When you feel hungry, you might want to think twice before you reach for a snack.
You might actually be thirsty - and regularly mistaking the two can hinder your weight loss success.
It’s easy to mistake dehydration for hunger cravings – and Medical Weight Loss Clinic can help you tell the difference.
Mary Pierce, manager of the Ann Arbor Medical Weight Loss Clinic location, says to stop and think about factors that can contribute to a change in your hunger and hydration. Consider whether you drank as much water as you should have by that point in the day. Have you eaten according to your customized schedule and plan that day, or maybe waited too long or didn’t eat enough? Did you perform strenuous exercise?
A test to distinguish between hunger and thirst is to drink a large glass of water and see how you feel after 15 minutes. If you don’t feel satisfied, you likely need to eat.
Mary says detailed journaling is important to uncovering what’s really happening on a regular basis.
She encourages patients to log what and when they eat and drink as well as any exercise and how they feel. By reviewing a detailed journal and asking a few key questions, Mary says, she and our other clinicians can typically pinpoint what caused the feelings of hunger or thirst.
“We tell people, ‘If you’re hungry, write it down in the journal. Show me when you’re hungry, I’ll tell you why,’” she says. “People frequently overeat because they think they’re hungry but actually, they’re thirsty.”
If you are chronically hungry, your plan can be adjusted to account for your needs. But if you determine that you’re more likely thirsty, don’t dismiss that as less important. It is crucial to your health that you stay hydrated, especially when you’re working to lose weight.
Mary recommends patients aim to drink 64 ounces of water a day. Try water infused with fruit or vegetables or flavored ice cubes to mix things up!
“Water is an essential part of any diet, whether it’s weight loss or maintenance,” she says. “It’s an important part of all body functions and processes, including digestion and elimination. It helps flush waste from the body and eliminates toxins from our body through ruination. Not getting an adequate amount of water prevents the kidneys from functioning properly which in turn, prevents the liver from operating at its best. The liver’s function is to metabolize fat.”
Drinking enough water means patients experience less:
● Body aches
● Weight loss plateaus
● Fatigue
● Fat storage
● Night-time snack cravings
● Water retention
● High cholesterol
● High blood pressures
● Weight gain
● Digestive disorders
● Hard stool
Overall, Mary says ensuring that you’re satiated is about food scheduling and working with your clinic team to create a weight loss plan that works for you. A successful plan gives you the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fiber so that you’re not hungry or tired and continue to lose weight.
To learn how our experienced Medical Weight Loss team can create a program unique to you and support your weight loss journey, visit MWLC.com to schedule a free consultation.
