Many people fall short
when it comes to their daily water intake. Often times when I ask, "how
much plain water do you drink?”, the response is rolling of the eyes and the
statement, "not as much as I am supposed to". My response to that is
always, "how much do you think you are supposed to drink"? The
interesting thing is many people do not know this answer. In fact there are
different recommendations for overall fluid intake and for just plain water
intake. Usually water needs to makeup at least half of your overall daily fluid
intake. This shocks people. Many do not understand the importance of
plain water consumption. They do not realize where water plays a role in
overall health and in weight loss. I hope that after this blog you will
see where water plays a role in your overall health and weight loss goals. The
following link is an easy way to get a general estimation of how much fluid you
should consume per day. Remember that at least half of your daily fluid intake
should be water. Please keep in mind that the following fluid recommendations
are for healthy people who do not have any kidney issues. When in doubt, talk
to your healthcare provider to get your individualized daily fluid goal.
http://www.weather.com/
The good news is that at least 60% of your body weight is water. Daily we are losing water from our kidneys, our skin (perspiration), our respiratory tract, and even some from the digestive tract. How much we lose each day is based on the climate, temperature, and humidity level of our current location. There are also medications that increase your fluid loss daily. As a result, it becomes more important for us to be aware of our daily water intake so that we can ensure that we drink enough to meet our body's daily needs.
Did you know that water helps to build the cells in your body? Our bodies are constantly building new cells and therefore constantly need water, especially during years of growth. Knowing this, you now understand how important water consumption is to growing children, yet they are the population that drinks the least amount of plain water.
Did you know that water also helps to control your body temperature? As a result, water is essential when a fever is present or when you are outside in hot or cold weather. Many people think to increase their water consumption in the heat, but do not think to do so when it is cold outside. Water is important in both instances.
Did you know that water cleanses/removes waste? This is why when you get a massage or when you are sick it is so important to consume regular amounts of plain water. It helps flush the body of toxins. Many people feel that all fluid is equal. The way I think of it is you cannot bathe yourself in tea or diet/regular soda or milk or flavored water, so how do you expect your body to cleanse itself with these fluids? It cannot. The kidneys are always filtering something out of fluids that are not plain water. Only plain water with cleanse the body. For those of you who cannot stand plain water, you can put lemon or lime or cucumbers in your water and it would still be defined as plain water.
Did you know that water is also needed for the fluid that lubricates your joints and keeps you moving? It is also needed for saliva production in your mouth that protects you from tooth decay and mouth cancer. As well as for the production of gastric and intestinal fluids that aid in digestion. Also for the production of mucus in the respiratory system that protects you from harmful airborne contaminates. Water is also needed for skin hydration. With proper skin hydration, you can limit/avoid the fine wrinkles and keep your skin looking younger!
All of these functions are essential for daily living activities. Yet, many of us still do not consume enough water. We have 3 main sources of water intake: what we drink, what we eat, and what our own body makes. A body relies most on the amount of water we consume because it is the easiest to process.
So, here are some tips to incorporate more water into your diet:
1. Drink water all throughout the day. Always include water at meals, unless otherwise told differently by a medical professional because of a medical condition, like the gastric bypass surgery or kidney disease. This will help you to feel full faster, especially if you eat a high fiber diet. Water is always a better liquid to consume at meals because some drinks can interfere with nutrient and mineral absorption from the meal.
2. Check your urine color. By noon, your urine should be clear to light yellow if you are drinking enough water. If it is not, then that is a strong sign that you have not had enough.
3. Treat water like it is a prescribed medication. It is recommended that a healthy person aim to consume at least 40 ounces of water per day. As a result, drink an 8 ounce glass of water at each meal, as well as a snack in between meals, and before bed. This will equal to you drinking 8 ounces of water, 6 times per day, to total 40 ounces overall. Rule of thumb: Usually 1 regular gulp of water equals around 1 oz of fluid for the average adult.
