Drinking Water Before Eating May Help You Lose Weight

Is it true that you should drink water before eating?According to a new study, it might.Overweight is a risk factor for ten types of cancer, including colorectal and postmenopausal breast, so finding easy, low-cost, and effective ways to lose weight could lower cancer risk for thousands of Americans every year.

In the 12-week study that was published in Obesity, 84 obese adults were randomly assigned to one of two groups:One group was instructed to drink two cups of water thirty minutes prior to meals, while the other was instructed to imagine that they were full thirty minutes prior to meals.A half-hour session on weight management strategies was given to each participant, and a follow-up phone call was made to see how closely they were sticking to their plan, either through stomach imagining or drinking water.Throughout the course of the study, participants completed compliance-related questionnaires and the researchers also reminded them via text message.

Although both groups lost weight, the water-drinking group lost approximately 3 pounds more than those who thought they were full.Thirty percent of those who consumed water did so three times per day.They lost an average of 8 pounds more than those who reported drinking water 0-1 times per day before meals, which is even more impressive.

The authors warn that before we can say for sure whether this strategy works over time, we need at least a year of testing.

In a recent New York Times article written by Aaron Caroll, we were recently reminded that we don’t really need to drink eight glasses of water every day for our overall health.That myth was busted in a paper he wrote in 2007 because most of our water comes from food, like fruits and vegetables.However, you run the risk of gaining weight if you consume sugary beverages like juice, soda, and juice drinks.Therefore, despite the fact that you may not require a lot of water, it is one of the best beverages available and is free!