Water Water Water

One thing my parents always tell me ... Drink lots of water! Ok, cool. Kind of a no brainer. But, I'm not usually very thirsty, unless I'm outside for a while and it is hot. So, when should I drink water? How much? How often? Here is some insight I have dug up about just why water is so important!

The answers very, but it is said that the human body is made up of 60-75% water. The heart and brain  have about 73% water, the lungs 83%, skin 64%, and so on... So we know that our body is a living swimming pool, but why does that matter? Well, the body uses its water to function properly. Did you know that just by drinking a glass of water maybe 10 minutes before your morning meal, your metabolism can work up to 50% faster?

Water is one of those elements that can be a double-edged sword. Here is what I mean. Let's say that I eat starch and bread products like nobody's business along with lots of salty foods. If I drink some water, my body is actually going to retain it. This will cause me to gain what we call water weight. Bread is like a sponge. It holds onto liquid. So, naturally, when we pour liquid (water) into our stomachs filled with bread products, the bread will soak it up and keep it inside our bodies. Salt also holds water. When we eat lots of salty foods (most women do) then salt expands to hold liquid. On the other hand, water can make us lose weight! Water can be used to flush out the toxins in our bodies, as well as food we just consumed. It speeds up our metabolisms, helps our organs function more efficiently, and even aids in the process of burning fat!

Ok, so how much water should I be drinking? That's a good question. The answer that is the 'most healthy' is to drink your body weight in oz per day. (150 lb = 150 oz or 18.75 cups) Kind of a lot? I know... So, here is my alternative. Drink more water than usual for about a week. This should get your body used to the idea of more water. After about a week, up your water intake again. Eventually, you will be consuming your body weight in water (oz)! Yes, yes you will have to pee the Pacific Ocean, but that's a good thing! When we urinate, that is our bodies getting rid of toxins! It also teaches your body to not retain water. Your body will learn that when water is introduced, it should use what it needs then expel the rest. I guarantee that if you drink more water for 2 weeks, you will lose some weight.

As I have said before, by drinking more water, you will be able to process food better, burn fat faster, sweat more, and lose weight. If water gets a bit bland, try adding MIO or drinking green tea/ iced tea! My personal favorite is lemon water :) I highly recommend, however, that you DO NOT use any sugar in your water... sugar holds onto water and it kind of defeats the purpose of healthy. The easiest way to drink lots of water, in my opinion, is to carry around a cute water bottle and just drink a little here and there. You will be surprised at how much you will drink just by having water handy. One more fun tip is that sweating is extremely healthy! So, keep hydrated!

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