Will Drinking More Water Help Me Lose Weight?

Question: Will Drinking More Water Help Me Lose Weight?

Answer: It's possible that drinking more water will help you lose weight, especially if you replace sweetened high-calorie beverages or alcoholic beverages with plain or carbonated water. That is, of course, as long as you don't add other high-calorie foods to your diet in place of the high-calorie beverages. Weight management always comes down to calories you take in verses the calories you burn. Drinking water doesn't change that. But don't give up your bottle of water just yet...

Population studies suggest that people who drink more water tend to consume fewer calories. That doesn't mean drinking water directly causes you to lose weight, although some experts believe water consumption may affect metabolism. It's possible that people who drink more water may also be more health-conscious in general, so the water itself could have nothing to do physiologically with the metabolic changes. Some experts believe that feeling hungry may sometimes be an indicator that you need more water. I'm not sure if that's true, but drinking water instead of eating a snack will reduce the calories you consume.

Increasing your water intake before meals may help you watch your weight because of the volume it takes up in your stomach. Drinking water before a eating may help you reduce the amount of food you consume during that meal -- at least if you're middle age or older; studies don't indicate that young people who drink water before a meal tend to eat less.

You don't have to drink plain water to just to avoid calories and the water found in foods and other beverages is still water. There are other non-calorie options -- you can drink coffee, tea or herbal tea, but remember that adding milk, cream or sugar will add calories. Does that surprise you? We think of caffeinated beverages as being diuretics (results in fluid loss) but studies show they provide plenty of water in spite of the caffeine.

There are also many diet beverages available that are made with non-nutritive sweeteners. Some people don't like artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, but more natural stevia and sugar-alacohol sweeteners are available as well.

_Sources:

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_{Armstrong LE, Pumerantz AC, Roti MW, Judelson DA, Watson G, Dias JC, Sokmen B, Casa DJ, Maresh CM, Lieberman H, Kellogg M. "Fluid, electrolyte, and renal indices of hydration during 11 days of controlled caffeine consumption." Fluid, electrolyte, and renal indices of hydration during 11 days of controlled caffeine consumption.}

_{Dennis EA, Flack KD, Davy BM. "Beverage consumption and adult weight management: A review." Eat Behav. 2009 Dec;10(4):237-46.}

_{Stookey JD, Constant F, Popkin BM, Gardner CD. "Drinking water is associated with weight loss in overweight dieting women independent of diet and activity." Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008 Nov;16(11):2481-8.}