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Proper Hydration

Importance of Water for Proper Health

If you apply the principles in Thin Over 40 along with all the benefits provided on this website, you can be Thin for Life. As we have stated throughout this site, at Thin for Life and The Center, Inc., we are concerned about all aspects of your life-emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual, relational, and nutritional. The following information is to help you develop intellectually and enhance your body nutritionally, which can improve your emotional life. The end result will be an improvement to your body physically.

Importance of Water
Why is water so important for weight loss? We’re made up mostly of water. Water is our bodies’ lubricant. When we don’t get enough, the body doesn’t function well. We experience fatigue. Our metabolism slows down. We feel lethargic and crabby. We end up eating something to make us feel better, misinterpreting thirst for hunger.

Increase Consumption of Water
After reading this, hopefully you will keep water with you at all times.  It will be important for you to drink at least 2 quarts of water each day. Yes, a half a gallon of water each and every day! If that seems like more than you could possibly drink, think about it this way: How many of you have gone to 7-11 for a Big Gulp of pop? Big Gulps are 32 ounces - a quart – and half of your water consumption. Super Big Gulps are even larger at 44 ounces. Two quarts just seems like a lot because it’s water and you’re not used to it.  You may want to choose bottled water if you live in a part of the country that has, lousy tasting tap water. If you’ve got older plumbing, you should also drink bottled water to avoid consuming some of the heavy metals that can leech into tap water through old systems. You don’t have to choose pricey, designer water. Most grocery stores have large, inexpensive gallon jugs of water. In fact some stores have purified water dispensers so that you can refill the jugs. Just remember that the plastic jugs that the water comes in should not be placed directly in the sun. When the plastic warms up it, there is the potential for it to create a toxin.
If it still seems daunting, try this – drink one cup, or eight ounces, of water upon rising each morning. Keep a cup of water on your nightstand so you can drink it immediately upon waking. Drink another cup before each meal. You’ll have had half your water, leaving you just another 4 cups to drink during the day. Many people keep a quart-sized water bottle along side them during the day, sipping periodically.  At first, it will seem strange but you’ll quickly come to ignore it as just a part of your day. Relax, it’s not as hard as you think! 

I feel bloated
If you haven’t been drinking enough water in the past, your body is used to being dehydrated as a constant condition. In order to adjust, your body has developed a strategy of water retention. In other words, it retains the fluid you drink in your tissues because you’re not drinking enough for it to let go. As you rehydrate yourself, your body will take a few days to figure out this isn’t just a fluke and you’re actually going to start a habit of providing it the water it needs. At first, you’ll feel bloated because your tissues are being saturated with water. You’ll also go to the bathroom frequently because of the increased consumption. Don’t be concerned about this! Your body will adjust. By drinking more water, you’ll actually retain less water and your kidneys will adjust so you won’t feel like you need to go to the bathroom every two minutes  Initially, however, your weight may increase because of the water retention. This is a temporary condition – don’t panic!

Other Liquids
What about drinking other liquids during the day, like coffee, tea, alcohol or soft drinks? Because these drinks often have a diuretic effect (cause you to lose water), you’ll need to drink twice as much extra water. In other words, if you drink a 12 ounce soda, you’ll need to consume an extra 24 ounces, or an extra 3 cups, of water. (If it’s not worth it to you, then try foregoing these beverages. You may be surprised to realize that once you stop consuming the other beverages and drink primarily water, you’ll actually crave them less as your body is properly hydrated.)
Instead of drinking coffee, tea, alcohol, soft drinks and eating snacks, why not drink water, be healthier, and lose weight.

The Importance of WATER to Human Health
by The Watershed Wellness Center

Why we need water…

Next to the air we breathe, water is the most important substance we will ever put in our bodies.  Approximately 75% of our body weight is water and it makes up over 80% of our brain and 90% of our blood.  Water facilitates the absorption of essential nutrients into our cells and is the vital component of our body’s detoxification processes (Rona, 1995).

Water is the primary energizer of all cellular functions as it manufacturers “hydroelectric” energy at the cellular level.  This is a vital function responsible for breaking down proteins and nutrients into usable amino acids and sugars.  Water also acts as the glue that bonds cellular membranes together and therefore plays a vital role in energy metabolism and all basic biological functions (Rona, 1995).

Water intake can…

Dehydration of as little as 2% loss of body weight results in impaired physiological and performance responses. Research through the University of Washington indicates that fluid consumption in general and water consumption in particular can have an effect on the risk of urinary stone disease; cancers of the breast, colon, and urinary tract; childhood and adolescent obesity; mitral valve prolapse; salivary gland function; and overall health in the elderly (Kleiner, 1999).