Water Diet: The Water Diet and Fasting. Powerful Pathways to Weight Loss, Detox Cleansing & Improved Health. Bottoms Up!

"INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE". Doesn't sound like much, does it? Well, IT'S A LOT! Just starting to drink more water each day helps the body to flush out disease-causing toxins and pungent fecal matter adhered to the walls of the colon. The water can notably soothe gastrointestinal conditions as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, which are often interrelated and run rampant in the US.

HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE: Drink one half-gallon of water every day for the rest of your life... period. And, guess what? Doing this consistently, water studies indicate, can foster gradual weight loss WITHOUT exercise or special diets. Sounds too good to be true... what's the catch? Well, there really is no catch. The concept is that cool water forces the body to burn roughly 60 calories more per day because it has to WARM the water up to body temperature.

Anything Except Water

It isn't much of a shock that most of us DO NOT drink sufficient water. I talk to people all the time that tell me they simply do not like the taste of water; others simply are unwilling to do it. Many are addicted to caffeine and/or sugar-infested juices and soft-drinks. Any time they feel thirst, the farthest thing on their minds is to drink water. In fact, they will drink any beverage under God's blessed sun - EXCEPT water.

If you fall into any of these categories, then hopefully this page can motivate you to give the water diet a try. The message I want to bring to you in this page is very simple: DRINK MORE WATER! The benefits you can gain are tremendous when you do it daily and consistently. If you are interested in improving your health and losing weight, then this is a simple action you can take TODAY to start moving towards your health-related goals.

The Water Diet & Water Fasting

I was a cola junkie for years. It was NOT easy to make the change. But I am very glad that I did. Today, my liquid consumption is based on one gallon of water daily, seltzer water here and there and natural vegetable/fruit juice. I also enjoy caffeinated green tea and an occassional cup of "half-caff" coffee.

My health, energy and moods have have drastically stabilized. The chronic constipation, sleepiness, afternoon "sinking spells" and irritability that plagued me for years have disappeared. In other parts of this website I've talked about a 40-day water fast I did some years ago that literally saved my life. Well, one of the tools that has helped me to MAINTAIN the weight loss and health benefits to this day is drinking lots of water - DAILY!

1/2 Gallon of Water Daily For Life

Let us first look at the difference between water fasting and this so-called "water diet". With water fasting, a person abstains completely from solid food for the purposes of weight loss and detoxification. The water diet, on the other hand, involves the consumption of at least eight-to-ten 8-ounce glasses of water daily as part of a daily nutrition and health regimen. They are too different disciplines. But they can definitely be used hand-in-hand to optimize your health, detoxification and weight loss goals.

As I mentioned at the beggining of this page, the water diet asks you to commit to drinking half a gallon of cool water (no ice) daily - for life. This breaks down to eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day - totaling 64 ounces - half a gallon. That's it! If you are truly serious about fasting for weight loss and health, then the water diet is imperative. In addition to quick weight loss, water fasting is done to achieve detoxification, healing and spiritual reflection and/or breakthrough.

The Water Diet is for life. It says: "Continue to drink half a gallon of water every day once the fast is over. Do this every day ... make it yours - practice it as a lifestyle". This, we believe, is quite possibly more important than the fast itself. When new to the water diet, you may feel bloated, or hear yourself sloshing. Do not give up. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the end result is worth the effort.

The Water Diet & Your Skin

Drinking half a gallon of water every day also helps to maintain skin elasticity, which can keep you looking young for longer. When hydration is not done, skin cells are dry, they crack, peel and change color. In effect, the skin becomes itchy, sensitive, discolored and all around unnatractive.

Lotions and anti-aging creams can, to some extent, be helpful in preventing these conditions. But an even better way to make sure that your skin is thoroughly being taken care of and protected is to drink lots of water.

72% Water

The human body is comprised of roughly 72% water. Blood is 83% water; muscles are 75% water; the brain is 74% water and bone is 22% water. Get the idea? Water is necessary for survival of human and the proper functioning of body systems. Blood and lymph are the main ways the body transports food and oxygen to its cells. Blood and lymph have special cells in them which fight infection as part of the immune system.

Water carries enzymes through the digestive system so that food can be broken into the different nutrientst the body needs to function.Furthermore, everything the body does not use has to be eliminated. Some of this waste goes from the blood to the kidneys, which make urine - made up mostly of water. Other portions of the waste go to the colon and comes out as feces - which also is made up largely of water.

More of the body's waste comes out via exhalation. If you breathe onto a mirror you are likely to see little drops of water on the glass; this is water from your breath. Water also comes out through the tiny holes in your skin called pores. This water we call perspiration or sweat and it helps to cool our bodies and get rid of toxins. Saliva is mostly water and can it helps to rid the body of waste, such as phlegm when one gets a cold or flu, for example.

