When it comes to excess weight and trying to lose those very stubborn extra pounds, many would agree that there is almost nothing they wouldn’t do just to see the scale go down. This utter dedication to weight loss can be a good thing and a bad thing. On one hand, it could mean that a person will use all the right channels to get rid of belly fat, while on the other hand some will be tempted to use often dangerous shortcuts just to see their gut shrink a little.
One of the most commonly touted weight loss miracle workers are weight loss drinks. Whenever you look up quick ways to lose weight chances are that you will come across a juice diet of some sort that promises to show you easy belly fat burning juice recipes to help you get rid of the dreaded muffin top once and for all.
With the increase in popularity of the juice cleanse weight loss we are left wondering, are belly fat burning juice recipes the real secret to weight loss or is this another fad diet that will leave you with nothing but frustration and regret?
What Is A Juice Diet?
Also known as a juice cleanse, juice fast or juice detox, it is a diet plan that has been popularized by widely known celebrities and social media stars, all who claim that they were able to lose pounds thanks to the power of juicing recipes for weight loss.
So what exactly is a juice diet? According to verywellfit.com, this is a weight loss and detox diet plan that often involves consuming nothing but vegetable and fruit juices for a short period of time – anywhere from three days to ten days.
Those who place their trust in juice cleanse recipes believe that these weight loss drinks will not only help them lose weight, but also that the ingredients in these juices will help flush out toxins from their bodies.
Read More: 5-Day Juice Cleanse Explained: Recipes, Results, and Safety Concerns
Do Weight Loss Drinks Actually Help With Weight Loss?
While most internet sources will promise you drastic results with their juice cleanse recipes, the painful truth is that juice cleanse weight loss is in fact just a fad. If you are looking to lose actual fat from your belly (or any other body part for that matter), weight loss drinks are not the answer to your problems.
In fact, according to a 2019 article by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, so far, there is no compelling research to support the use of “detox” diets for weight management or eliminating toxins from the body. The article went further to say that while you may experience some initial and quick weight loss from doing juice cleanse weight loss diet, all the weight you lost will immediately come back once you go off the cleanse and resume a normal diet (1).
If you are still not convinced that belly fat burning juices recipes will not lead to long term weight loss or even a completely fat midsection, one 2017 review on popular fad diets stated that the only reason why juicing leads to weight loss is because it is a diet extremely low in calories. It will work for a short period and after this all the weight will come back (5).
What To Drink To Lose Weight – Instead Of Juice Cleanse Recipes
Not only will these popularized belly fat burning juice recipes not lead to long term weight loss or even any fat loss at all but in most cases, they are deemed to be quite unsafe. According to the United States NCCIH juice cleanses can be unsafe because (1):
- they may lead to kidney problem due to the consumption of many high-oxalate foods
- Can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Not only does juicing take out almost all the fiber in the fruits and vegetables, but anyone on a juice diet does not consume any carbohydrates, protein or even fats in the diet.
- Its extremely restrictive – As mentioned above, while on such a diet, you are basically living on fluid alone which does not in any way give you the required amount of calories that any one human should be consuming in a day
- People with a history of illnesses such as gastrointestinal disease, colon surgery, severe hemorrhoids, kidney disease, or heart disease are warned off such a diet as it can aggravate existing issues.
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What Can You Drink To Lose Weight?
So if consuming weight loss drinks and juices will not help with weight loss, what can you drink to lose weight?
Other than exercise and a balanced and healthy diet, the one other thing that can help with weight loss is your metabolism. People who are overweight/obese and who struggle with weight loss often have a slow metabolism which make burning calories very had.
To counter this, these people are often encouraged not only to workout and eat better, but to also seek out foods to boost and reset their metabolism. Some drinks that can help with this include tea and coffee – caffeine has been shown to temporarily help boost the metabolic rate, and water – it keeps you fuller for longer and also increases metabolism. Protein in foods or drinks can (along with strength training) help build muscle, which increases metabolism as well.
Some people also add some ginger and/or chilli to their water or smoothies – the chemical compounds in these two ingredients are said to boost your metabolic rate thus help you burn calories faster, before they are stored as fat in the body.
FAQs
How Much Water Should I Drink To Lose Weight Calculator?
When it comes to weight loss, most of us are quite familiar with weight loss calculators which help us easily determine how many calories we should eat every day to get rid of the excess body fat. These calculators often use your weight, height, gender, age, and amount of physical activity to help determine your best food energy intake for weight loss, weight gain or even maintenance.
But how about a water intake calculator? How can you determine how much water you should drink per day to help you lose weight?
When it comes to shedding off those excess pounds, a simple glass of water goes a long way – further than most people actually realize.
Read More: 7-Day Juice Diet: No, It Won’t Flush The Toxins Out!
