MelanieC
<font color=blue>BL II - Blue Team<br><font color=
- Joined
- Sep 28, 1999
- Messages
- 11,928
Hi everyone,
I thought I'd pass this along because it was an excellent read.
Water article
I'll post here, but check out the link because there are a few links to another couple of articles as well as other info.
_______________________________________________
If you pick up one habit early on in your program that will make a major difference in your weight loss, this is it.
The list of benefits of water is so long, youd think people were selling it as an 18th-century miracle tonic. There is evidence that fully hydrated bodies have higher metabolisms and can burn fat at a faster rate than thirsty, dry bodies. Water also helps you:
Digest food
Feel fuller
Look and feel fresher
Have more energy
Think more clearly
When you drink more water, and your body gets used to it, you ironically store less water. Seems that your body needs to trust that itll continue to get plenty of the good stuff, otherwise itll hold onto what little water it does receive. Less water means less weight. Early on, losing several pounds even if its water weight can be a huge motivator.
How much water do you need? You lose about 10 cups of water on a typical day and can easily sweat away a quart during an hour of strenuous activity. A good rule of thumb (not very active in moderate temperatures) is to divide your weight in pounds by two. The result is the number in ounces of water you should drink in a day. For example, a 150-pound woman would need about 75 ounces of water each day, or about 9 cups. For most of us, that means between 8-12 8oz cups of water each day. If youre active and exercising (and as you adopt Habit #3, you will be) youll need a good deal more. This may seem like a lot, but if you start with a few glasses a day, its a habit that can quickly catch on and grow.
Fresh fruits and veggies are tremendous sources of water. Fruit juices, milk, teas and decaf coffee also count. Watch out for caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can actually increase your need for more water; so a lot of caffeinated coffee or soda may do more harm than good.
Relying on thirst is not a good strategy. By the time the brain signals thirst, youre already dehydrated. If youre working out, by the time youre thirsty, your performance can drop 5-10%. The idea is to stay consistently hydrated for optimal performance and weight loss. Seesawing between hydration and thirst can hold you back. Again, your body needs to know that itll get what it needs all the time; otherwise itll store some back.
WATER TIPS
Find the water bottles with pop tops. Theyre easier to carry around and use than twist-off caps.
Keep a water bottle in the car.
Take a water break instead of a smoke break at work.
Have a rule with your water glass: once its empty, it gets filled back up right away.
Drink orange juice or eat fruit in the morning.
Get two water bottles, one for work and one for home. Fill up one every day when you leave to go home, and fill up the other before you go to bed each night.
Order water at restaurants instead of soda. Even if you have something else to drink, have water too.
Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday. Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one.
Follow the example of the SparkPeople member who put a water glass on her windowsill with 8 pennies on one side. Each time she filled up her glass and drank it, she moved a penny to the other side, until all the pennies were moved. Great reminder system!
I thought I'd pass this along because it was an excellent read.
Water article
I'll post here, but check out the link because there are a few links to another couple of articles as well as other info.
_______________________________________________
If you pick up one habit early on in your program that will make a major difference in your weight loss, this is it.
The list of benefits of water is so long, youd think people were selling it as an 18th-century miracle tonic. There is evidence that fully hydrated bodies have higher metabolisms and can burn fat at a faster rate than thirsty, dry bodies. Water also helps you:
Digest food
Feel fuller
Look and feel fresher
Have more energy
Think more clearly
When you drink more water, and your body gets used to it, you ironically store less water. Seems that your body needs to trust that itll continue to get plenty of the good stuff, otherwise itll hold onto what little water it does receive. Less water means less weight. Early on, losing several pounds even if its water weight can be a huge motivator.
How much water do you need? You lose about 10 cups of water on a typical day and can easily sweat away a quart during an hour of strenuous activity. A good rule of thumb (not very active in moderate temperatures) is to divide your weight in pounds by two. The result is the number in ounces of water you should drink in a day. For example, a 150-pound woman would need about 75 ounces of water each day, or about 9 cups. For most of us, that means between 8-12 8oz cups of water each day. If youre active and exercising (and as you adopt Habit #3, you will be) youll need a good deal more. This may seem like a lot, but if you start with a few glasses a day, its a habit that can quickly catch on and grow.
Fresh fruits and veggies are tremendous sources of water. Fruit juices, milk, teas and decaf coffee also count. Watch out for caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can actually increase your need for more water; so a lot of caffeinated coffee or soda may do more harm than good.
Relying on thirst is not a good strategy. By the time the brain signals thirst, youre already dehydrated. If youre working out, by the time youre thirsty, your performance can drop 5-10%. The idea is to stay consistently hydrated for optimal performance and weight loss. Seesawing between hydration and thirst can hold you back. Again, your body needs to know that itll get what it needs all the time; otherwise itll store some back.
WATER TIPS
Find the water bottles with pop tops. Theyre easier to carry around and use than twist-off caps.
Keep a water bottle in the car.
Take a water break instead of a smoke break at work.
Have a rule with your water glass: once its empty, it gets filled back up right away.
Drink orange juice or eat fruit in the morning.
Get two water bottles, one for work and one for home. Fill up one every day when you leave to go home, and fill up the other before you go to bed each night.
Order water at restaurants instead of soda. Even if you have something else to drink, have water too.
Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday. Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one.
Follow the example of the SparkPeople member who put a water glass on her windowsill with 8 pennies on one side. Each time she filled up her glass and drank it, she moved a penny to the other side, until all the pennies were moved. Great reminder system!
