Turns out the sought-after magic elixir has been right under our noses!
I'm talking about water. Pure, simple water.
Before you scoff at this idea, check if you're dehydrated. Sadly as much as 75% of adults suffer from mild, chronic dehydration, a condition that is easily fixed, but dramatically works against your health and weight loss efforts.
Here is why water consumption must be at the top of your list every day in your quest for a fit, healthy and athletic body...
Water does all that?
Though you probably don't think about it often, water is the most essential element, next to air, to your survival. The simple combination of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen makes up about two thirds of your body and is involved in a host of bodily functions that we routinely take for granted.
Just to name a few:
- Water works to regulate the thermal condition of your body
- Water helps keep muscles energized and performing well
- Water serves as a lubricant in your joints
- Water keeps your kidneys healthy and helps flush toxins from your body
- Water gives your skin a clear, glowing complexion
- Water assists with digestion, pulling all the usable nutrients out of foods
- Water aides in disease prevention (Drinking 8 glasses a day has shown to reduce your chance of colon cancer by 45% and bladder cancer by 50%)
What about fitness and fat-loss?
You've probably heard that you need to drink plenty of water in order to drop weight, but did you ever wonder why? What does water have to do with decreasing your calories and increasing your activity level in an effort to shed pounds?
1. Water is a natural appetite suppressant
Fill your stomach with a glass of water before each meal and you will find that you won't eat as much. This also works on snacking throughout the day, keep hydrated all day long and watch as your desire to snack decreases.
2. Water increases your body's ability to efficiently metabolize fat
This process begins with your kidneys receiving enough water to function at their peak, which in turn helps your liver reach optimal efficiency in removing toxins and waste from your blood. With your liver working at maximum capacity, fat will be metabolized at a higher rate. This means a decrease in your overall body fat. (And who doesn't want that?)
3. Water is the perfect substitute for high calorie beverages
Want to super-charge your fitness results this summer? Well, this is the most effective way to utilize water toward your waist-shrinking efforts. Most of us consume more than our share of calorie-packed beverages. Smoothies, shakes, frozen mochas, soft drinks...you get the idea. When you trade your high calorie beverages in for a tall glass of water you will expedite your results in a major way.
The Other Side of the Story...
Now you know that drinking sufficient amounts of water will help you reach your fitness goals faster than ever, but you should also know that failing to drink enough water comes with serious consequences...
- Your body will shift into "preserve" mode—which means you will store more water weight and fat.
- Bodily functions will slow—leading to an overall decrease in energy levels.
- Headaches will become an expected nuisance—your brain is over 70% water.
Hydration Tip #1: Know how much water you need to drink every day. Take half your weight, and that's how many ounces of water you need each day. Add another 16-20 ounces of fluids for every hour of exercise you do.
Hydration Tip #2: Caffeinated beverages—such as coffee, soft drinks or energy drinks—cause your body to lose water. After you enjoy a dose of caffeine replace the lost water by drinking 2 times that amount in water.
Hydration Tip #3: Add lemon, cucumber, ginger, mint, etc.. to your water to create healthy flavored water if you don't like the plain taste of ordinary water.
Hydration Tip #4: Always carry water with you throughout your day—keep a bottle in the car, at your workplace and next to your bed. And know how many of those bottles you need to consume throughout the day to reach your requirement instead of guessing. So if you are a 200 lb person, and you have a 20 ounce water bottle, make sure you fill it up and drain it 5 times!
Hydration Tip #5: Exercise and hot summer days both increase your body's water requirements—make a mental note to drink before, during and after exercise or while out on a hot day.
Hydration Tip #6: Make it a habit to begin your day with a large glass of water then drink a glass before each meal and one between meals.
After searching for the magic pill, and many other options, the fountain of youth has been discovered as close by as your nearest fountain!
Be Healthy
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Mychael Shannon
