Water

It's been pretty busy around here and as of tomorrow, it's gonna be even busier for atleast the next 3 months. Somehow I'll manage surface for a post here and there though.

So I found something the other day at the gym that was quite interesting. Its a paper all about the importance of water. I've always been a huge water drinker, tons of it all day, everyday. A few months back I just stopped craving it like I always do, now I have to force myself to drink more than a few cups each day.

Thought I would share what it said, sorry about the length of it all. It's just nice to finally hear why when people point their finger and say "ya need to drink at least 8 cups of water each day". A lot of stuff in my weight gain (which is definitely not soley caused by not drinking enough water) makes some sense now.

How 8 glasses of water a day
keeps the fat away

Water naturally suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake causes fat deposits to increase, while increasing water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Here's why: the kidney's can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. However, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat and more fat remains stored in the body which stops weight loss.

Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored as extracellular spaces (outside the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs and hands. The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs - plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.

An over weight person needs more water than a thin person. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since water is the key to fat metabolism, an overweight person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of - all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush the system.

How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8oz. glasses everyday. That's about 2 quarts. However, an overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25lbs of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Water should preferable be cold - its absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water. Furthermore, some evidence suggests drinking cold water can actually help burn calories.

When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point." What does this mean?

• Endocrin gland function improves.
• Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost.
• More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat.
• Natural thirst returns.
• There is a decrease in hunger almost overnight.

If you stop drinking enough water, your bodily fluids will be thrown out of balance again and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To remedy this situation you'll have to go back and force another "breakthrough".