The human body is mostly water trapped inside the
fragile walls of cells. We need to drink water to:
-
maintain
the optimum level of hydration in our bodies,
-
flush the
toxins out and cleanse the body,
-
-
-
help the
food digestion process.
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The minimum daily recommended water intake is 2 liters,
because this is how much water the body loses through the
day through sweating, urination and other bodily
functions. Without replenishing lost water, the body goes
into dehydration and all functions start to suffer.
Like many bodily functions, the metabolism is dependent on
water to work properly. Without enough water, the process of
breaking food down and converting it to energy slows down
dramatically. This means that too few calories are burnt and
that too little stored fat is used up.
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Consequently, health and dieting professionals
recommend abstaining from food, but never from water.
Not drinking enough water can be compared to “running of fumes”
and if you’re dieting and you seem to have hit the plateau, then
you are probably not drinking enough water. When the metabolism
slows down, weight loss slows down even more dramatically,
especially since exercising becomes less effective as the body’s
energy levels diminish.
Water also plays an important part in the process of digestion
and elimination of waste. Not drinking enough water is certain
to lead to constipation and a whole lot of other problems of the
intestines.
Poor digestion means that you will not get enough energy from
the food you’re eating. This will prompt the body to ask for
more food and this is how the weight loss process stops and the
weight gain process begins. A dehydrated body sends out fake
hunger pangs, thus tempting you to forget about the diet and eat
more food than you should.
In addition, water is also an excellent filler. If you want to
eat less food, drink a tall glass of water half an hour before
each meal. The water will fill a large part of your stomach and
you will have a feeling of fullness. This is not idle
speculation, but sound advice whose effectiveness can be
confirmed by many dietitians and weight loss experts. Nobody can
overeat with half of the stomach filled with water and with the
body telling him/her: “Seems like we’re almost full. We don’t
need that much food, so cut it short this evening”.
It is important to note that, in order to reap the benefits of
drinking enough water, you have to spread the intake throughout
the day. Don’t drink 2 liters of water all at once because the
body will simply flush out the excess and a lot of it will be
lost.
You do not need to restrict yourself to water. Fruit juices,
weak tea and coffee count as liquids that can be used by the
body for hydration. Alcohol does not contribute towards
hydration. In fact, it has the opposite effect on the body -
dehydration.
And, ladies, don’t be afraid that drinking a lot of water will
make you retain it. It’s dehydration, not abundance, which
forces the body to hang on to what it has.
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