Think You’re Hungry? Drink Water, Not Diet Soda!
For anyone trying to cut back on calories, there’s a weight-loss tip out there that’s almost too good to be true. Next time you think you’re hungry, challenge that feeling by drinking a glass of water first, then wait a little bit before eating. You may find you’re not hungry anymore! That’s because the body’s thirst mechanism is extremely close to that which tells us we need nutrients.
However, make sure you’re not making the error of many dieters out there and mistaking diet sodas for sufficient hydration. Artificial sweeteners are designed to keep you dehydrated, so you’ll get thirsty and drink more diet soda.
In Dr. F. Batmanghelidj’s book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, he writes, “It is primitive and simplistic thinking that one could easily lace water with all sorts of pleasure-enhancing chemicals and substitute these fluids for the natural and clean water that the human body needs. Some of these chemicals, caffeine, aspartame, saccharin and alcohol, through their constant lopsided effect on the brain … [program] the body chemistry with results opposite to the body’s natural design.”
Studies show that diet soda not only messes with your body’s natural ability to accurately detect dehydration, but it causes weight gain as well. The sugary taste of artificial sweenteners tricks your brain into expecting calories through carbohydrates. When those aren’t delivered, your body activates it’s hunger response and doesn’t shut off until you eat something.
Next time you think you’re hungry, reach for bottled water, not a diet soda. Your body will thank you, and you’ll eat less, too.
Sources: