Monday 2 December 2013

Drink water before meals to lose weight

Drinking water before each meal is an easy way of losing weight. There is an increasing evidence of effectiveness of pre-meal water consumption in reducing body weight in obese people.

How much water should I drink before meals to lose weight?


Drinking two cups (500 ml) of water 30 minutes before each meal can be used to assist in weight loss. Drinking water can make you feel full. Water contain zero calories and you will not gain weight by drinking more water. The excess water will pass through your urine.


Is it suitable for everyone? 


This method is suitable for middle-aged and older adults who are suffering from overweight or obesity. There is less evidence for its benefit in younger people. Older people have delayed gastric emptying which help them feel full for long periods of time.

People with following conditions should not drink excess water to lose weight;
1. Congestive heart failure
2. Severe kidney failure

People with urinary incontinence, enlarged prostate, or mobility restriction may find inconvenient in getting to the toilet more frequently to pass  urine. So drinking more water is not a better option for them.

How much weight can I lose?


When combined with a low-calorie diet, pre-meal consumption of water can lead to approximately 2 kg of weight loss over three months.You need long term motivation to achieve great weight reduction.

Note: If you want to lose weight more quickly, you can consider very low calorie diet.