DIRNK WATER! That is the number one thing people told me as soon as I mentioned that I wanted to lose weight. They said to drink water instead of pop. Well, this is where the biggest WHATEVER came for me because I hardly drank any pop as it was. I could have sworn that I was also drinking a ton of water.
Yes, water was my largest source of hydration when I was feeling thirsty. Once I began to pay attention to and track my water intake, I really was not drinking that much of it. Sure, other than coffee that was the only other thing I drank throughout my day. However, I was not drinking as much as I thought I was except on those very hot,
humid days were I swear I was drinking water all day long.
I had also heard that drinking a lot of water was a symptom of diabetes, so there! I had my explanation. It had nothing to do with the fact that my body was so dehydrated because it actually wasn’t getting the water it needed on a continuous basis.
Are you sitting there thinking you relate to any of this? If you are, then this article is perfect for you. If not, then this article is probably still good for you.
I want to share with you some facts about water that may actually change your perspective about drinking water to lose weight and why drinking water is actually one of the most important things you can do for weight loss and a healthy body.
Let me start with water weight. Water weight comes from water, right? WRONG…kind of. Water weight does come from water, but not from drinking too much. It actually comes from not drinking enough.
Did you know that we are very similar to camels? When we don’t get enough water, our body will begin to store extra water. It stores water in your ankles, hips, and thighs. This is what cause extra weight in your body that is referred to as “water weight.” When you start drinking water on a regular basis in consistent amounts your body will quit storing that excess water because it begins to trust that it will regularly receive the water that it needs. (This is where that first 5-10 pounds of weight loss comes from; it’s actually water weight being released.)
If that is true, then how much should you drink? Water is very important when you are trying to lose weight. Somehow, though, it is also one of the most neglected parts of the weight loss diet. Have you ever gone a whole day without any water? I bet you have.
Since it is true that your body needs water to lose weight, how much does your body actually need? Well water, just as exercise and diet, is dependent on the individual person. Some things that affect how much your body needs are:
- how much you weight
- the amount of exercise you do
- how many foods you eat that contain water
- how much muscle you have
- the weather conditions
There are many more as well, but as a general rule you should drink 8 cups a day. That’s 8-8oz cups a day; if you drink out of a 12oz glass you only need 5.33 glasses and if you drink out of a 20 oz bottle you only need to drink 3.2 bottles.
Here’s a hint: if you feel thirsty, you are already beginning to get dehydrated. You should never feel thirsty.
I know that there are some of you who do not like water so here are a few things you can do to help you drink more throughout your day:
- try different types of water (vitamin, mineral, spring, sparkling, flavored)
- stash water everywhere you go (in the car, in your office desk, in your locker)
- drink a cup or two every time you eat
- drink a cup of water every time you go in and out of your home
- drink a cup of water first thing in the morning
- add fresh or frozen fruit to your water
You can even drink unsweetened and uncreamed coffee and tea as a cup or two toward your water count for the day.
These are all great reasons to drink water and great tips on how to get water to help with your weight loss, but weight loss is not the only reason to drink water.
Here are other great reasons to add water to your daily diet:
- 70% of your body is made up of water
- Some of the most important parts of your body are made up of mostly water (your brain is 75% water, your blood is 82% water, and your lungs are 90% water)
- your body functions are regulated by water
- excess waste and toxins are flushed out of your body by water
- hydrated muscles look more toned (they are 70% water)
- your metabolism runs better the more hydrated you are
Keep yourself hydrated!
What are some tips you use to stay hydrated?
Everyday Extraordinary Mompreneur 