Staying Hydrated This Summer
With warm temperatures, outdoors fun, and an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruit in season, summer is a great time for weight loss. As you plan your summer weight loss journey, it is also important to keep hydration in mind.
Not only do you need enough fluid, but it needs to be the right type for best results. Too many beverages are high in sugar and likely to put a damper on weight loss. The BariatricPal Store has beverages, such as Fruit Drinks, that are sugar-free but still able to deliver refreshing flavors that you may be looking for.
Why Hydration Is Important
Getting enough fluid is important to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can be especially common after bariatric surgery when it may be difficult to swallow or water and other beverages may taste unpleasant, even if they tasted fine before the procedure.
Symptoms of dehydration can include the following.
- Thirst
- Headache
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Infrequent or dark-colored urine
If you need more motivation to stay hydrated, here it is. Some research studies have found that increasing water intake has been associated with improved weight loss! Coupled with proper hydration, you can also you can also avoid constipation with a natural laxatives like Prunelax.
How Much Liquid Do You Need?
Many bariatric patients are asked to get at least 64 ounces of water or another low-calorie fluid each day. That amount can be higher for patients with a higher starting weight. Fluid needs also increase during the summer when the weather is hot. In addition, you need extra fluid if you sweat while you exercise.
Fruit Drinks and Other Sugar-Free Fluids
Water is calorie-free and readily available, but it is not the only choice! Protein Fruit Drinks let you sample all kinds of summer fruit flavors without getting any of the sugar that they normally have. Plus, they have 15 grams of protein per serving.
Protein Fruit Drinks are easy to take anywhere or have at home. They are packaged in single-serving packets that you can mix with water. Flavors include Peach Mango, Cran-Grape, Apple, Orange, Tropical Fruit, Lemonade, and Strawberry Kiwi.
More Tips for Hydration
Make a schedule for drinking so you know when you should be hydrating. You might want to have 8 or more ounces of water when you wake up, an hour after each meal, and before and after exercising to boost your intake.
These are some more pointers to get enough to drink.
- Keep a water bottle with you and keep drinking it and refilling it.
- Set a timer to remind you to drink regularly.
- Keep a pitcher of water in your fridge so you see it every time you open the fridge.
In addition, it is important to watch out for high-calorie or high-sugary drinks, even if they seem refreshing and nutritious. Smoothies can have 200 to 400 or even 600 calories, and up to 100 grams of sugar, for example! Adding a few of those regularly can interfere with weight loss and may even make you feel sick if your body is unable to properly process all that sugar.
The BariatricPal Store has you covered this summer as you work to lose weight. With sugar-free, great-tasting Protein Fruit Drinks, you can get extra fluid and protein without putting a damper on weight loss or missing out on favorite flavors!
