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Are you dehydrated? These veggie feasts will help you lose weight for a very surprising reason
FIRED up with New Year’s resolutions and good intentions, it can be all too easy to focus on food and fitness in the early stages of a new health programme, while overlooking one simple, yet vital, detail — drinking more water.
Experts say many of us live in a state of mild dehydration but don’t realise it — caused by a number of factors, from spending most of our time in centrallyheated homes and offices to eating processed foods.
You can spot the clues in the form of afternoon fatigue, a foggy head, bad breath and constipation.
But luckily, there’s an easy and cheap solution — drinking more water.
‘It doesn’t have to be anything fancy — simple tap water does the job perfectly, and you should aim for the equivalent of six to eight large glasses a day,’ says Jess O’Shea, nutritionist at WW.
You could also try sparkling or soda water instead of still, or infuse your water with citrus slices, berries, fresh ginger or fresh herbs. Store it in a large pitcher in the fridge.
Some fruit and veg also have a high water content.
And there’s another incentive to making sure you’re eating plenty of non-starchy vegetables. Scientific research shows these contain a huge range of vital minerals, vitamins and other nutrients that are essential to good health.
Dehydration can have more far-reaching effects, such as reduced immunity and joint pain; some research has also linked it to acid reflux, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Water is essential for our bodies, which are made up of roughly two-thirds fluids. It helps transport vital minerals, chemicals and nutrients into the cells of our body.
Water also helps to maintain our body temperature, through sweat, and enables our bodies to get rid of waste products.
We lose around two to three litres of water a day through sweat, urine, bowel movements and breath.
‘This is why the new WW PersonalPoints Programme lays such emphasis on being well-hydrated — it’s been specifically designed to reward you for adopting healthy habits,’ says Jess.
You’ll add a Point to your daily Budget when you drink 1.75 litres of water a day. WW’s PersonalPoints programme also lets you grow your Budget by adding 1 Point to your daily Budget for every handful of non-starchy veggies you eat.
*A recommended rate of weight loss is up to 2lb a week