They tell you to skip dinner, ditch carbs, load up proteins… have no salt till noon… eat only fruits for breakfast… impossible things that we should do to lose weight, but which we may be able to follow only for a short while.
And then comes the inevitable frustration of having gained back all that weight that you had somehow managed to shake off.
But what if we told you that something as simple as water could help speed up your weight loss?
Hot water for weight loss – 5 ways it works
While people may have told you time and again that drinking hot water – or rather warm water – will help you shed those kilos fast you might be wondering how this humble drink actually does the trick. Here are the answers you have been seeking!
- Hot water boosts metabolism. It is the ideal way to kickstart your slowed down body processes.
- Hot water breaks down fat. The temperature of the water helps to mobilise fat molecules, making them easier to be burnt.
- Hot water curbs appetite. So one way to use hot water for weight loss is to drink a cup of hot water about 30 minutes before a meal.
- Hot water curbs cravings because it makes you feel full. So the next time you crave for something and find yourself fighting an uncontrollable urge to binge, have a cup of hot water and hold on for 20 minutes.
- Finally, hot water maintains body temperature. Of course, if the water is too hot (or too cold for that matter), it is going to hamper your digestive system. But warm water (up to 50-degrees Celcius) is, in fact, beneficial in maintaining body processes at an optimum rate. This helps in proper digestion of food, assimilation of nutrients, and excretion of waste.
4 tips to use hot water for weight loss plan
So now you know how drinking warm water benefits not only your body but also your weight loss goals! But how should you go about actually incorporating this habit and making it a part of your daily routine? Here are 5 tips to use hot water for weight loss.
- Start your day with a glass of warm water. It is the easiest and safest way to ‘wake up’ your body.
- Consider additives like lemon, mint leaves, etc. for additional benefits. Particularly for weight loss, squeezing half a lemon into a glass of warm water is recommended.
- Drink warm water 20 minutes before a meal, and 30 minutes after a heavy meal. Before a meal, the warm water cuts back calorie intake up to 13%. After the meal, the warm water helps aid digestion and also prevents the oily and spices in the food from causing any digestion problems.
- Drink warm water before bed. This helps to calm down nerves, and ensure deep sleep. Sleep is very important and closely linked to weight loss.
