All we hear these days is how important it is to drink WATER. Is this really true? Absolutely. Water is an essential nutrient that is vital to your health in numerous ways. All chemical reactions in the body depend upon it. If you are trying to lose weight, this fact cannot be ignored. Here are a few more facts about water…
Did you know?
Being dehydrated can actually make you hungry?
- It’s true! Many foods have high water content, and almost half the water most people take in each day comes from food. So, if you’re dehydrated, you may end up craving food and overeating. If you think this is happening to you, then drink around 10oz of water, wait 20 minutes and see if you’re still hungry.
What happens if you don’t drink enough water?
- A decrease in your bodies water content by only 2% can have harmful effects and cause symptoms of dehydration, which include:
Daytime Fatigue
Excess Thirst
Fuzzy Memory
Difficulty Focusing on Tasks and Simple Math
Lightheadedness
Nausea
- Approximately 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration which is expressed as excessive daytime fatigue.
- A reduction of 4-5% in body water can result in a 20-30% decrease in work and exercise performance.
- A 10% decrease in water will produce significant health risks.
- A week without water will surely result in death.
How much water do you need?
- You need at least 8-10 (8 ounce) glasses of water daily. If you exercise, especially in hot weather, you should increase your water intake to account for water loss through perspiration.
Tips on drinking enough water:
- Start your day off by drinking 1-2 glasses of water every morning.
- Keep a pitcher of water or bottled water in the refrigerator.
- Carry a bottle of water with you.
- Drink water before you feel thirsty; if you are thirsty, then you are already mildly dehydrated.
- Drink 8-16oz of water before exercising, and sip water frequently during your workout.
- Drink pure water. Do not add any type of flavoring packet to your water.
