Many people are dehydrated and don’t even realize it. When you understand why your body needs water, it really doesn’t make any sense to drink anything else. In trying to improve your health, drinking water can be one of the simplest ways to start seeing a difference in your body. This article will examine the fundamental importance of drinking water and why you should choose water as your primary choice in beverages from now on.
1) Dehydration
The first thing you need to realize is that whenever you drink any liquids besides water, whether it be juice, soft drinks, coffee with cream and sugar, or a sweetened ice tea, that liquid goes into your stomach and your body naturally has to dilute it to be able to process throughout your body. In doing this, your body robs itself of water from other organs to have something to dilute the liquid that you just drank. This causes dehydration. Believe it or not, dehydration can be a major cause for water retention. This is because your body will tend to hold on to as much water as it can because of the fact that it’s not getting enough water. This can cause that bloated puffy look, which a lot of people mistake for weight gain in the form of fat. Just by drinking enough water you can almost immediately lose five to 10 pounds within a week or two. How much water should you drink? It depends on your size but generally speaking, if you divide your weight in half you should be drinking at least that amount in ounces of water. For example, a 150-pound woman should try to drink around 75 ounces of water per day.
Note: If you start to drink more water and notice that you’re using the bathroom more, don’t be alarmed because most likely it is your body flushing out some of the excess water you have been carrying.
2) Calories
Just by choosing to drink water, you can slash the amount of calories you consume. Any type of sweetened beverages that you may drink, you should realize that they are really considered a form of carbohydrates. This is because of the sugar they contain. A lot of people don’t realize that sugary drinks can cause them to actually gain weight by adding extra calories and also triggering an insulin spike in their body which is a fat storing hormone. Whenever insulin is spiked, your body cannot use fat as a source of energy. Learning to view drinks differently can really help you to control the amount of calories you consume in a day in order to begin seeing weight loss results. Sports drinks, contrary to what many people realize, do not actually help you quench your thirst. They actually can rob your body of its hydration and cause you to be thirstier than you were before. Sports drinks are only good for whenever you exert yourself in strenuous sports or activities which cause your muscles to be depleted of glycogen (also known as sugar.) When you drink a sports drink after or during a very demanding activity, they can help you to regain energy to keep going; but most people don’t need sports drinks like they think they do.
3) Circulation
Drinking water can improve the circulation throughout your body. Water flushes out toxins and helps things to run smoothly in your blood. This can help you to feel energized and you will really notice a difference if you start drinking water on a regular basis. You’ll feel more oxygenated and your muscles will feel much more plump and stronger. Water also helps to flush out your kidneys and your liver, which can also assist your body in losing weight. Water is also really good for keeping clear and younger looking skin.
If you don’t particularly like the plain taste of water, there are some things you can do. Adding lemon juice or unsweetened cranberry juice is a great way to add taste to your water without the sugary overload. Try not to go with artificial sweetening additives to your water because these types of additions can cause bloating just like regular sweetened drinks do. Plain green tea is another great option for hydration especially if it’s iced. Brew some green tea and keep it in the fridge. Add a little bit of lemon to give it some tartness. Whatever you do, learn to adapt yourself to drink more water, and I guarantee your body will thank you!