Water intake is as necessary as the air we breathe. If you haven’t formed a water drinking habit; there is no time like the present to start. Water lubricates the joints, boosts energy, keeps you regular, burns fat and it supplies minerals to vital organs via the bloodstream.
Keep in mind that if you do not take in enough water, your body cannot filter itself (toxicity occurs) and this keeps the liver from its primary function of converting fat into energy. OH MY! Non-metabolized fat gets stored and no fat loss occurs. Do I need to repeat that?
FAT that is not metabolized due to dehydration, gets stored and no fat loss occurs. I would say that is a GREAT reason to drink water throughout the day, wouldn’t you?
So, the big question is… how much water intake is best on a daily basis?
Studies show that the human body needs at least 2 liters a day, that is 64 oz. Further studies show that the average adult body usually loses 2.4 liters of fluid a day, so your body just becomes hydrated when drinking 2 liters.
“Just becoming hydrated” does not solve dehydration issues; my recommendation is to drink, at the minimum, 3 liters a day. Go buy yourself a fun, pretty, glass container that will hold 1 liter (approx.. 33 oz) fill it up 3x during the day. Drink 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and 1 in the evening. When you think you might be hungry, drink water instead. More often than not the body is asking for water not food.
Interested in learning more? Take a look at this Water Trivia:
- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Which means 75% of Americans are storing unnecessary fat. YIKES! That is an easy “fix”.
- In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. When was the last time you felt like you needed energy and reached for food? Typically, if you are feeling fatigued, hydration is what is needed. Drink 8 ounces of water and feel the difference.
- Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%. If fat loss is your goal, then a speedy metabolism is what is desired, not a sluggish metabolism. Drink more water and metabolism will increase.
- One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study. Are you a late night eater? Drink a full glass of water when you feel the pangs coming on, most likely the hunger will slip away.
- Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. YES! Drink from your water bottle instead to get your afternoon boost. No need for caffeine…your body needs water!
- Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. Hydration keeps the joints lubricated and can drastically reduce joint pain.
- A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. OUCH! When was the last time you experienced fuzzy thinking? Did you drink some water or did you push through it and ignore the symptom?
- Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Again, I recommend at least 96 ounces of water a day to side step many health issues.
All of these are symptoms of dehydration…are you listening to your body? Or are you ignoring the signals and pushing through? If you are pushing through, your body will physically begin to suffer.
This is your transportation system. Take care and hydrate – hydrate – hydrate! You will be amazed at how extremely good you feel!