Does Drinking Water Help Weight Loss?

Can something as simple as drinking water help weight loss?

Before you dismiss this, ask yourself if you drink enough water every day. If you think that just because you work in an office and do not perspire much and hence do not need to drink so much water, you are wrong!

In fact, we corporate workers drink less water than we realize! In fact, we probably drink more coffee than water! We sit in the office all day checking emails and rushing deadlines. Before you know it, your next sip of water only comes at lunchtime. Personally I have gone for almost a day in the office without touching a sip of water. It is only when my throat was so dry and I can't even talk on the phone properly that I was reminded I haven't had anything to drink at all.

In this time and age where quick fix fat loss products flood our pharmaceutical shelves, we office workers are always searching for the next cutting edge fat loss pill for the quickest way to lose weight. But we often overlook the most basic and natural of our fat loss resource. One that is effective, free and completely without side effects. One of them is water.

Here are some little known facts about the impact of water on weight loss and some tips to keep your body properly hydrated throughout the day.

1. Natural appetite suppressant

In case you are wondering if this means you should replace your regular meals with gallons of water, no. When our bodies are dehydrated, it can sometimes misinterpret thirst for hunger. In the stressful office environment that we work in, we will usually reach out for a cup of coffee or grab anything sugary so it can both give us a quick boost in energy and at the same time curb what we believe is hunger. Since what our body is truly looking to be hydrated instead of being fed, this false signal of hunger will soon come back resulting in you indulging in a lot of unnecessary snacking. We all know what the outcome of that is going to be.

When you have a bottle of water at your desk, you have a higher tendency to drink it than if you had to constantly get it from the pantry. So at the start of the work day, keep a one liter bottle of water at your desk and aim to finish everything by lunchtime. After lunch, replenish that bottle and aim to finish it before you finish for the day.

For all you coffee drinkers, don't think for a second that all those coffee you drink is enough to hydrate your body. Caffeine is a diuretic that actually dehydrate you. So coffee drinkers should actually drink more water instead.

2. Improves Fat Metabolism

Our liver is an amazing organ that is responsible for metabolizing fat amongst many other important functions such as cleansing your body of toxins, breaking down alcohol, etc.

Metabolizing fat basically means converting fat to be used as energy.

Drinking water helps weight loss by ensuring your liver is metabolizing fat properly. When your body is dehydrated, your kidney functions are affected. If your kidneys cannot perform properly, the liver steps up to take on its duties and hence becomes overloaded. When that happens the liver won't be able to help you burn fat effectively.

If you exercise and don't drink enough water, this will negate the fat burning benefits of your workouts altogether.

Never wait till you are thirsty to drink water. When your body has to signal thirst to you, that means you are already on the verge of dehydration and your liver is about to work overtime and in the process affecting your fat burning effectiveness.

3. Improve exercise performance

Everyone knows that maintaining proper hydration is crucial before, during and after exercise. If you do not drink sufficient water, your blood thickens and it becomes harder for your body to transport oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to effectively perform your workouts.

If you can't get the most out of your workouts, how are you going to burn fat efficiently?

Furthermore, as your exercise, your body heats up. Without proper hydration, your body clings on to whatever little water it has. This means you will not be able to perspire and cool your body down during exercise resulting in your body overheating and in severe cases, leading to heat stroke.

Before your exercise, aim to drink at least a tall glass of water. Keep a large bottle of water handy and drink it constantly during your exercise to keep yourself hydrated throughout the workout session.

4. Burn extra calories

Drinking water helps weight loss by helping your burn extra calories as well.

Scientists in Germany discovered that drinking at least 500 ml of water in one sitting increased our metabolic rate by 30% in 10 minutes. This increased metabolism will sustain for up to 40 minutes and during this time, 100 extra calories are burned.

Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water when you are in the office to burn up to 400 extra calories a day.

At the beginning, don't worry if you are suddenly visiting the washroom more often due to your increased water intake. This just means that your body is now able to release water that it has been keeping in your body. As you continue to drink more water, your body will recognize that it doesn't have store water anymore and will now allowing for a better regulation of fluid within your body.

We all know that water is life. It's no coincidence that drinking more water is always the advice we get whenever we are not feeling well. So before you reach out for the next "state-of-the-art" fat loss pill for the quickest way to lose weight, give drinking more water a try. And the answer to the commonly asked question, "Can drinking water help weight loss?" will be very pleasingly evident to you.

If you work in an office and can't seem to find time to lose weight, there are more great weight loss tips to show you how to get slim and the quickest way to lose weight. Also, you can get your hands on the free fat loss starter kit that has helped many others lose up to 5 lbs in the first week. Visit corporatefatlossplan.com now!

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By Daniel M.C. Ho

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Best Way to Lose Weight: Start Snacking in the Office!

I have a confession to make. I snack in the office. In fact I have a drawer in the office that's filled with all my midday snacks that you'd think I was preparing for an imminent war.

Truth is, one of the best way to lose weight is to eat every three hours as it helps to stroke your metabolism and prevent your body from storing fat. And snacking between meals is the easiest way to do that. But before you get too excited about your containers of cookies, crackers and candies that you display oh-so-proudly on your desk, understand that only certain snacks that will help you to lose weight.

Because we office workers are always in a rush for time, we need snacks that don't need a lot of time to prepare and hopefully is something that can be consumed immediately at your desk.

Lets take a look at some of my personal favorite fat burning snacks and see whether you have any of these in your office tidbit stash.

1. Baked Almonds:

Almonds or all nuts in general have gotten a bad reputation because they all contain fat. Just like there are good and bad carbohydrates, there are also good and bad fats (artificial trans fats). Fortunately, the fat that you get from almonds are healthy monounsaturated fat that can lower your LDL cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart diseases.

