A common problem I come across is people not drinking enough water. Did you know that this can actually inhibit your weight loss?
“ Would you wash your face in it? ”
This is my response when clients ask me whether they can substitute the 2.5 litres of still water (let’s call it ‘the good stuff’) I recommend they drink every day, with alternatives such as diet fizzy drinks, tea, coffee or sugar free squash. And, of course, the answer is always no. They can have them in moderation but not as a substitute.
There are so many benefits to be gained by drinking enough water. Here are a just a few:
It
- fills us up and is calorie free
- aids digestion and maintains ‘regularity’
- is a natural headache remedy
- improves the condition of our skin
- aids kidney and liver function
- improves brain function
Do we drink enough water?
A quick and easy way to test whether we are properly hydrated is to check the colour of our urine. It should be a pale straw colour – anything darker than that indicates we should drink more. Other indicators that we aren’t having enough of the good stuff are a dry mouth and coated tongue, difficulties with focus and concentration, dry skin, regular headaches and feeling hungry.
So why don’t we often drink enough of it? I have a few theories. One, is taste. A fizzy drink or a milky coffee is sometimes far more appealing. Interestingly, it is proven that we underestimate the calories in our drinks. It seems they don’t count, particularly when it comes to a glass or two of vino!
Drink your water hot
Particularly during the winter months, the last thing we want to do is drink lots of cold water. So swap it for hot water instead! I used to drink mine with a slice of lemon in, until my dentist told me it was eroding the enamel on my teeth. Oops! I’ve now swapped to just plain hot water and am a fan! I drink more water this way because I’m sipping away rather than drowning myself in it. It’s quite addictive!
When I talk to clients on my programme about their water intake, I line up five 500ml bottles of water. The 2.5 litres seem much easier to cope with if you break it down visually. Aim to get your first bottle done by 9am, the second by 11.30am etc.
The ‘glass of water’ test
This works very powerfully when we are so hungry we want to eat our own arm. Drink a glass of water, or mug of hot water, and check your hunger level after 10 minutes. I guarantee you that in 90% of cases it will have miraculously disappeared!
The next time you reach for that bottle of Diet Coke, remember that water is always the answer. Cheers!
Yve
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