The Importance Of Drinking Water
1. According to a review posted online in 2013, people who combined increased water intake and a weight loss program of some sort lost more weight than those who did not increase their water intake (2).
2. In 2003, a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, stated that by drinking just 500 ml of water you can boost your metabolism by up to 30 percent for anywhere between 10 minutes to 40 minutes. This metabolism boost helps your body burn more calories even while at rest. According to the study, if you were to drink 2 liters of water a day, it could help you burn up to 400 kilojoules (95 calories) (9).
The findings in this study were corroborated by two more studies; one in 2007 and another in 2010. The 2007 study stated that 500 ml of water increased energy expenditure in overweight participants by 24 percent over the course of 60 min after ingestion (8). In the 2010 study, researchers found that people who drank the same amount of water before a meal (500 ml) ended up losing more weight than those who did not (7).
3. According to a study published in 2008, an increase in water intake can help you lose weight even without adding exercise to your daily activities or even changing your diet. In the study, the overweight women who increased their water intake to more than a liter a day lost 2 kilograms more than was expected (3).
How Much Water To Drink To Lose Weight?
So how can you determine how much water to drink to lose weight? Calculating how much water you should be drinking a day is actually quite easy. Here’s how to do it in three simple steps
- Determine your weight in kilograms – Just like with food, how much you weigh directly correlates with how much water you need
- Multiply this number by 30-35 ml
- Adjust the number based on how often you work out – For every 30 minutes that you work out, add 12 ounces of water (355 ml) to your daily total intake.
If you don’t want to manually calculate this, you can easily use an online water calculator to help you determine how many liters of water you need a day for weight loss and better health.
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How To Lose Water Weight Overnight?
According to medicalnewstoday.com water weight, also known as edema, is a common condition whereby our bodies hold on to extra water – more than the 50 to 60 percent that makes up our today body weight. Womenshealthmag.com claims that our bodies retain water as a form of survival tactic to protect itself against dehydration.
While water retention is often not dangerous, most people find this occurrence quite annoying as it often causes bloating and puffiness and can even cause the weight on your scale to go up by up to an extra four pounds.
So, how can you lose water weight overnight? The simplest way to do this is by simply drinking more water. Confusing, I know but by drinking more water, you easily prevent dehydration and improve kidney function making it easier for these organs to flush out any excess water and salt from your system.
Other Ways To Lose Water Weight
- Reducing your salt intake – The more salt you consume, the more water your body retains in an effort to maintain the perfect sodium-to-water ratio for proper bodily function.
- Exercise. According to a 1992 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, each gram (g) of glycogen comes with 3 g of water attached (4). Carbohydrates are stored for energy in the muscles as glycogen. Using up that energy through exercise will temporarily remove the associated water. Sweating during exercise is another way that your body gets rid of fluid and sodium.
- Try some belly fat burning juice recipes – While the juice diet and weight loss drinks may not be the best things for actual fat/weight loss or good health, they can come in handy for getting rid of water weight. Juice contains water, so it is helping you to hydrate. Just make sure you are still eating food and not replacing your meals with juice alone.
How To Lose Leg Fat With Juicing Recipes For Weight Loss?
I hate to dash your hopes but if you are looking to lose leg fat, belly fat burning juice recipes are not the answer. This also applies to any other juice diet recipes that you will come across promising a quick fix for leg and thigh fat.
If you are looking to have slimmer or even more muscular legs and thighs, the answer lies in three distinct things:
- Doing more cardio with activities such as cycling, running, or swimming
- Building your leg muscles by strength training and weight lifting
- Eating a well balanced, healthy diet with a moderate calorie deficit
You must also remember that spot reduction is not a real thing. For you to lose leg fat, you will also lose fat in other areas of your body too (6).
The Bottom Line
Are belly fat burning juice recipes the answer to a slimmer waist?
No, they are not. Juice cleanse weight loss is nothing but another fad diet that promises quick weight loss results but never delivers. Instead of trying a juice diet, we would suggest that you instead drink actual healthy smoothies as part of a healthy diet.
Not only do smoothies have pulp filled with fiber to keep you fuller for longer, but they are made with whole, healthy ingredients that will give your body the nutrients that it needs. If you are looking to lose weight and you cannot seem to find the right diet for you, please make a point of talking to a nutritionist instead of partaking in this so-called diet.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- “Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need To Know (2019, nccih.nih.gov)
- Association between water consumption and body weight outcomes: a systematic review (2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Drinking water is associated with weight loss in overweight dieting women independent of diet and activity (2008, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Glycogen storage: illusions of easy weight loss, excessive weight regain, and distortions in estimates of body composition (1992, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques (2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Regional fat changes induced by localized muscle endurance resistance training (2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults (2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Water drinking induces thermogenesis through osmosensitive mechanisms (2007, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Water-induced thermogenesis (2003, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
