Should you be drinking lemon water for weight loss?
There are many myths when it comes to drinking lemon water. From when you drink it and how you drink it. It actually doesn’t matter when you drink lemon water, whether before bed, or first thing in the morning.
The effects will be the same no matter when you decide to have your lemon water. Drinking water in general is one of the best things you can do for your body.
Table Of Contents
- Is It OK To Drink Lemon Water Before Bed?
- Why Drink Lemon Water?
- A Natural Appetite Suppressant
- Increases Calorie Burning
- Helps Remove Waste From The Body
- Can Reduce Overall Calorie Intake
- Necessary To Burn Fat
- Helps With Fitness & Exercise
- Tips To Help You Drink More Water
Many studies appear to support the theory that drinking enough water throughout the day is VERY beneficial when it comes to weight loss.
Obviously staying hydrated is important for many other factors other than weight loss. Including – staying alive, digestion, skin health and muscle function. In fact, staying hydrated is what keeps our bodies happy and healthy in every way.
Here are our top 6 reasons why drinking plenty of water (with or without lemons) is a good idea for weight loss.
Is It OK To Drink Lemon Water Before Bed?
As long as you brush your teeth afterwards, yes, it should be fine for you to drink lemon water before bed.
You will need to brush your teeth afterwards due to the high levels of citric acid and fruit sugar found in lemons and other citrus fruits. So, brushing afterwards is a good idea to protect your tooth enamel.
Related Post – How You Can Succeed After A Failed Weight Loss Attempt
However, instead of drinking your lemon juice for weight loss at night, try having it first thing in the morning instead to cleanse your pallet. Simply add a squeeze of lemon to your water in the morning.
Why Drink Lemon Water?
Why drink lemon water at all you ask? What’s wrong with plain tap water? There are a few reasons why you might want to add lemon to your water…
- If you can’t stomach plain water
- Fresh lemon juice contains high levels of vitamin c
- Helps to boost your immune system
- Increased hydration
- Might help you cut out sugary drinks
You could even start drinking hot lemon water in the winter months instead of your usual cup of tea or coffee. Reap the many health benefits and an additional source of vitamins.
A Natural Appetite Suppressant
Whether you’re drinking lemon water before bed to lose weight, or throughout the day to stay hydrated, simply drinking more fluids will help to keep you feeling full. When the stomach senses it’s full, it will send a signal to your brain to tell you to stop eating.
Although water won’t fill you up calorie-wise, it will help to take up more space in your stomach. Hence why drinking water might help you lose weight!
Related Post – Losing Weight The Easy Way
Quite often, when someone thinks they’re hungry, it’s actually that they’re thirsty. Next time you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first and see if that stops your hunger pangs. Doing this can really help to curb any unnecessary snacking too.
You could even include drinking a glass of water, or lemon water as part of your meal plan. One glass before each meal will help you to eat less and hopefully lose weight (if that’s what you’re aiming for).
Increases Calorie Burning
Scientific research indicates drinking lemon water, or plain water will help you to burn more calories naturally. This is of course along with a balanced diet and exercise!
Related Post – Common Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight Eating 1200 Calories
Water may also temporarily increase the body’s resting energy expenditure – the number of calories burned while resting. Drinking cold water may further enhance water’s calorie-burning benefits – although this isn’t proven.
Helps Remove Waste From The Body
One of the many benefits of lemon water, or simply drinking more plain water is that it helps to remove toxins from the body.
When the body is dehydrated, it can’t correctly remove waste such as urine or poo. This waste will then start to build up in your cells. Water helps your kidneys to filter toxins and waste out of your body. So when your body is dehydrated, the kidneys will retain fluid…waste and all!
Related Post – Can Weight Loss Shakes Actually Help You Lose Weight?
Being dehydrated can also result in you having hard or lumpy stools and even constipation. Water will keep the waste moving by softening or loosening any hard stools. It also helps to prevent the body from experiencing digestive problems, such as diarrhoea and indigestion.
This generally happens when we get a bit backed up due to not having enough water to help flush through the body.
Reduce Overall Calorie Intake
Water is a calorie-free alternative to energy drinks or juice and will actually benefit your body a lot more than any other form of liquid. It’s so easy to accumulate liquid calories without even thinking about it by drinking soda, juice, or even coffee or tea with added sugar or milk.
Say for example you have 4 cups of coffee a day with milk and sugar, and the calories in each cup work out at about 50 calories. By switching that cup of coffee to water, or not adding milk and sugar, you’re already cutting your calories down by 200 a day! Over the week or even the month, that’s such a dramatic change and one you are bound to see in your disappearing love handles.
Necessary To Burn Fat
Yes, water is a vital part of being healthy – and alive. Without water in your system, the body cannot properly metabolise stored fat or carbohydrates and will therefore store them as fat in your body.
Not what you want, especially if you’re trying to lose weight! So yes, it is very important to help this process by staying hydrated.
Helps With Fitness & Exercise
Obviously, you won’t lose much, if any weight, no matter how hydrated you are if you don’t also have a good diet and exercise routine.
Water helps your muscles and joints move and recover better during and after exercise, so it’s very important to remember to drink. It also helps the lungs, heart, and other organs to work more effectively as you work out.
Being well hydrated both before and after a workout will help to reduce the risk of muscle cramps and fatigue. Always drink water before, during, and after exercise to avoid dehydration. Having a water bottle close by will help you to get more water in as you work out.
Tips To Help You Drink More Water
- Drink a glass of water with each meal
- Carry water in a reusable water bottle
- Drink water when exercising or during physical activity
- Drink water when it’s warm, humid, or very sunny
- Keep a glass of water near your bed
- Eat more soups, curries, stews, and smoothies
- Eat more fruits and vegetables with high water content – berries, grapes, melons, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and lettuce
Related Post – Do You Struggle To Drink Enough Water
Overview
You really don’t need to drink lemon juice for weight loss at night, or to have loads of gadgets to help you lose weight. You just need some direction, focus, a positive mental attitude – and patience! However, if adding lemon juice to your water will help you to drink more water, then go for it!
What do you think? Is drinking lemon juice for weight loss at night the best time to drink it, or doesn’t it matter when you have it? When would you drink your glass of lemon water?
Collaborative Post
Leave a Reply