drink water to lose weight?
As part of a diet, what we eat is just as important as what we drink. This famous adage, repeated over and over again by many food professionals, can it become a slimming asset?
Bob Harper, the charismatic American sports coach, seems to believe in this and even made it his hobby. This slimming specialist became famous by promoting his unstoppable method for losing weight: drinking several glasses of water before eating, while drastically limiting the number of calories eaten during meals.
Is water really your ally in slimming? Here's how to see it more clearly.
Water works on the body to help you lose weight
When you're hungry, your body sends a signal to your brain to tell it the feeling, waiting for a response. But you should know that it is the same signal that reaches you when you feel thirsty. In other words, an afternoon craving can be solved just by drinking a simple glass of water.
When it's not just an illusion but you're really hungry, water allows you to reduce that feeling by decreasing your desire to eat. Therefore, it acts as an appetite suppressant.
You should also know that water causes your metabolism to speed up. In other words, it gives your body more energy to function, thus burning calories.
Calories that also help you get rid of them more effectively. It is always water that allows your body to get rid of the accumulated fat and waste.
So water will help you improve your weight loss efforts.
Two studies prove that the first, conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia, showed that among two samples of women who followed the diet, women who drank at least two liters of water per day (when the others should only drink when they feel thirsty) lost. , on average, 2.3 kilograms more than seconds.
A second study, led by British researchers, also compared two groups of overweight people. When the first group had to drink half a liter of water half an hour before each meal, the second group was asked simply to imagine feeling full even before eating. The conclusion at the end of this experiment: Participants in the first group lost, on average, 1.3 kilograms more than two of the second group.
Should we make water the root of our diet? no !
Many nutritionists claim that water is an ally, but it is not a defining ingredient at all. To lose weight, a healthy, balanced diet linked to physical activity is the only truly effective treatment.
The authors of the British study concluded that "drinking water before meals can aid weight loss if the person in question adopts a healthy diet and increases physical activity."
Drink water to lose weight yes but how?
In order for drinking water to be really effective, it is important to follow certain rules. Contrary to what was tested during these two studies, most nutritionists advise drinking water in reasonable amounts and on a regular basis, rather than swallowing a pint or even two liters at once.
When we talk about water, we are of course talking about pure water. There is no point in drinking two liters of coffee, tea or fruit juice, they will not have the same effect. This does not mean that you should not drink coffee anymore to lose weight, simply that water has all its advantages only when consumed naturally!
To experience the benefits of the appetite suppressant effect of water, it is recommended to drink one or two cups, no more, about 20 to 30 minutes before eating. Be careful, this effect is short-lived, which is why you should not abuse it by consuming too much water, it only gives you cravings between two meals.