Wellness Wednesday

Water

Looking for a "magic potion" to aid in weight loss and overall improved health?  Look no further than water!  Water is quite possibly the single most important tool to help you lose weight, keep it off, and reach your optimal health.

·         Water suppreses your appetite.  Often times thirst is mistaken for hunger - when you're hungry drink a glass of water first, then see if you're still hungry.

·         Water helps your body metabolize fat.  Here's why: the kidneys can't function properly without enough water.  When the kidneys aren't working to capacity some of their load is dumped onto the liver.  One of the liver's primary functions is to make stored fat into usable energy for the body.  If the liver is helping out the kidneys it can't work at full throttle, so it metabolizes less fat. 

·         Water helps rid your body of retained fluid.  Sounds strange, but when you're dehydrated, even mildly, your body retains fluid as a mode of survival.  If you are drinking enough water then your body doesn't feel the need to retain fluid.  Give your body plenty of water so the stored fluid in your body can be released.

·         Your muscles need water to work at their peak.  Muscles that work at their peak burn more calories!

·         Water helps rid the body of wastes - it keeps you regular.  All that fat you're burning in workouts has to leave your body somehow, being properly hydrated helps you eliminate it. 

·         Drinking enough water gives you energy!  Most mid-day fatigue is often just mild dehydration.  

How much should you drink?  As a guide, divide your body weight by 2 and aim for that many ounces of water per day.  (i.e. if you weigh 150 pounds, 150 divided by 2 = 75, aim for 75 ounces of water per day).  

Having trouble getting your water intake in?  Find a water bottle you like and take it with you everywhere, drink with a straw, add some lemon or lime slices or even a squirt of lemon juice!