It’s extremely common to confuse thirst for hunger. If you are trying to maintain a healthy balanced diet, it’s important to know the difference! The same part of your brain is responsible for interpreting hunger and thirst signals. I always try and aim to eat every 4 hours and drink a lot of water in-between.
If you drink coffee in the AM by the time you feel thirsty you might already be dehydrated (think headache, sluggishness, and even dizziness). It’s so important to drink water even if you aren’t thirsty to avoid becoming dehydrated. If we don’t have enough fluid in our body, there can be an imbalance in the electrolytes in our system, which can make us feel dizzy, confused, or have difficulty concentrating.
It’s easy to understand why our brains get mixed signals and why we often eat more than we need and drink less than we should. A lot of us choose to skip breakfast, which is fine but we should never skip having something to drink! It’s going to wake up the digestive system and help you process food. It will get rid of waste, hydrate your brain, body tissues, and cells.
If you are hungry, try drinking 8 ounces of water. Wait 15-20 minutes and if you are still craving food, have a snack and more water. Don’t wait to feel thirsty to get something to drink!
Not sure how much water to drink a day? Most health experts say you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day; about 64 ounces or at least half of your body weight.
Drink up :)
XO
Joie