Why do I need to drink water?
Water is part of every cell, tissue,
organ and fluid of our bodies... in fact, our
bodies are 70% water. It is important in: •
Regulating body temperature • Removing waste
from the body • Carrying nutrients, oxygen, and
glucose to body cells
•
Providing moisture to skin and other tissues •
Cushioning the joints and strengthening muscles
•
Preventing constipation
How does water help with your weight?
In terms of weight management,
adequate intake helps to create a feeling of
fullness and alleviates water retention.
Additionally, thirst can often be mistaken for
hunger leading to additional, unnecessary
calorie consumption. Those reasons are important
enough, but water also helps us feel and
function better as even slight dehydration can
lead to feeling tired and achy.
Are you getting enough?
Feeling thirsty means you are
already dehydrated.
Check your urine – it should be pale or
pale yellow in color (except first thing in the
morning and following a B-vitamin which will
discolor the urine). You should urinate every
2-3 hours.
Caffeinated and sweetened drinks are
not part of the solution as they can contribute
to dehydration.
Signs of Dehydration
Early symptoms of dehydrations include
decreased energy or fatigue, headaches, and
dizziness. Other signs are dry lips and mouth,
nausea, dark colored urine, infrequent
urination, constipation, increased body
temperature and
labored breathing
Things to RememberThe
general guidelines for water intake is 64
fluid ounces a day but certain medical
conditions, physical exercise, excess body
weight,hot or humid weather, elevation and
traveling by , airplane can further increase
your need.
Strategies to increase water intake.
In order to drink it, you have to
have it with you so keeping a water bottle on
you at all times is key.
If you don’t yet have a favorite water
bottle that accompanies you everywhere you go,
try stashing full water bottles in your car, at
your desk, in your gym bag and near the TV and
bedside.
It is also important to pace
yourselves, so set a target of 8oz every hour
for 8 hours and by the end of the work day,
you’ll be done.
Start
the day with a full glass of water when you take
your vitamins or medications. That way, you’ll
be a glass ahead before your day even begins.
If you tend to lose track of your
intake over the course of the day, start with 64
ounces pre-measured in several water bottles.
When they are empty, you have met your goal.
Measure the amount of water in your
usual glass of bottle and keep a tally of the
number of glasses consumed. Most glasses hold
more than 8 ounces, so you may be doing better
than you think!
Set a goal of being more than halfway
to your water goal by lunchtime in order to help
stay on track.
If water is not your favorite drink,
play around with it a bit – add a splash of
fruit juice or a squeeze of lemon or lime or a
sugar-free flavoring like Crystal Lite to find a
taste you like.
Temperature can play a role too – you may
find iced water more appealing, or you may
prefer room temperature or hot water.
Water intake, like most healthy behaviors
gets easier the more you practice. So persevere
because the benefit is better health.
