Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Water is Important...don't deny it!

Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster.

Drinking water is important if you're trying to lose weight, some studies have shown that thirst and hunger sensations are triggered together. If there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving fluid. As most food contains some water, if one doesn't drink much they may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply however, you also gain the undesired effects of increased calorie consumption. Drinking more water can help to prevent overeating and benefit weight loss.
Importance of drinking water in the modern diet
So many new food product created today not only contain high amounts of energy from added sugar and fats, they also contain very little water. Foods today need to be stored for longer periods and foods with a high water content tend to spoil much faster, think about milk, yogurt, eggs, fruits and vegetables. It may be great to think that we can stock our cupboards full of all these tasty foods that last for months, trouble is, it means less water consumption from foods.
If a weight loss diet doesn't allow much food or if food consumption is mainly in the form of processed, TV dinners it may be necessary to drink even more water to help stop strong cravings for food.
How Much do I need to drink to benefit losing weight?
For the average person experts suggest getting at least 64 ounces of water daily or eight 8-ounce glasses. If you are on a diet to lose weight it is more important to consume more and keep drinking water throughout the day, unless you have any medical condition that doesn't allow much water intake. A good guide for daily intake is to drink 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of body weight. A 200 pound person should be drinking around 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water in order the gain the benefits of increased energy and metabolism.
If exercising is part of a weight loss program a bit more water should be included to account for water loss from sweating. Drinking water before, during and after exercise will keep energy levels high and help recovery after training.
Many people don't like drinking pure water. Gaining water from eating fruit high in water content is a great way to boost water consumption without drinking it directly. Fruit will also help fill up the stomach with low calories and gain tons of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to increase vitality. In fact, any food with high water content can boost water consumption, most foods high in water are naturally occurring, healthy foods, another reason to eat a healthy diet!

Water Tip:
On feeling hungry
drink some water
15 minutes before
eating!


Health benefits of drinking water
  • regulate appetite
  • increase metabolism
  • boost energy levels
  • less water retention
  • alleviate some headaches
  • help reduce blood pressure
  • help reduce high cholesterol
  • ease joint pain
  • decrease in risk of some cancers
  • less chance developing kidney stones
  • release toxic waste products
  • improves skin

Cautions to consider
People with kidney problems or other conditions were fluid intake needs to be limited should follow their doctor’s recommendations with correct sodium intake.  One potential but rare side effect of fluid intake can be hypoatremia in which electrolytes become imbalanced. Always seek advice from your doctor before trying any new diet or changing eating / drinking habits!

Hope this helps you!
Tanya

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