The Wonderful Health and Weight Loss Properties of Water

When dieting, it's easy to become so pre-occupied with what we're eating that we forget to think about the importance of  staying hydrated. Many of us replace water with coffee, soft drinks and juices - or simply neglect to consume any liquid during the course of the day. In this post I will discuss all the various health and beauty benefits associated with drinking water, as well as water's essential role in helping to burn fat.

How much water should you be drinking daily?

You need to drink at least 8 glasses (250ml) / 4 bottles (500ml) of water a day. This is a minimum and you should in fact aim higher - the more water the better! It is almost impossible to 'over-hydrate.' If you are exercising during the day, it becomes even more crucial to raise this amount to re-hydrate after sweating during the exercise. Equally if you are drinking alcohol, it is very important to increase your water intake. Alcohol causes your kidneys to reabsorb less water into your blood-stream than they would normally, creating a risk of dehydration.

How is water so good for you?

Beauty Benefits

• Glowing skin - Increasing your water intake can improve the quality of your skin in as little as a week. Water helps to get rid of greasy deposits such as black heads as well as giving moisture to dry skin. You can enjoy beautiful skin without the constant need for spot creams, moisturiser, and foundation! 

Weight Loss and Dieting

• Preventing hunger - water, particularly hot water, fills you up. Sometimes when we experience hunger it is actually a physiological response to dehydration. When you feel hungry, try to drink a glass of water and reconsider how you feel in 20 minutes. If you still feel hungry then you should naturally find yourself something to eat. However, often you will find that the sensation of hunger disappears shortly after drinking the glass of water.
• Metabolism boost - water, particularly cold water, boosts your metabolism by as much as 30%, raising your resting calorie burn rate significantly. If your diet relies on restricting your net calorie allowance, why not profit from this easy way of burning more, even while sitting behind an office desk?
• Convert more stored fat to energy - converting stored fat to energy is the job of your liver. However, if your kidneys are dehydrated, the liver's primary function becomes helping out the kidneys with toxin filtration, rather than converting fat as we would like it to! Drinking more water helps ensure that the kidneys are capable of fulfilling their duties without assistance.
• Prevents constipation - drinking water helps to avoid constipation which is not only uncomfortable but can also impede weight loss. 

Other Health Benefits

• Lowered risk of heart attacks - Drinking at least 5 glasses of water a day can lower your risk of heart disease and heart attacks by as much as 40%.  
• Lowered cancer risk - proper hydration has been shown to lower the risk of bowel and colon cancers by up to 50%.
• Toxin cleansing - water helps your kidneys and liver filter toxins out of your body. This greatly helps to prevent painful kidney stones and maintain a healthy liver. This is particularly important for those who consume alcohol regularly.
• Prevents headaches - many migraines and painful headaches occur due to dehydration causing blood vessels in the brain to expand. Drinking plenty of water helps to avoid this.
• Improves brain performance - your brain needs oxygen to function and drinking the correct amount of water ensures that the necessary oxygen can be delivered to your brain cells.
• Battles daytime fatigue - feeling drowsy? Have a glass of cold water!
• Greatly improves muscle performance and recovery - your muscles become weak and do not recover properly if a proper balance of fluid and electrolytes is not maintained. Drinking more water can ensure that your hard work at the gym does not go to waste!

How can you increase your water intake and make it habitual?

• Drink a 250ml glass of water within 20 minutes of getting up in the morning. Fill a glass of water before going to sleep and put it on your bed stand so you will remember to drink it when you wake up. This will kick start your metabolism and help you control your food intake at breakfast.
• Drink a glass of water 20 minutes before each meal and another glass with your meal.
• Always keep a full 500ml bottle of water in your bag with you wherever you go. The moment it is empty, make a point to refill it.
• If you are working at home or in an office, keep a 2 litre bottle of water in plain sight on your desk and make a point of draining it before you finish for the day.
• In a small notebook, record the number of glasses/bottles of water you have consumed that day. Set yourself a target of at least 2 litres a day and increase this with time.
• Just before you go to sleep, drink a glass of water. Keep a bottle of water on your bed stand so you can drink if you wake during the night without having to get up.

