Water and Weight loss and Keto what do they have in common. Well, for starters they are all good for you. Water and Keto but help you lose weight. So let’s delve in on this subject.
Water
The importance of water. There are so many but the one my mom always told me is that your body is made up of almost all water. And in order to keep it healthy, you need to keep feeding it what it is made up of so you never run out. That is simple terms for explaining it to a child.
But as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned the importance of water and my body. From kidney infections and the dreaded I can’t poop debacle. As I added water to my diet I learned that I felt better and I got an added benefit I started to lose weight more efficiently
But there are so many other benefits with drinking water.
- It’s an appetite suppressant
- It helps skin look and feel healthy, doesn’t just make it look healthy it makes it healthy.
- It supports digestion
- It can increase your metabolism (it helps fats metabolize faster????)
- It keeps your PH levels balanced
- And it’s a whole lot less stressful for your kidneys. Which is always a good thing.
Water & Keto
So, if your doing keto it’s even more important to drink your water. Why? Because dehydration is one of the most common side effects of the ketogenic diet. Most people just starting out over look that when they start a low carb diet. Now I know your asking why is that?
I have your answer right here:
Carbohydrates are responsible for holding water and sodium in your body. So when you stop eating all those carbs – the water and the sodium are released from your body and you retain a lot less water.
Now, that’s something to think about. Let’s go back to what my mom said, you need to keep feeding your body what it is made up of so that it will never run out. Just like a gas tank. That’s what I tell my kids, water is like gas for the body they are boys and they understand that.
And just like gas you can’t put just any type of gas in your tank you have to put the good stuff. Water… Not that sugary stuff that will clog up your motor.
Effects of Dehydration
So the effects of dehydration on your finely tuned vehicle.
Mild Dehydration:
- headaches
- fatigue
- dry mouth
- flu-like symptoms
- muscle cramps
- dry skin
- and really stinky pee
None of those are fun… Trust me on that one.
Severe Dehydration:
- Not peeing or having very dark yellow pee.
- Very dry skin.
- Feeling dizzy.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Rapid breathing.
- Sunken eyes.
- Sleepiness, lack of energy, confusion or irritability.
- Fainting.
So drinking water is a must. No, you can’t just drink coffee and juices and diet sodas to get your water. Not drinking enough water while doing any low carb lifestyle is important. I am sure you have heard of the Keto Flu well, not drinking enough water is one of the reasons. Let me explain…
Keto-Adaption or Fat Adaption – Water and Weight Loss
So, during the first week or so on Keto, you will experience a drastic water weight fluctuation. This is normal, you will be peeing a lot and it’s not a bad thing.
When your body stores carbs, it holds onto the water. For every 1 gram of carbs you store, you’ll store an average of 4 grams of water. So once your take out those carbs from your diet water will come with it. So that means you will have to drink more water.
That is why people on Keto need to drink more water. We are not eating those carbs that hang on to the water in our bodies. Just an FYI, for now, you will also need to up your sodium intake because you are also not eating all those processed foods that overfilled with sodium. A good way to get your sodium and other minerals such as potassium and calcium, is having a good electrolyte supplement. I use the Ultima brand.
How Much Water Should You Drink on Keto?
So here is the down low:
The institute of Medicine recommends that an adult drink between 91 and 125 fl oz. a day.
But that amount differs depending on your lifestyle. You know like if you, workout, are outside a lot in hot weather, you should probably drink more than someone that doesn’t.
But since your are doing the low carb life you should drink even more because like I said above your body is not holding on to water like it used to because you don’t have the carbs holding them with a death grip.
Drink when you are thirsty, and if your urine is light yellow or clear you are doing good. If it’s dark like your morning pee than you are not drinking enough.
Tips to Drinking More WATER
- Drink a bottle of water when you wake up.
- Flavor your water – my favorite
- Keep water with you always – I have an insulated water bottle also
- My personal favorite – have a gallon jug and make sure you finish that every day. Make it like a challenge…
Remember you are flushing those fats out and cleaning your body of all those toxins that you have built up from eating all those processed foods.
So in short water, weight loss and great Keto meal plan all go hand in hand. For your health and for your life.
