Want a simple, quick, dirt cheap, and totally healthy way to improve your weight control? Drink a big glass of water 30 minutes before your meals. This was the encouraging conclusion from a clinical trial published in the journal Obesity.

For this study, researchers had 41 obese study subjects drink 500 mls (about 1 pint) of tap water before each of their main meals. A control group of study subjects were instead instructed to “imagine” they had a full stomach prior to eating their meals. Both study groups were otherwise provided identical diet and lifestyle weight loss counseling.

At the end of the 12 week study period, the group instructed to “preload” with water in advance of their meals lost almost three more pounds than those in the control group. Study subjects in the water group who faithfully preloaded before all three daily meals experienced the greatest weight loss (9.48lbs.) vs. those who preloaded only once daily (1.76lbs.)