What you choose to drink throughout the day can benefit (or totally sabotage) your weight loss efforts.
“People often eat healthy but don’t think about their drinks,” he says. roxana ehsaniMS, RD, CSSD, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “They may be drinking multiple sodas a day, juices and flavored beverages that contain carbohydrates and sugars, which add up to calories over time.”
On the other hand, if you make them healthier drink optionsyour weight loss can take a positive turn.
“Once you cut high-calorie beverages out of your day, you may see a rapid change in weight simply by cutting out any calorie-containing beverages that you tend to drink a lot of each day,” adds Ehsani.
Y The best drink you can drink to lose weight is water..
“The one drink that I would say we need more of, that is completely free, accessible, has no calories, no added sugar, no added flavors, and that your body needs more than any other drink, is water,” says Ehsani.
How water helps you lose weight
There are many reasons why you should be drinking more water.
“First of all, our bodies are mostly made up of water, so we need it every day,” adds Ehsani. “It’s essential to our overall health and well-being. It helps keep things moving! It removes waste from your body through your digestive tract and can help prevent constipation. It can help eliminate bloating,” she says.
And specifically for weight loss, there is scientific evidence to support its benefits.
“Studies show Drinking enough water will help you lose weight because it can prevent you from overeating,” says Ehsani. they’re just thirsty.”
She adds that studies have also found that those who drank water before meals ate less at meal timesas sufficient water intake was found to reduce appetite in older adults.
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How much water to drink to reap its weight loss support benefits
So how much do you need? Of course, you’ve probably heard that’s eight glasses a day, but the recommendation is more than that.
“The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. I recommend 11 ½ cups a day for women and 15 ½ cups a day for men,” says Ehsani.
If you’re nowhere near that number, Ehsani suggests starting slow and working your way up.
“Do you only drink four to five cups now? Set a goal of at least six glasses a day and set reminders at home and at work to remember to drink,” she says. “Keep it sitting at your work desk and set a calendar or view reminders. Download an app that helps you remember and track your glasses of water per day.”
She points out that you can also check the color of your urine to see if you’re drinking enough.
“If it’s dark like apple juice, that’s an indicator that you’re dehydrated and need to start drinking,” says Ehsani.
And think about the last time you went to the bathroom.
“Has it been more than 4 hours? You’re probably dehydrated,” he adds. “Hydrated people use the bathroom every two to four hours.”
