Weight loss can be a hard task for anyone, especially all of you hard working teachers out there, who burn the wick at both ends. While we love the information age that we’re in, it can also be an obstacle when everyone has their own suggestions on weight loss, health, and more. Thankfully, there is one simple thing that you can do to help regulate how much and what you eat…
DRINK MORE WATER…
While drinking water is not a magical cure-all, it aids our bodies in never-ending ways – and even can help you regulate your eating.
Water Aids Digestion Through Saliva
Digestion starts with saliva, which is primarily water. According to Everyday Health, the enzymes in saliva begin the digestive process. These enzymes help break down food so it can be more efficiently be digested in the stomach. Water also helps in the consumption of minerals and nutrients in our food and to break down the fiber in our diets. With proper water intake these systems function smoothly and efficiently – processing the healthy substances we need and sending them throughout our bodies and removing waste more easily as fiber is better broken down and passed through our bowels.
Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals are vital to various body functions. When even slight deficiencies are present, you may begin craving additional foods even though you’re not hungry. These cravings are due to vitamin deficiencies and not hunger so make sure that you have enough water to aid all of our bodily functions. If deficiencies are present, you may need to take them in the form of a pill, so that your body can function at it’s best. These vitamins break down with the water in the digestive tract and then are absorbed into the body. Absorption of these essential vitamins -whether through our diet or with the help of OTC or prescription vitamins – stops when dehydration occurs, or when there is not enough water in the body.
Eat Fewer Calories
Drinking 8-20 oz of water before a meal may result in fewer calories consumed, perhaps as many as 100 less. If you ate 300 fewer calories each day (assuming 3 meals per day), you could lose up to 28 pounds in a year, just by drinking a glass of water before your meals. Easy!
Hunger and Thirst Cues are the Same
You may be reaching for a snack when what you should be reaching for is a tall glass of water. Many people don’t know how to tell the difference between hunger and thirst, as the body signals for both are very similar. And because we so rarely think about dehydration, we assume that we are hungry. Next time you’re getting hungry signals from your brain, try reaching for a glass of water instead. You may find out that you were just thirsty!
Water is a great way to curb cravings and control your caloric intake. What are some ways that you have noticed water help you with your diet?
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