How many times have you heard “Drink more water?”  It has been said time and again that in order to lose weight we need to drink more water. In fact, this is a central theme that most weight loss plans have as a major suggestion. Water is an essential part of any diet but there are other liquids we really shouldn’t ignore.  This is a somewhat against-the-grain idea because the first thing you will hear in planning weight loss is “eliminate liquid calories.”  While this is true, there are a few liquids which can be very helpful.

So we know that water is an essential part of the body although we do not think about what we need from it. Water has a lot of function, such as lubricating the entire body, stopping us from being constipated, keeping our kidneys functioning well and helping us get minerals and other nutrients to our cells. Since water is important to the entire body it is a good idea to have plenty of it available to help the body function properly and prepare the internal environment to accept good food and nutrition. Water helps when you are working on the fastest way to lose weight.  Although the general rule has always been to drink 8 glasses of water a day to lose weight, we actually need more than this amount and that it is liquids of all types not just water. We recommend you drink at least 14 glasses of water a day for men and 12 for women.   So on top of that amount of water, you can also drink some of the following:

So what other liquids should I be drinking?

1) Green tea
Green tea has been shown to promote well being, aid in weight loss, and boost the immune system.  One cup of green tea is not a difficult thing to get in.

2) (Skim) Milk
Despite the growing organic movement and the anti-milk new age hippy attitude that seems to be pervasive at the moment, milk is still a great liquid.  The protein in milk helps in muscle development and weight loss.  Ever seen that milk commerical where the milk glass gets skinnier to look like a figure?  Its not so far off from the truth.

3) Coffee
Thats right, in moderation coffee can be great for you.  Several studies have shown coffee might actually help fight cancer.  Just remember coffee has caffeine which is a stimulant (helping with fat loss) however it is also a dieretic so make sure and drink an extra glass or two of water.