So does almond prevent weight loss at all? Yes! Whfoods.org reported that in a 28 month study conducted in Spain, participants who ate nuts at least twice a week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who didn't consume it.

Rich in Vitamin E, Almonds are also full of nutrients. When your body is nourished with nutrient rich food, you stay satiated longer after a meal. So popping a handful of almonds (No more than 20) as a midday snack will keep hunger pangs at bay.

2. Dark Chocolates:

Finally, one of the best ways to lose weight is to eat something that you all enjoy and can eat without feeling sinful. Chocolates - or more accurately, cocoa, is known to have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants (flavonoids) in any food.

Thanks to the bitter taste and the cocoa butter, dark chocolate helps with weight loss by slowing down digestion and keeping you feeling fuller. In addition, the polyphenol present in cocoa helps absorbs glucose and burns fat.

Furthermore, the mood improving properties of cocoa actually helps reduce stress, which incidentally is one of the major reasons for emotional eating.

But don't mistakenly stock up on milk chocolates! Remember, only dark chocolates of 70% cocoa content and above will have fat loss properties. If you can stomach it, obviously the higher cocoa content the better.

3. Apples:

An apple a day can also keep the fat away. An ideal snack at anytime of the day, apples are low in calories, fat and sodium and its full of vitamins, minerals rich in fiber. If you have a sugar craving, the natural fructose in apples will take care of that as well.

With regards to fat loss, Pectin that's present in apple's fiber is the key ingredient. Pectin is an insoluble fiber that helps digestive health and also keeps your body feeling full a lot longer.

Considering apples have such low calories, eating more of it instead of your usual candy bars will cause a calorie deficit resulting in weight loss!

4. Oat Meal:

Yes Oatmeal. Nobody said oatmeal is restricted to be eaten only at breakfast.

A staple in almost all serious weight trainers, the weight loss benefits of oatmeal is renowned and proven. High in fiber and an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, oatmeal helps to stabilize our blood sugar levels and suppresses hunger pangs. Other health benefits include lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart diseases.

Contrary to popular belief, preparing oatmeal is not that difficult. I personally keep a tin of Quaker Instant Oatmeal (Natural whole grain oats. No Sugar) in my office pantry. All I do is mix about a glass of milk into a serving of oatmeal and sprinkle some trail mix (those without M&Ms) or almonds and I'm done. If you prefer to have it hot, then simply microwave it for about 3-5 minutes and you have a nutritious midday snack to last you till dinner time.

To lose weight doesn't necessarily mean you have to eat less and reduce calories. Not all calories are created equal. The calories you get from apples are definitely more beneficial to your body than a chocolate chip cookie. So go ahead and snack in the office! Replace your current office tidbits or snacks with the above and you will know why this is the best way to lose weight!

If you work in an office and are looking for the best way to lose weight or how to reduce tummy in the shortest amount of time, there's a effective fat loss starter kit at corporatefatlossplan.com that will help you to lose up to 5 lbs in the first week!

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By Daniel M.C. Ho

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Guidelines for Living With Diabetes

Listed below are some diabetes guidelines that you can use to help you manage your diabetes and avoid the possible serious complications that are associated with this disease.

Strategies for Diabetes Management

• When you have diabetes it is essential that you exercise at least three to four times a week for between 20 to 40 minutes each time. Routine exercise has been proven to improve your blood sugars, decrease the risk of heart disease, and help you lose weight. Before starting any exercise program you will want to talk with your physician especially if you are experiencing any neuropathy or vision problems.

• Eating a proper diet is essential. If you are having difficulty regulating your blood sugar levels you may want to visit with a dietitian on a regular basis to ensure that the foods you are eating are beneficial to your body and your glucose levels. You can find dietitians through your physician or hospital and they, along with your diabetes health care team, can assist you in finding a diet that is right for you.

• It is vital that you get plenty of rest. Adhering to a routine schedule and getting enough sleep will help avoid stress and help you keep your blood sugar levels under control.

• It is extremely important that you maintain your feet properly. You need to check your feet daily for any calluses, cracks, or sores. If you notice sores that do not heal in a timely manner, swelling that does not go down after you elevate your feet, redness, ulcers, or pus it is important to visit your physician immediately. Over half of all lower limb amputations are done on people who have diabetes but have neglected proper foot care.

The Importance of Diabetes Medications

• It is important to your health that you take any prescribed medications on time and on the schedule that was prescribed by your physician.

• You also need to understand your medications and recognize the side effects and how they work in conjunction with each other as well as how they work with any dietary supplements you may be taking. Prior to beginning any dietary supplement you need to check with your physician to see how it will interact with any medications you are currently taking as well as how it may affect your glucose levels.

Strategies for Controlling Your Blood Sugar Levels

• As you should be aware, maintaining normal blood sugar levels is essential. You always want to try to keep your blood sugar levels in the range recommended by your health care provider at all times. Use your glucose meter as recommended by your doctor yet when you are ill you will want to use it more often. If your numbers stay elevated over an extended period of time or fall below recommended levels you should call your doctor immediately.

• It is important to keep a log of your blood sugar levels, what you eat during the day, as well as any stress that you may be experiencing which may elevate your glucose levels. When you visit your physician you should take this log with you to determine any trends and take appropriate action.

Diabetes does not have to be a death sentence. If you use your own common sense and follow the strategies listed above you can control this disease and live a long and happy life. In some cases people have even managed to turn their condition around simply through diet and exercise.

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By Julia L Hanf

Julia L Hanf is a proud contributing author and writes articles about type 2 diabetes. A few years ago through a near tragedy with her husband, Julia was able to discover ways to prevent, treat and reverse diabetes. Reversing diabetes requires difficult choices but in the long run will benefit you for the rest of your life.

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