If ever there were a magic potion for weight loss, water would be it. Every good nutritional
program insists that you drink a minimum of 8–10 glasses of water per day. Most people
don’t drink the recommended amount because they don’t fully understand how important water
is in maintaining good health and losing weight.
Our bodies are composed of approximately 75% water. Any variation from the natural
balance causes serious disruptions in many metabolic processes that are crucial to weight loss.
• Water helps the body metabolize stored fat. The kidneys cannot function properly
without enough water. When they are not working at full capacity, the liver must take
over some of the load. The liver’s function is crucial to weight loss, and if the liver has
to do some of the kidneys’ work, it cannot adequately do its job (metabolizing fat). As
a result, the liver metabolizes less fat, more fat is stored in the body, and weight loss
becomes slow or stagnates.
• Water is crucial in ridding the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot
of waste to eliminate: excess fat and stored toxins. Adequate water consumption helps
the body flush out these wastes.
• Water is a natural diuretic. Many people retain fluid and become dependent on
synthetic diuretics to lose excess water weight. Surprisingly, drinking enough water is
actually the best treatment for water retention. When it doesn’t get enough water, the
body perceives a threat to its survival and begins to hold on to every drop of water that
it can. If you give your body the amount of water that it needs, it will quickly release
any retained water.
• Water is a natural laxative. When the body does not get enough water, it takes it from
other internal sources. If the colon becomes dry, stool becomes dry and difficult to
pass, resulting in constipation—possibly with gas, bloating, and painful elimination. If
the body receives sufficient amounts of water, the colon will be rehydrated and proper
bowel function restored.
To experience significant weight loss and optimal health, it is crucial to drink a sufficient
amount of water every day. By “sufficient,” I mean that you should drink half your body weight
(in pounds) in ounces of water each day: (body weight, in pounds/2). For example, a 200-pound
person should drink 100 ounces of water.
In addition to this baseline recommendation, I suggest that you add 8 ounces of water for
every 8 ounces of caffeinated beverage consumed and another 8 ounces if you have exercised.
Also, drink water at room temperature. Cold water will sit in your stomach until it has warmed to
body temperature; only then will it move to the small intestine for absorption (Chek 2004, 79).
Many people mistake thirst for hunger because both sensations tell the brain that the
body is in need of energy. So, a person who is dehydrated may misinterpret this feeling and end
up overeating. Several studies have been done in which people were told to drink water at the
first sign or feeling of hunger. In most cases, the hunger quickly passed, and subjects lost 35–40
pounds in less than a year (Batmanghelidj 1992, 99). If you do not drink the recommended
amounts of water for your weight and experience hunger pangs during the day, then chances are
your body is thirsty. Because water is a natural appetite suppressant, drink 8 ounces of water at
the first sign of hunger and 15 minutes before the start of every meal.
Although drinking the appropriate quantity of water is essential, it is equally important
to drink high-quality water. Unfortunately, no matter where you live, tap water is contaminated
with heavy metals, chlorine, and waterborne toxins. I highly recommend that you filter the drinking
water in your home. (Some sources are listed under the Food Shopping Guide) If you buy
bottled water, some of the best brands are Evian, Volvic, and Fiji.
Glass containers are best to keep stored water fresh and pure. Plastic containers can leach
plastic by-products into the water, affecting taste and purity, especially if exposed to direct sunlight,
so always keep bottled water in a dark, cool area. Never purchase water in smoky plastic
containers, which leak estrogenic chemicals (which can disrupt hormone levels) and phthalates
(which have been linked to asthma and allergies) into the water.
Ideally, you also should install shower filters or, better, a whole-house water filtration
system. Your skin is a living organ, and absorbing high levels of metals and chlorine from your
shower and bathwater can be dangerous.
Action Steps
• Drink half of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water each day. Add 8 ounces
of water for each 8-ounce caffeinated beverage you drink and another 8 ounces if you
have exercised that day.
• Drink 8 ounces of water when you feel hungry.
• Drink 8 ounces of water 15 minutes before each meal.
• If you use plastic water bottles, keep them out of the sun and away from heat.
• Install filters for your drinking water and bathing water, or invest in a whole-house
water filtration system. Sun Water Systems (http://go.thedietsolutionprogram.com/
aquasana) sells Aquasana brand products for kitchen, bathroom, and whole-house water
filtration as well as glass bottles for water storage – best news here is that we talked
with Sun Water Systems and they are willing to give Diet Solution Program customers
a 10% discount using the link above.
program insists that you drink a minimum of 8–10 glasses of water per day. Most people
don’t drink the recommended amount because they don’t fully understand how important water
is in maintaining good health and losing weight.