1200 Calories Meal Plans

Whether you're working full time, studying at school or uni, or constantly busy with the stress of completing your never-ending to-do list, it can become really tough to keep track of what you're eating, let alone count calories. For this reason, I have constructed a set of possible interchangeable meal plan ideas, all of which total 1200 calories or less. Each meal is designed to be quick and easy to prepare, while fitting inside a tight budget. Despite being very low calorie, the meal plans still allow for controlled portions of guilty pleasures such as chocolate or cheese in order to make the plans enjoyable to follow, rather than brutally restrictive.


Meal Plan 1

Breakfast
2 slices of Hovis Nimble Wholemeal Bread with 15g Flora Light Butter
1 mug of green or flavoured green tea (or instant coffee with 20ml skimmed milk, +10 cals)

Snack
1 Sharon Fruit

Lunch
1 Sainsbury's Cheese and Ham Chicken Kiev
Handful of Rocket Salad

Snack
1 Mini Mars Bar (18g)

Dinner
1/4 pack Sainsbury's Smoky Chorizo Raviolini
125g Dolmio Bolognaise Sauce with Extra Mushrooms and Garlic
30g Sainsbury's Basics Smoked Mackerel

Snack
Mango and Banana Shake (Half a mango, half a banana, 150ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon)

Total Calories: 1150
Carbs: 145g
Fat: 48g
Protein: 52g
Sugar: 51g

Meal Plan 2

Breakfast
1 slice of Hovis Nimble Wholemeal Bread
30g Philadelphia Light cream cheese (any flavour)
30g smoked salmon
1 mug of green or flavoured green tea (or instant coffee with 20ml skimmed milk, +10 cals)

Snack
1 pack crisps in the under 99 calorie range (e.g. wotsits)

Lunch
150g chicken breast fillet stuffed with 25g Sainsbury's basics Mozarella and 1tsp wholegrain mustard (oven bake for 22 mins at 200C)
Handful of iceberg lettuce and 6 cherry tomatoes

Snack
100g Rachel's organic low fat vanilla yoghurt (or similar)
100g Sainsbury's Basics Blueberries

Dinner
1/2 pot Sainsbury's Carrot and Coriander Soup
1 slice of Hovis Nimble Wholemeal Bread with 15g Flora Light butter
1/2 can drained tuna in sunflower oil

Snack
Strawberry and Banana Shake (6 basics strawberries, half a banana, 150ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond Milk)

Total Calories: 1131
Carbs: 134g
Fat: 43g
Protein: 89g
Sugar: 68g

Meal Plan 3

Breakfast
40g Sainsbury's Red Berry Balance Cereal
150ml skimmed milk
1 mug of green or flavoured green tea (or instant coffee with 20ml skimmed milk, +10 cals)

Snack
Carrot batons
1/4 pot Be Good to Yourself Hummus

Lunch
1/4 Sainsbury's Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Handful of Rocket

Snack
1 slice of Hovis Nimble Wholemeal Bread
30g Philadelphia Light cream cheese (any flavour)
30g chorizo/salami
1 sweet pickled gherkin

Dinner
150g salmon fillet oven poached in lemon juice and dried herbs (20 mins at 190C)
1/2 pack Tilda egg-fried rice

Snack
Peach and Raspberry Shake (100g fresh/frozen raspberries, 100g frozen peach slices, 150ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond Milk)

Total Calories: 1200
Carbs: 166g
Fat: 45g
Protein: 72g
Sugar: 53g

I hope you enjoy trying out these meal plans, please do let me know what you think in the comments.

Brief disclaimer: I am not a dietitian or a health specialist, this blog is merely advice based on what has worked for me in the past - over the past few months I have steadily lost weight by following these plans roughly. Equally I am not paid to promote any of the products mentioned in this blog - they are my recommendations based on price and quality.

