Quick answer: As much as you can (within reason!).
The rule of thumb for fast weight loss and health has always been 8 standard glasses of water per day. But people differ in their needs, based on their size, their genetic makeup, their activity levels and the weather (plus you need more if you are breastfeeding).
Here’s a few more water and weight loss theories for you…
The hunger versus water theory
This isn’t a theory. Many people confuse thirst for hunger, so when we get a craving it’s worth drinking a glass of water and waiting 10 minutes before eating anything. And given most people don’t drink enough water, chances are those hunger pangs you feel isn’t hunger at all! If you can reduce the urge to eat when you don’t need to, you’ll certainly get faster weight loss to return to your pre-pregnancy weight.
The Chilled Water Theory
I remember hearing this is what models do to lose extra weight. Which might be fine if your entire diet consists of vodka and snowpeas. Not too many calroeis to burn off! The fact is that your body only burns 17.5 Calories to warm up a glass of chilled water. But if you drink eight chilled glasses of water a day that would be 70 calories. Which is 70 calories in the right direction so it’s better than nothing. Of course, we’re all feeling the cold in winter, so now might not be the best time to start this weight loss trick.
Now, in the opposite direction is the warm water and lemon trick. What does that do?
The Warm Water & Lemon Theory
Lemons are high in vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C not only helps boost your immune system, but it also can reduce stress… which is a good thing for busy mums! And from a weight loss perspective, lemons contain pectin, a fibre that fights hunger. So lemon water can help you stay full for longer. And because lemon is an alkaline food, drinking lemon water regularly can balance your body’s pH.
Here at Lose Baby Weight we have always promoted a healthy digestive tract for optimum weight loss and drinking lemon water regularly definitely helps that. Warm lemon water helps cleanse the bowels, helps eliminate constipation and diarrhea and flushes unwanted waste from our bodies. This allows our body to focus on processing the new food that hits our system and absorb as much good nutrition as it can.
Warm lemon water, therefore, can help curb cravings, contribute to weight loss and help you maintain a more healthy diet and is great to combine with our Healthy Mummy Smoothies
NB: Packaged/pasteurized lemon juice wont give you any health benefit. The lemons must be fresh and remember to pick the heavy ones as they hold more nutrition.
The drinking water before eating theory
This is something we have found to work. Drink one or preferably two glasses of water about 20 minutes before meals. It will make you fuller and reduce your ability to eat larger portions. And smaller portions means less calories consumed and that helps your weight loss plan.
And don’t forget to use code LOYALTY to receive a 10% discount off all of our weight loss plans which you can see here