Our bodies are composed of approximately 75% water. Any variation from the natural
balance causes serious disruptions in many metabolic processes that are crucial to weight loss.
• Water helps the body metabolize stored fat. The kidneys cannot function properly
without enough water. When they are not working at full capacity, the liver must take
over some of the load. The liver’s function is crucial to weight loss, and if the liver has
to do some of the kidneys’ work, it cannot adequately do its job (metabolizing fat). As
a result, the liver metabolizes less fat, more fat is stored in the body, and weight loss
becomes slow or stagnates.
• Water is crucial in ridding the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot
of waste to eliminate: excess fat and stored toxins. Adequate water consumption helps
the body flush out these wastes.
• Water is a natural diuretic. Many people retain fluid and become dependent on
synthetic diuretics to lose excess water weight. Surprisingly, drinking enough water is
actually the best treatment for water retention. When it doesn’t get enough water, the
body perceives a threat to its survival and begins to hold on to every drop of water that
it can. If you give your body the amount of water that it needs, it will quickly release
any retained water.
• Water is a natural laxative. When the body does not get enough water, it takes it from
other internal sources. If the colon becomes dry, stool becomes dry and difficult to
pass, resulting in constipation—possibly with gas, bloating, and painful elimination. If
the body receives sufficient amounts of water, the colon will be rehydrated and proper
bowel function restored.
To experience significant weight loss and optimal health, it is crucial to drink a sufficient
amount of water every day. By “sufficient,” I mean that you should drink half your body weight
(in pounds) in ounces of water each day: (body weight, in pounds/2). For example, a 200-pound
person should drink 100 ounces of water.
In addition to this baseline recommendation, I suggest that you add 8 ounces of water for
every 8 ounces of caffeinated beverage consumed and another 8 ounces if you have exercised.
Also, drink water at room temperature. Cold water will sit in your stomach until it has warmed to
body temperature; only then will it move to the small intestine for absorption (Chek 2004, 79).
Many people mistake thirst for hunger because both sensations tell the brain that the
body is in need of energy. So, a person who is dehydrated may misinterpret this feeling and end
up overeating. Several studies have been done in which people were told to drink water at the
first sign or feeling of hunger. In most cases, the hunger quickly passed, and subjects lost 35–40
pounds in less than a year (Batmanghelidj 1992, 99). If you do not drink the recommended
amounts of water for your weight and experience hunger pangs during the day, then chances are
your body is thirsty. Because water is a natural appetite suppressant, drink 8 ounces of water at
the first sign of hunger and 15 minutes before the start of every meal.
Although drinking the appropriate quantity of water is essential, it is equally important
to drink high-quality water. Unfortunately, no matter where you live, tap water is contaminated
with heavy metals, chlorine, and waterborne toxins. I highly recommend that you filter the drinking
water in your home. (Some sources are listed under the Food Shopping Guide) If you buy
bottled water, some of the best brands are Evian, Volvic, and Fiji.
Glass containers are best to keep stored water fresh and pure. Plastic containers can leach
plastic by-products into the water, affecting taste and purity, especially if exposed to direct sunlight,
so always keep bottled water in a dark, cool area. Never purchase water in smoky plastic
containers, which leak estrogenic chemicals (which can disrupt hormone levels) and phthalates
(which have been linked to asthma and allergies) into the water.
Ideally, you also should install shower filters or, better, a whole-house water filtration
system. Your skin is a living organ, and absorbing high levels of metals and chlorine from your
shower and bathwater can be dangerous.
Action Steps
• Drink half of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water each day. Add 8 ounces
of water for each 8-ounce caffeinated beverage you drink and another 8 ounces if you
have exercised that day.
• Drink 8 ounces of water when you feel hungry.
• Drink 8 ounces of water 15 minutes before each meal.
• If you use plastic water bottles, keep them out of the sun and away from heat.
• Install filters for your drinking water and bathing water, or invest in a whole-house
water filtration system. Sun Water Systems (http://go.thedietsolutionprogram.com/
aquasana) sells Aquasana brand products for kitchen, bathroom, and whole-house water
filtration as well as glass bottles for water storage – best news here is that we talked
with Sun Water Systems and they are willing to give Diet Solution Program customers
a 10% discount using the link above.
