Elizabeth followed the conventional wisdom for weight loss: exercise more, watch what you eat, avoid fatty foods and so on. After six weeks of battling hunger pains and trying her best to follow the latest diet, she stepped on the scale. For all her efforts, she had lost two pounds - not an encouraging result. Rather than give-up, she tried something that many traditional "dieters" neglect: drink water - lots of water - at specific times. And it worked.
How much and when you drink water can be the key for weight control. There's nothing particularly new about drinking water in a healthy diet. Most diets point out and even stress the value of water. Even though people are aware of health benefits of drinking water, such as hydrating the body, providing adequate flushing of the kidneys, and supplying fluid to maintain blood volume, not as well known is the way it can be used to help lose weight.
The first primary control technique for both losing weight and maintaining that loss is understanding that hunger is gradually reduced as the quantity of food and liquid that you put in your stomach increases. The more food and liquid in your stomach the less the hunger. This effect is independent of the caloric intake and has nothing to do with what constitutes a good diet. It has everything to do with the bulk content that fills the stomach. Filling the stomach with food or liquid causes stretch receptors to send a signal to the brain that you have satisfied your hunger.
The stomach of the average overweight person requires approximately one quart or four full glasses of water to fill it. That amount diminishes to three glasses in a person who is not overweight. Many very obese persons can drink six or more glasses of water before feeling filled. Unlike water which quickly leaves the stomach when drunk without food, water taken with food may remain in the stomach up to three hours during digestion. Other fluids are not included in this method, as they may add calories, contain diuretics, and otherwise act more like food.
Knowing that adding bulk to your stomach contents as part of your diet will reduce hunger and thus reduce your food intake; you are now prepared to adapt water to your diet and weight control method.
- Upon awakening, drink one or two 8-ounce glasses of water.
- At breakfast, drink an additional glass of water just before you begin to eat.
- During your meal, drink another glass of water. This is in addition to any juice, coffee or milk you drink. Those who normally drink little water or who feel this is an excessive amount of water at the beginning of the day should start their increased water intake slowly. The amounts noted above can be half as much initially.
- At each additional meal you eat, whether just lunch and dinner or multiple small meals each day, drink one glass of water before you begin eating and at least one glass during the meal.
- Throughout the day whenever you feel like having a snack, no matter how small, always precede it with at least half a glass of water.
Whenever you feel hungry or have an impulse to eat, try to limit the impulse to only drinking water and not eating the snack. Eventually you will be able to drink just water to satisfy your brief hunger pangs. This will enhance your control over the amount of food you eat.
Best of all you can drink water freely in your diet without concern. There is no evidence that drinking fluids of any kind with food interferes with digestion or absorption of nutrients. In fact, many foods are made up of as much as 90% water. Following these suggestions can truly facilitate weight loss and weight control.
If you want to lose weight permanently, you need to try "The Psychiatrist's Diet." Finally, here is an easy-to-use diet plan that is effective, doesn't require any special foods and works. Follow this unique program that has been used successfully by hundreds of my patients.
Visit http://www.DrMarvinBerenson.com to review "The Psychiatrist's Diet" and sign-up to receive Dr. Berenson's highly informative weekly newsletter and two FREE gifts.
Marvin H. Berenson, M.D. is Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, USC Keck School of Medicine, psychiatrist, lecturer, author and artist.
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