Does a water diet really help you lose weight?
The water diet might get a lot of buzz, but will it actually help you lose weight and keep it off?
Even though the diet could be considered extreme, many people swear by it. But can it even be considered a diet? In a sense, a water diet is really just another phrase used to describe fasting. Although the specifics of various water diets may differ, the basic idea is the same: you are going to be drinking water for a few days and not eating a whole lot of food.
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you should not rely on a water diet. A few days of fasting generally will not hurt a healthy person and you probably will lose a few pounds, but it is not the best way to lose weight. In fact, you are essentially starving yourself, and once the so-called diet is over, you may find yourself going back to your typical eating patterns and regaining the weight you just lost.
Following a water diet is also risky because you will lose out on critical nutrients. Think about it: if the only thing you consume for a few days is water, what nutrients are you really getting? Doing this will cause you to lose water weight as well as muscle, and that is not a healthy way to slim down.
While following a water diet is not recommended for losing weight, you can use water to your advantage if you are trying to shed a few pounds. Many people find that drinking cold water – also known as a cold water diet – helps your body lose weight. This happens because your body burns extra calories warming up the cold water once it is in the stomach. In addition, drinking lots of water can help you feel full longer, which inevitably helps you beat those mid-afternoon cravings.
The bottom line is that you should always drink plenty of water because your body needs it. Drinking cold water on a regular basis might help you lose weight, but resorting to an actual water diet – or fast – is definitely not a safe or effective way to slim down. Instead, focusing on getting plenty of exercise and making smart food choices will help you in all your weight loss efforts