Quick and Healthy Shake Recipes

These shakes are bursting with vitamins and scrumptious goodness to power you through even the most dreary of days. The natural fruity sweetness provides the perfect replacement for unhealthy sugary snacks which I so often find myself reaching for. Whether you need a lift in the morning or simply something to satisfy your sweet-tooth, these recipes will be ideal.

Mango and Banana Shake
With it's creamy texture and vibrant flavours, this shake is just like a dessert - without the guilt!

Ingredients:

• 
• Half of one mango
• Half of one banana
• 150 ml unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp runny honey

1 Serving

Nutritional Values:
Calories: 192
Carbohydrates: 39g
Fat: 2g
Protein: 3g
Sugar: 34g

Method: Peel and slice the mango and banana into small chunks. Add the almond milk, honey and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Blitz the ingredients together using a hand-held blender (you can buy one from Argos for £4.50 or so!). For a thicker texture (resembling sorbet or ice cream), blend in some ice or use frozen fruit. Finally, pour the mixture into a tall glass, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon and enjoy!

Blueberry, Banana and Green Tea Shake
A wonderfully refreshing shake bursting with antioxidants, for beautiful glowing skin.


Ingredients:

• 100g blueberries
• One banana
• 100 ml unsweetened almond milk
• 100 ml strong brewed green tea
• 2 tsps runny honey

1 Serving

Nutritional Values:
Calories: 226
Carbohydrates: 54g
Fat: 1g
Protein: 2g
Sugar: 37g

Method: Brew the tea (plain green tea or your favourite flavoured green tea) in a separate container and allow to cool in the fridge. Peel and slice the banana and blend it together with the blueberries, milk and honey. Add the cooled green tea and blend until smooth. Add more or less honey according to taste.

Tangy Raspberry Yoghurt Shake

Creamy with just the right balance of sweet and sour, this shake is the perfect start to a dull winter day!

Ingredients:

• 
  
• 150g raspberries
• 100 ml unsweetened almond milk
• 125 ml frozen or regular low fat vanilla yoghurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice

1 Serving

Nutritional Values:
Calories: 187
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fat: 3g
Protein: 4g
Sugar: 21g

Method: Blend all the ingredients together, adding an extra splash of milk if the mixture is too thick. Add more lemon juice for more acidity if preferred. Replace the vanilla yoghurt with low fat raspberry yoghurt for a more powerful raspberry taste (I used yoomoo vanilla frozen yoghurt).

Heavenly Peach and Strawberry Shake

Ingredients:

• 
• Handful of frozen peaches or half a tin canned peaches (without syrup)
• 6 large strawberries
• 125 ml frozen or regular low fat vanilla yoghurt (I use yoomoo vanilla frozen yoghurt)
• 100ml unsweetened almond milk

1 Serving

Nutritional values:

Calories: 177

Carbohydrates: 33g

Fat: 2g

Protein: 4g

Sugar: 26g

Method: Blend together all the ingredients, adding more milk if the consistency is too thick.

OBTAINING INGREDIENTS ON A BUDGET

Living on a tight budget, I am always seeking out the best deals on ingredients I need for my recipes. Below I have listed some of the prices and stores where I buy ingredients used in the shakes above:

• Large Mango - Sainsbury's, £1 each
• 125g Basics Blueberries - Sainsbury's, £1.65 (but can sometimes be found on a 2 for £3 deal)
• 250g Basics Strawberries - Sainsbury's, £1.15
• 750 ml Yoomoo Vanillla Frozen Yoghurt - Waitrose, £2 (sometimes on a 2 for 1 deal)
• 1L Alpro Unsweetened Almond Milk - Waitrose, £1.69 (sometimes on a 2 for £2 deal)
• Basics Bananas (minimum 8) - Sainsbury's, £1.15
• 400 g Frozen Raspberries, Sainsbury's, £2.30 (sometimes on a 2 for £4 deal)

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any supermarket, I am not paid to advertise for them and I cannot guarantee any of the prices. I am merely listing my recommendations.