4.When exercising aim to drink 8-20 ounces of water at least 1 hour before you start exercising to ensure proper pre-workout hydration. Then aim to drink 16-24 ounces of fluid every hour during the exercise. If you are in training or exercising at an intense level, it is a smart idea to track your weight loss from fluid by weighing yourself before and after the exercise. It is recommended to limit fluid loss during exercise to less than 2% of overall body weight. You should drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost through sweat. This is especially important to ensure your physical performance is not impacted. When exercising less that 1 hour, you should most likely use plain water to rehydrate. If you are exercising more than 1 hour or at an intense level, it is a good idea to rehydrate using low calorie sports drinks to help replace fluid and electrolytes. It is very important to replace sodium and other electrolytes when perspiring large amounts to ensure that you do not throw off your heart because of electrolyte imbalance.
5. When hungry in between meals, drink 2- 8 ounce glasses of water before consuming food. Many times we mistake dehydration as hunger. Remember that hunger pangs will be felt in the stomach. Anytime you are thinking you are hungry because of your mouth or fatigue, try drinking water first.
6. Just like many things in life, too much of a good thing, can become a bad thing. As a result, do not go crazy with water consumption. It is possible to drink too much water for your body. This is why it is always a good idea to have an idea of how much water you have consumed. Remember water has no calories and therefore when consumed on a regular basis can help you eat less ad lose weight.
Staying hydrated can help delay daily fatigue, maintain mental alertness and decision making all throughout the day, and optimize the ability to regulate body heat, improve ability to recover quickly from exercise/training and increase the feeling of fullness/satiety to help achieve weight loss. I recommend that you buy a drinking container so that you can start measuring your daily water intake. Water is too important to the body to drink too little daily. Not only does water aid in essential daily living activities, it also helps us to lose weight and look younger! What a miracle liquid!
Until next week,
XOXO The Dietnista
-----
The following are signs/symptoms of mild and severe dehydration just for your information. Both are serious conditions that need to be treated.
Mild dehydration is characterized as 1-2% of body weight loss. Mild dehydration can impair functions such as, alertness, concentration, short term memory, as well as physical performance.
Signs and Symptoms of Mild Dehydration
- dry, sticky mouth
- sleepiness or tiredness
- decreased urine output, especially in there has been increased fluid consumption
- few or no tears when crying
- muscle weakness
- headache
- dizziness or light-headedness
Severe dehydration requires medical treatment and is usually a medical emergency.
Signs and Symptoms of Severe Dehydration
- extreme thirst
- extreme fussiness/sleepiness/
- very dry mouth, skin, mucous membranes
- lack of sweating
- little or no urination
- sunken eyes
- dry skin
- low blood pressure
- rapid heartbeat
- fever
http://www.weather.com/
The good news is that at least 60% of your body weight is water. Daily we are losing water from our kidneys, our skin (perspiration), our respiratory tract, and even some from the digestive tract. How much we lose each day is based on the climate, temperature, and humidity level of our current location. There are also medications that increase your fluid loss daily. As a result, it becomes more important for us to be aware of our daily water intake so that we can ensure that we drink enough to meet our body's daily needs.
Did you know that water helps to build the cells in your body? Our bodies are constantly building new cells and therefore constantly need water, especially during years of growth. Knowing this, you now understand how important water consumption is to growing children, yet they are the population that drinks the least amount of plain water.
Did you know that water also helps to control your body temperature? As a result, water is essential when a fever is present or when you are outside in hot or cold weather. Many people think to increase their water consumption in the heat, but do not think to do so when it is cold outside. Water is important in both instances.
Did you know that water cleanses/removes waste? This is why when you get a massage or when you are sick it is so important to consume regular amounts of plain water. It helps flush the body of toxins. Many people feel that all fluid is equal. The way I think of it is you cannot bathe yourself in tea or diet/regular soda or milk or flavored water, so how do you expect your body to cleanse itself with these fluids? It cannot. The kidneys are always filtering something out of fluids that are not plain water. Only plain water with cleanse the body. For those of you who cannot stand plain water, you can put lemon or lime or cucumbers in your water and it would still be defined as plain water.
