There is no question, water is the elixir of life and we cannot live without it. But, is water also a weight loss potion? In a study presented last summer at The National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers referred to water as a the “magic potion in society’s battle with the bulge.” As reported on ScienceDaily.com, scientists claim that the findings of a clinical trial resulted in two cups of water prior to each meal helped participants to shed pounds.
Study leader, Brenda Davy, Ph.D. of Virginia Tech is quoted on the site as saying, “We found in earlier studies that middle aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal. In this recent study, we found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals, three times per day, lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake.”
Forty-eight middle to senior aged adults participated in the 12 week study. Half of them consumed two eight-ounce glasses of water before meals while the others did not. A low calorie diet was also implemented for both groups. The results were that the group who drank water lost about four and a half more pounds than those who did not drink the water.
Davy continued to underscore the benefits of water stating, “Water may be so effective simply because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller as a result, and eat less calorie-containing food during the meal. Increased water consumption may also help people lose weight if they drink it in place of sweetened calorie-containing beverages.”
Most of our organs need water to function. Water is especially vital to your kidney function as they need water to flush out toxins. The Mayo Clinic says it is important to replace what your kidneys are filtering out. “The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about four cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume two liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than eight cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.”
The Mayo Clinic goes on to provide the intake recommendation from The Institute of Medicine, advising, “that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.”
Online References:
“Drink Water to Curb Weight Gain? Clinical Trial Confirms Effectiveness of Simple Appetite Control Method – ScienceDaily.com.” Science Daily. Web 16 Aug. 2011.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100823142929.htm
"Water: How Much Should You Drink Each Day - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. Web. 16 Aug. 2011.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
Reviewed August 16, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg R.N.
Edited by Jody Smith
Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.