Sometimes we fill up on food when we should be filling up on water. We do confuse thirst for hunger, so it is important that we stay hydrated. Current recommendations for the average individual are to try and get 64 oz. of water consumed every day. This amount should be increased with exercise.
I stumbled across some information in one of my fitness publications the other day that discussed the role of water in weight loss and the results of a recent study. The study followed a large group of adults divided into two groups. One group drank 2 cups of water prior to meals, while the other did not. All of the test subjects were following a low-calorie diet for the course of the study. Over 12 weeks, the water drinkers lost about 15.5 pounds whereas the non water-drinkers lost about 11 pounds. That is a substantial difference that cannot be ignored.
If you think about it, it makes perfectly good sense to try and fill up on zero calories instead filling up on snack and meal calories over the course of each day. If you are a "grazer", or someone aiming to eat five, small meals per day, think of the amount of calories that could possibly be eliminated from consumption over the course of a week if you are doing some filling up on water. If you are attempting weight loss, and do not have proper water intake included in your bag of tricks, do not delay in implementing this as part of your daily regimen.
If the achievement of more weight loss wasn't enough for you, keep in mind that proper hydration helps us with mental focus, prevents small, nagging headaches, eliminates bloat and keeps our skin looking radiant. With the unknown correlation between artificial sweeteners and weight gain, it makes good sense to steer towards water whenever possible and away from diet sodas and other flavored beverages. Why consume extra sodium, food coloring, carbonation and other unknown additives unnecessarily? We know our bodies are largely comprised of water, so hydrate and take your weight loss efforts to the next level.