Did you know that water is also needed for the fluid that lubricates your joints and keeps you moving? It is also needed for saliva production in your mouth that protects you from tooth decay and mouth cancer. As well as for the production of gastric and intestinal fluids that aid in digestion. Also for the production of mucus in the respiratory system that protects you from harmful airborne contaminates. Water is also needed for skin hydration. With proper skin hydration, you can limit/avoid the fine wrinkles and keep your skin looking younger!
All of these functions are essential for daily living activities. Yet, many of us still do not consume enough water. We have 3 main sources of water intake: what we drink, what we eat, and what our own body makes. A body relies most on the amount of water we consume because it is the easiest to process.
So, here are some tips to incorporate more water into your diet:
1. Drink water all throughout the day. Always include water at meals, unless otherwise told differently by a medical professional because of a medical condition, like the gastric bypass surgery or kidney disease. This will help you to feel full faster, especially if you eat a high fiber diet. Water is always a better liquid to consume at meals because some drinks can interfere with nutrient and mineral absorption from the meal.
2. Check your urine color. By noon, your urine should be clear to light yellow if you are drinking enough water. If it is not, then that is a strong sign that you have not had enough.
3. Treat water like it is a prescribed medication. It is recommended that a healthy person aim to consume at least 40 ounces of water per day. As a result, drink an 8 ounce glass of water at each meal, as well as a snack in between meals, and before bed. This will equal to you drinking 8 ounces of water, 6 times per day, to total 40 ounces overall. Rule of thumb: Usually 1 regular gulp of water equals around 1 oz of fluid for the average adult.
4.When exercising aim to drink 8-20 ounces of water at least 1 hour before you start exercising to ensure proper pre-workout hydration. Then aim to drink 16-24 ounces of fluid every hour during the exercise. If you are in training or exercising at an intense level, it is a smart idea to track your weight loss from fluid by weighing yourself before and after the exercise. It is recommended to limit fluid loss during exercise to less than 2% of overall body weight. You should drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost through sweat. This is especially important to ensure your physical performance is not impacted. When exercising less that 1 hour, you should most likely use plain water to rehydrate. If you are exercising more than 1 hour or at an intense level, it is a good idea to rehydrate using low calorie sports drinks to help replace fluid and electrolytes. It is very important to replace sodium and other electrolytes when perspiring large amounts to ensure that you do not throw off your heart because of electrolyte imbalance.
5. When hungry in between meals, drink 2- 8 ounce glasses of water before consuming food. Many times we mistake dehydration as hunger. Remember that hunger pangs will be felt in the stomach. Anytime you are thinking you are hungry because of your mouth or fatigue, try drinking water first.
6. Just like many things in life, too much of a good thing, can become a bad thing. As a result, do not go crazy with water consumption. It is possible to drink too much water for your body. This is why it is always a good idea to have an idea of how much water you have consumed. Remember water has no calories and therefore when consumed on a regular basis can help you eat less ad lose weight.
Staying hydrated can help delay daily fatigue, maintain mental alertness and decision making all throughout the day, and optimize the ability to regulate body heat, improve ability to recover quickly from exercise/training and increase the feeling of fullness/satiety to help achieve weight loss. I recommend that you buy a drinking container so that you can start measuring your daily water intake. Water is too important to the body to drink too little daily. Not only does water aid in essential daily living activities, it also helps us to lose weight and look younger! What a miracle liquid!
Until next week,
XOXO The Dietnista
-----
The following are signs/symptoms of mild and severe dehydration just for your information. Both are serious conditions that need to be treated.
Mild dehydration is characterized as 1-2% of body weight loss. Mild dehydration can impair functions such as, alertness, concentration, short term memory, as well as physical performance.
Signs and Symptoms of Mild Dehydration
- dry, sticky mouth
- sleepiness or tiredness
- decreased urine output, especially in there has been increased fluid consumption
- few or no tears when crying
- muscle weakness
- headache
- dizziness or light-headedness
Severe dehydration requires medical treatment and is usually a medical emergency.
Signs and Symptoms of Severe Dehydration
- extreme thirst
- extreme fussiness/sleepiness/
- very dry mouth, skin, mucous membranes
- lack of sweating
- little or no urination
- sunken eyes
- dry skin
- low blood pressure
- rapid heartbeat
- fever