The mucus that comes out of your mouth when you have a cold is also mostly water. Mucus keeps the eyes, ears, nose and throat (among others) properly hydrated so that different fluids can flow easily from one point to another. Water is in the fluids that keep your joints moving smoothly [like knees and elbows].Anyways, I don't want to bombard you with endless examples of how important the water diet is - but I am sure you get the idea.

I DO NOT, however, believe that simply drinking water while continuing to gorge and NOT change your eating habits will produce desirable results. I DO know that a eating healthy IN ADDITION to the water diet, can help keep you in track once you complete a fasting and detoxification process. If you are currently having problems with binging and/or compulsive overeating, you will not be hurt by at the very least starting to drink more water. So, no matter what your current condition may be, the water diet can do you a lot of good.

Water - Not Coffee & Cigarettes

One key point I always emphasize is that water fasting and the water diet are comprised of exactly that, WATER. Many people argue and say that tea and coffee are made up of water and therefore should be allowed as a replacement for water consumption. THIS IS HOGWASH The whole point of the water diet is to drink exactly what its name implies - WATER.

I am not saying that you need to stop drinking your morning coffee or that you should deprive yourself of healthy beverages. What I AM saying is that, if all you drink is coffee, sodas and juices, then you would benefit by examing your habits and increasing your consumption of nothing but water.

I am certain that you will notice great improvements in your health, energy levels and even your physical appearance. There are various types of teas, however, that we do recommend to assist you in your fasting and cleansing efforts. When you have time, visit our Green Tea Weight Loss page to read how oolong tea can accelerate fat burning and also give you energy while you fast.

Extended Water Fasting

Having practiced a partial fast of at least three days, you can then start preparing for longer ones; three to seven days - up to 40 and even 60 days depending on your health and weight. I do not recommend you go on ANY type of fast without consulting your physician, especially if you suffer from a chronic condition and/or are taking prescription medications.

Juice Fasting can be extended beyond this point, depending on your body weight. With water fasting, nonetheless, it is approximately on the 40th day of water fasting that the process of starvation begins. This means that the body has begun to eat its own tissue. The fast must be broken immediately.

Start Water Diet One Week Before Water Fasting

The best way to launch an extended period of water fasting, I have found, is to actually start using The Water Diet at least one week before you begin. Also, I suggest you taper off heavy and greasy foods during this time. If you can drink as much as one gallon of water per day one week before starting the fast, so much the better. This will start the detox process. Stay close to a toilet, is all I can say - especially if you NEVER have been much of a water drinker. Moreover, cut out steaks, pastries and anything with a high sugar or fat content.

If you are a coffee drinker, I strongly suggest that you move to decaf before launching the fast. If you do not, the headaches can become quite nasty and last for as long as three days. I do not recommend in any way that you fast and continue to drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. Why throw away the garbage with one hand, and continue to pollute with the other?

To be sure, quitting smoking is not easy. I smoked for twenty years and I can tell you it was probably the hardest thing I ever did ... not even fasting for 40 days was as hard. But it can be done and it is worth it! If you are facing nicotine addiction as I did, I recommend you visit the Become an Ex page to access a vast array of free resources that can help you quit.

A Standing Recommendation

The last of the water fasting tips I want to share with you is the inclusion of a very powerful supplement, and that is Himalayan Crystal Salt. Crystal salt has very powerful properties that can help your body heal and cleanse while you are water fasting. What I do is add three tablespoons to a gallon of water and make it a point to drink it in its entirety over a 24-hour period. The benefits have been so amazing that I have continued to add the salt to my drinking water even when I am not fasting.

Himalayan Crystal Salt. is known to contain energy and healing properties that assist in bringing the body's regulatory system (homeostasis) into balance. This fosters improved blood pH, digestive system functions, brain activity, respiration, and it also helps remove heavy metals from your body, another of the powerful benefits of water fasting.

The Bottom Line

I can tell you from first hand experience, that water fasting can be quite challenging. You will face pretty much every human weakness you knew you had, and DID NOT know you had. Visit Fasting and The Mind and Weight Loss Fasting for more on fasting, weight loss and the challenges and benefits involved. Your body may go through notable discomfort for seven to 11 days, depending on how overweight and toxic you may be. But do not shy away from the task at hand just because it will be uncomfortable.

In short, fasting for weight loss only to return to poor eating is counterproductive and not what we are advocating here. You must be ready to undergo a profound and lasting change once the juice or water fasting is over. The water diet is one key component that can help you sustain the weight loss and improved health that you have accomplished. That is not to say that the water diet is a magical weight loss cure. That is not the case.

In fact, there are many who feel that the water diet concept in itself is bogus. That drinking more water does not really make all that much difference. I am not going to debate. What I can tell you is that I do it and it has make a HUGE difference in MY life ... certainly drinking more water - the pure essence that sustains life - is not a negative habit to develop. You may even become convinced for yourself!