Say goodbye to hunger!
“I drink Zero Hunger Water throughout the day, and I literally forget to eat because I have no hunger. It’s effortless,” cheers nutrition expert Jorge Cruise, bestselling author of more than 20 books. Indeed, sipping water spiked with electrolyte minerals sodium, magnesium and potassium can instantly eliminate cravings and help you shed inches effortlessly. Women FIRST spoke to report losing 2 pounds every day!
To get started, Cruise suggests making four 32-oz. bottles of Zero Hunger Water (recipe at right) at night to drink throughout the following day. Each bottle will contain 1,000 mg. of sodium, 200 mg. of potassium and 60 mg. of magnesium—the amount that ensures electrolyte balance to banish cravings and keep weight gain– inducing stress hormones at bay. And incorporate these simple strategies to supercharge slimming:
Drink one bottle upon waking up. “I have clients who drink 32 oz. of Zero Hunger Water within 2 or 3 minutes of waking up,” says Cruise. If that feels like too much water at once, he suggests drinking 16 oz. right away and the remaining 16 oz. within 40 minutes. “So many people think that to have energy in the morning you need carbohydrates or caffeine,”
Cruise says. “But if you have minerals supplying the energy, then your body will burn its stored fat for energy.”
Continue drinking every 2 hours. “Zero Hunger Water does a good job of holding up hunger for 3 hours,” says Cruise. Note: Women with high blood pressure should talk to their doctor before starting this plan.
Eat when you’re hungry. “This isn’t a fasting program. It’s turning off your hunger,” says Cruise. “But when you get hungry, you can eat.” He adds that many women he works with don’t feel the need to eat anything until between 3 pm and 7 pm. Indeed, women on the plan report that they eat one or two meals a day with no snacks in between, which Jorge says is ideal for fat burning.
Keep meals low-carb. Cruise recommends eating meals that are high in fat and protein, like grilled steak with butter sauce. That’s the key to preventing bloat and burning fat, he says, because when blood sugar is elevated, sodium triggers fluid retention. But when you lower blood sugar with a low-carb diet, salt can help you drop pounds without puffing you up. “When you’re eating a fat- and protein-based diet, your blood sugar levels will fall,” explains Shawn Baker, M.D. The result: Your body will begin to burn stored fat for fuel.
Cruise says you can enjoy a Mediterranean-inspired meal like baked fish or chicken, or even pasta or pizza if that’s what will satisfy you. “Just make sure to add protein like sausage or meatballs,” he adds. To fill the rest of your plate, Cruise favors low-sugar veggies like zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, squash, peppers and lettuce, as well as low-sugar fruits like avocado and berries. Cruise says most people feel full after eating and don’t need more food for the rest of the day, but if hunger pangs return, sip another bottle of Zero Hunger Water, and if hunger persists after 20 minutes, enjoy another low-carb meal or snack. For examples of wholesome low-carb fare, see the sample meals below.
Move for 8 minutes. Cruise favors interval training (short bursts of intense activity followed by periods of rest), but any movement dials back hunger. “Exercise like intervals actually blunts your appetite,” asserts Dr. Baker. In fact, a study in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders found that interval training reduced hunger hormone production. To get the perks, walk for 2 minutes, then do four 30-second bursts of speed walking, following each burst with 30 seconds of recovery. End with 2 minutes of gentle walking.