Drinking water is crucial while you are on a 5:2 diet or any other diet for that matter!

Why? Well our body is made up of between 55% – 70% water content and so you could say it is one of the most important nutrients or sources the body needs to operate at its optimum.

Fasting with the 5:2 diet does not mean you completely fast and avoid water altogether, in fact it’s just the opposite!

When on the 5:2 diet or any other fasting diet plan you really must focus on your water consumption and ensure that you are drinking enough water to hydrate the body and help it cleanse; failure to do so will mean that all the efforts you have put into the 5:2 diet may not be as effective as they could be.

Water and the Fasting Diet Plan

Drinking water is crucial while you are on a 5:2 diet or any other diet for that matter!

Water is needed by every part of the body. If you want it to help you with your weight loss efforts and the fasting diet plan then taking note of these benefits will help you understand the vital role it plays including:

• Digestion as it passes through small and large intestines. Water lubricates everything so that food will easily pass through. Adequate hydration prevents constipation and keeps bowel functioning properly. Water helps you eliminate waste products and if this is functioning well then your general well being improves.

• Brain function – Your brain is 85% water. If you don’t drink enough water, your brain can’t function very well. Through the posterior pituitary gland, your brain communicates to your kidneys and tells it how much water to excrete or to hold on. Also when you are low in fluids, the brain triggers your thirst mechanism; which is sometimes confused for ‘being hungry’.

• Operating the nervous system – Your nervous system contains the most important part of your body, the brain.  Give your nervous system everything that it needs by drinking plenty of water especially when you are on 5:2 diet. As I said, your brain can’t work well if you don’t drink enough water.

• Carrying nutrients in the blood – Water forms the basis of the blood.  It carries all the nutrients we need throughout our bodies from the top of our head to the tip of our toes. Water is needed for good circulation.

• Perspiration – When we perspire, we release liquid from the body’s sweat glands.  By drinking enough water, we can prevent dehydration and we replace the fluids we lose.

• Removal of toxins – Body fluids transports waste products in and out of our body.  When we drink plenty of water, our kidneys do an amazing job by excreting body toxins.

• Remove fat from the body once it breaks down – The liver helps break down fat and the kidneys help remove waste and toxins.

If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys will not function at their optimum and the liver will have to work twice as hard to remove the toxins from the body. Failure to drink enough water when following the fasting diet plan results in poor fat metabolism and we know you don’t want that!

Increase Your Weight Loss and Fat Burning with Water

That one can of soda is just a little less than a third of your daily intake when following the 5:2 diet.

Many people who follow a 5:2 diet or eating plan often drink water as part of their weight loss strategy; not only for the many benefits as outlined above but also because it prevent you from feeling excess hunger and prevents them from drinking additional calories through drinks that contain high levels of sugar and fat such as from soda’s, fruit juices or milk shakes.

Did you know that one can of soda have about nine and half teaspoons of sugar or about 140 – 160 calories in each drink? That is just a little less than a third of your daily intake when following the 5:2 diet! I’m sure you would rather put these calories to better use both in terms of nourishment and having your hunger appeased!

If straight drinking water doesn’t sound very appealing try incorporating herbal teas; or flavoured water. Try adding some lemon, lime, mint, a few berries to a bottle of water as you sip on it through the day.

To optimise your 5:2 diet efforts when following the fasting diet plan focus on getting enough water into your diet daily. Not just through your drinks but through the foods you eat. If you find it difficult to incorporate more water into your diet through drinking it then perhaps consider having foods higher in water content.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great source of water especially melons, celery, cucumber, grapes, tomatoes; spinach and berries. These foods are high in water content and are also very low in calories; which is perfect when only eating 500 calories on the 5:2 diet.

Another way to include more water in your fasting diet plan is to have a big bowl of soup for lunch or dinner or have a mug of Miso soup; when the afternoon slump hits. Miso is great tasting and only about 35 calories.

Water has numerous health benefits; which stretch much wider than the benefits of losing weight with the 5:2 diet. It really is an elixir that holds the key to us feeling happy and healthy. So to maximise your results on the fasting diet plan and have you feeling at your peak be sure to increase your water consumption; you will feel and look better because of it.