My sister isn't really a fan. She likes bubbles.
I love water. I have to remind myself to drink something else once in a while! My kids only drink water, except for the occasional milk or chocolate milk, and, once in a long time, some root beer.
But as I'm delving more and more into my weight loss journey, I did a little reading about water. I've heard many times that drinking water will help you lose weight. I only remembered supposed data saying that water made you feel fuller so you ate less. And that was mostly all I've been able to find in my studying. I've tried that. It didn't work. My thirst was quenched, but I still wanted food!
Today I stumbled on this article. I have no idea who the author is or what her background is, but it gave me some good thoughts to think.
She tells how the liver converts fat to energy (knew that) but that the liver also helps the kidneys do their job when they need help (didn't know that). The kidneys need lots of water to work properly (knew that). So, if we aren't getting enough water in our system, the kidneys can't work efficiently and the liver has to help. This lowers the overall productivity of the liver resulting in less fat converted to energy.
I found that concept so cool. It is something I can FIX! I can totally drink more water (the frequent trips to the restroom do eventually subside ... right?).
I spent so many years under the impression that I couldn't ever really lose a significant amount of weight. I had PCOS (whether I still do is up for debate) which makes it very difficult to lose weight. I had some fat genes. I'd put on significant weight in my early teens and that weight never comes off (someone actually told me that). But no one ever said, "drink water for your kidneys and your liver and you might just lose the weight." I probably wouldn't have believed them, anyway.
So I'm drinking. I aim for a minimum of half my body weight in ounces of water each day. That is more than the suggested minimum of 64 ounces per day. It isn't so bad. I keep a refillable water bottle within reach most of the day and sip away.
Is it working? I'll have to let you know after more testing. But I did lose 2 pounds this week.
4 comments:
yeah, I've heard the formula: half your pounds in ounces as a minimum for help losing weight. So if I weigh 210 lbs (I said IF) then I want to drink at least 105 oz of water a day. I find that it certainly doesn't hurt.
I know that drinking water does not make me stop wanting to eat, but if I reach for that glass first it gives my mouth something to do while my common sense combats the munchies. Usually the minute or so it takes to drink a glass of water is just enough for my self-control to jump back in again. Sometimes it does help to add a Crystal Light packet to the water to shake things up a bit! But I really dilute them down, like one packet in 1 liter of water, not the 16 oz.
I'm so glad you brought this up because I've been thinking about it lately. The girl at the gym told me to drink a gallon of water a day (125 oz). And I have been. Then my mom (and now Cindy) said she thought it was the 1 oz per 1/2 lb thing. That means I've been drinking 1 jugful too much.
But I'm not surprised water helps lose weight and not because of the feeling full thing. I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight 6 weeks after Millie was born. I wasn't allowed to exercise and I was nursing so I had to eat. The only significant thing I did was drink lots of water.
And I prefer my water fridge-cold, not tap cool. It's easier for me to drink it for some reason. Just my own thing.
Water is my favorite! It's so thirst quenchingly good...not like Kool-Aid or Soda where you just have to keep drinking more and more...
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