You can lose weight by cutting down on your calories and lose fat by engaging in personal training. But if you’re thinking about supplementing your meals with diet pills, you may want to consider a healthier (and less expensive) alternative: water.

According to the latest research presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, drinking a couple of 8-ounce glasses of water before each major meal can help you become fit when you combine it with eating less portions. Losing weight is much more likely, and you can even keep the weight off for much longer.

Results of a New Study

Personal and trainers have long recommended drinking lots of water for a more effective weight loss, but until recently this was just conventional wisdom. There weren’t any actual scientific study to back up this recommendation. Fortunately, a new study seems to back up this assertion.

In the study, all the participants were placed on a low-calorie diet. But half of them were required to drink 16 ounces of water before every meal. After 3 months, it was revealed that the water drinkers lost an average of 15.5 pounds while the rest lost only 11 pounds. The study also indicated that drinking water before meals contributed to a more permanent weight loss. After a year, the water drinkers lost 1.5 additional pounds on average, while the others gained back 2 pounds.

The most popular hypothesis about why drinking water helps in weight loss is that the water makes people feel full, so you’re less likely to overeat during the meal.

Developing the Habit

Drinking more water should be made a habit. As a personal trainer, I’d suggest these strategies to make it easier for you:

1. Drink every 2 hours or so. If you drink only when you’re thirsty, you’ll retain the water weight. If your urine is dark yellow, this means you’re not drinking enough water.
2. Add flavour to your water. A lot of people don’t really like the taste of water and avoid it unless they’re really thirsty, which is why sodas are so popular. But instead of drinking unhealthy soda, drink naturally flavoured mineral water instead. Avoid fake sugars that some companies use in the form of zero calorie sweeteners. Drinking water with these fake sugars will make you gain weight instead. You can also drink iced green tea, sparkling water, or even water laced with real fruits and vegetables.
3. Eat your water. Say what? Some food items contain lots of water, including fruits such as watermelon as well as soup.

If you are determined to lose weight, keep in mind that drinking water is not a substitute for a healthy diet and regular personal training. Drinking more water should only be considered a supplement for your diet and exercise regimen. You still need to watch your calorie intake and exercise regularly if you want to get fit, but at least by drinking more water you can increase your chances of succeeding! Just a simple tip from a personal trainer 🙂

Yours in health,

Coach Sharm, MSc
sharm@teamfitnessguru.com