Drinking water is associated with weight loss, with the HealthDay website noting a study in 2010 showing that those who drink water before eating drop pounds. Substituting water for sugary drinks can also cut a lot of calories you might not have known you were consuming. Discuss your water intake and any weight-loss questions with your doctor for recommendations specific to your situation.
Water and Weight Loss
Drinking water leads to weight loss because water fills your stomach, making you less likely to consume as much food as you normally would during a meal. Brenda Davy, associate professor at Virginia Tech University, told HealthDay that drinking water prior to meals seems to work for those who are middle-aged and older, but not so much for the 18-to-35 crowd. Davy, the lead author of a Virginia Tech study whose results were published in the February 2010 issue of the journal "Obesity," explained that the older you get, the slower the contents of your stomach empty. This might help explain why older study participants feel full after drinking water compared to younger people, whose stomachs empty right away.
Virginia Tech Study
Virginia Tech researchers divided the 48 study participants, aged 55 to 75 and body mass indexes in the overweight and obese ranges, into two groups. One group ate a low-fat, reduced-calorie diet, and the other group ate the same diet but drank 2 cups of water before each meal. At the end of 12 weeks, researchers found that the water group lost an average of 15.5 lbs. compared to the diet group, where participants lost an average of 11 lbs. According to Davy, the water group consumed 75 to 90 fewer calories during each meal. One concern researchers had was that participants in the water group would make up those lost calories by snacking at other times during the day; however, this didn't occur.
Low-Calorie Drinks
Davy points out that although drinking water before meals may be beneficial to weight loss, it's no magic bullet. It does, however, pay off to see how water and other low-calorie beverages can contribute to your weight-loss plan in the grand scheme of calorie consumption. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, regular soft drinks and other sugary beverages are a major contributor to weight gain. A 12-ounce can of regular soda contains 150 calories, or 10 teaspoons of sugar. If you were to drink one regular soft drink a day for a year and not trim your calories elsewhere, you could gain up to 15 lbs. With zero calories, water is the smartest beverage, at meals and throughout the day. If you crave liquid refreshment that tantalizes your taste buds, however, Harvard suggests options such as fruit- or herb-infused spa water, plain coffee or tea, sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice and low-sodium broths and miso soup.
The Big Picture
If you're trying to lose weight, there's no doubt that cutting calories counts. Every pound of extra body fat you wish you didn't have is the equivalent of 3,500 extra calories you didn't need. According to the American Council on Exercise, of the members of the National Weight Control Registry who lost weight and kept it off for good, 89 percent used a combination of diet and exercise. Only 10 percent who cut calories alone achieved success. Choosing water and other low-calorie drinks is a great way to kick-start your diet; don't forget to cut portion sizes, too. Add an hour or more of physical activity such as walking to your day to get the best weight-loss results; get your doctor's approval before beginning any new exercise regimen.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Six Ideas for Low-Sugar Drinks
- "Obesity"; Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults; E.A. Dennis, et al.; 2010
- HealthDay; Could Drinking Water Before Meals Help You Lose Weight?; Jenifer Goodwin; Aug. 23, 2010
- American Council on Exercise: Weight Loss: Diet vs. Exercise
- American Council on Exercise: Trimming Off the Fat
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