Day -4 - Let's continue to "toast" to the new decade...with about a gallon of water a day!

Water...H2O - whatever you want to call it....YOU need it, I need it, EVERYONE needs it!



From babies on, we started drinking water.... we swam in water....we bathed in water.... we used water for our squirt guns, in our recipes, drank it out of the hose....ran through the sprinkler...2/3 of our body weight is water and over 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered with water... no wonder it plays such an important role in our lives!



How much do we need? Why should we drink it? What does it do for me?
Keep reading, Google gave me all kinds of interesting things to share...........

How much water should I drink each day?


Any diet, weight loss, or "how to get healthy" article will tell you about the same thing.
-Drink 8-10 glasses a day or more.... One source said to divide your body weight in half and that number represents the number of ounces of water you should drink daily. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water each day....

However, it is recommended if you:

-EXERCISE - Drink another 8 ounces for every 20 minutes you work out.

-ALCOHOL - Drink extra water that equals the amount of alcohol consumed that day.

-TRAVELING BY PLANE - Drink 8 ounces of water for every hour you are on the plane

-OVERWEIGHT - For every 25 pounds over your "recommended weight", add another 8 ounces of water per day.

Starting to sound like we need to carry a hose with us.......


BUT IT MAKES SENSE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE FACTS ABOUT WATER AND WHAT IT DOES FOR OUR BODIES:

-Water helps keep your muscles and skin toned (TONED??? THERE'S A FLASH FROM THE PAST, BUT SOON TO BE BACK IN THE PRESENT :)!)

-Assists in weight loss (MAN, IF IT HELPS ME LOSE WEIGHT, WHY HAVEN"T I BEEN MEETING MY DAILY QUOTA UP TO NOW :( )

-Tansports oxygen and nutrients to cells (THAT H2O IS POWERFUL!)

-Eliminates toxins and wastes from the body

-Regulates body temperature

-Drinking clean water plays a major role in reducing the risk of certain diseases.

-Cushions the joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord from shock and damage (YOU CAN'T BUY ANYTHING THAT CAN DO THIS!)

-Water has no calories so it can serve as an appetite suppressant (a LARGE glass 10 minutes before every meal!)

-Water metabolizes stored fat in the body (METABOLIZES? I will partake of anything that will help METABOLIZE!)

-Water stimulates the kidneys and can aid in reducing water retention (GET RID OF THE "PUFFY"! DD ARE YOU READING THIS?)

-Can help ease back and joint pain for up to to 80 percent of sufferers (WOW, THIS ONE AMAZED ME!!)

-Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs and brain all contain lots of water! (KEEP IT WATERED FOLKS!!!)


DEHYDRATION......aka LACK OF WATER

We know when we are thirsty but unfortunately, you can be dehydrated long before you get thirsty! We lose water through urination, respiration and sweating! Plus caffeine and alcohol make your body think you have more water than you do, so any caffeine or alcohol drinkers should drink more water to compensate!

LACK OF WATER OR DEHYDRATION CAN CAUSE:

-Fuzzy short-term memory (SO THAT'S MY PROBLEM!)
-Trouble with basic math (AND ALL THIS TIME, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LEARNING THING..)
-Difficulty focusing on a computer screen or a printed page
-Chronic joint and muscle pain
-Lower back pain
-Headaches and constipation!
They didn't mention, bad skin, but I know that to be true too!

75% of Americans are "chronically dehydrated" and dehydration is believed to apply to half of the world's population! YIKES - START DRINKING PEEPS!


“Water is the most neglected nutrient in your diet, but one of the most vital.” - Kelly Barton



WATER SOURCES - WHERE DOES OUR BODY GET THE WATER IT NEEDS?

-20% of your water need comes from the foods you eat. (I DON'T THINK CHIPS OR CHOCOLATE HELP MUCH HERE - HAHA! SERIOUSLY, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE COULD GET 1/5 OF OUR WATER FROM THE FOODS WE ARE EATING...LEARNING ALL KINDS OF THINGS TODAY!)

-80% of your water should come from the beverages you drink.
WATER is the best choice. Why?

-Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take in more calories than you need. Or if you do diet sodas, who knows what is replacing the sugar.....

-Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are fine.

-Sports drinks contain electrolytes but watch for added sugar and extra calories.

-Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients but lots of calories too.

-Caffeinated/Alcohol beverages will also add to your daily water need as mentioned previously.

KEEP YOUR WATER WITH YOU!

-Buy a BPA free container - (don't get me started on bottled water - come on, our planet needs a break people!) It is a great investment for the new year! Keep it full of water and set daily goals as to how much water you can drink! Add some lemon or lime slices for extra flavor much better than buying the flavored waters with either added sugar or fake chemicals.

So, here's the deal....bottom line... start drinking more water TODAY. Start the new "habit" today in the "planning phase".....it will be 1 less thing to get used to as we add in the exercise and food changes ahead......

Until tomorrow, make today worth remembering.....load up on the water.....and enjoy the extra steps you will be making to the restroom! Gosh, I hadn't even thought of the benefit of all the extra calories burned through that walking! Amazing.....

In the meantime, I'm heading into the kitchen for a large glass of water :) and toasting to all of you!!! Let me know how your water intake is going and any tips/tricks you can share!