That’s the question I have asked over and over again as I have tried to lose those extra pounds because, like many people, I don’t drink the minimum eight, eight ounce glasses of water every day that is recommended by most health professionals.
And since I’m not drinking the 64 ounces of water a day recommended by most health professionals, it sure means I’m not drinking the ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of weight some experts recommend you drink if you really want to shed those pounds.
I’ve read countless stories from people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. One of the main things I hear from those people is that they drank a lot of water.
Just a few months ago the landscape guy who delivered shrubs to our house was talking about all the weight he lost (he looked great) and he said the two keys to the weight he lost were exercise and drinking a lot of water.
Why do health and weight loss experts feel it is so important to drink water as part of a successful weight loss plan? From what I’ve read they say it’s important because many people mistake thirst for hunger and eat something when taking a drink would have satisfied them. So theoretically this means a person would eat less food, or at least have less potential to overeat if he or she were drinking enough water.
Water keeps a person hydrated and I’ve read over and over again that many people are continually dehydrated and don’t drink enough fluids each day. And water is the best fluid for the body.
Also, when a person drinks really cold water (think water that’s been poured over a huge glass of ice) it does force the body to expend some energy, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that drinking ice water is going to cause you to lose huge amounts of weight.
And the biggie is that water has zero calories so no matter how much water a person drinks it won’t do any damage to their diet unlike soda, sugar filled juices, or many of the energy drinks.
So I decided to do my own unscientific experiment and see if drinking the recommended amount of water would have an effect on how I felt and on my weight. After only one week of drinking 4-5 sixteen ounce bottles of water a day, I lost 2 pounds. I don’t think it was just from drinking the water. I think it was partly because I was drinking a lot more water I wasn’t drinking nearly as much soda. My Pepsi consumption went way down that week which cut a lot of calories out of my diet.
It wasn’t easy to drink that much water. To make it easier, I always kept a bottle or glass handy so it was convenient to drink it. And I started pouring it over ice at night and using a straw to make drinking it a little more fun. I also added Crystal Light to some of the water to make it tastier.
Another bonus to drinking that much water was that I felt better. I had more energy and the headaches I’m prone to getting were less frequent and less severe.
So maybe those experts are right when they say drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day is important to weight loss and also important for a person’s overall well being.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Don't Drink The Water - Or Eat It
Definitely don't drink the water if the locals don't. Aside from this travel guideline, it's tough to judge when it is safe to drink the water in another country. It is often best to rely on bottled water, which is available almost everywhere now, and is cheaper in other countries than in the United States.
Are you safe if you just drink bottled water? Well, was the salad you ate washed in the local tap water? If so, you may not feel well later. If they don't post a sign saying the food is washed in purified water, ask them. Otherwise, it may be best to skip the salad. On the other hand, the Latin-American custom of dressing salads with lime juice may actually kill the bacteria from the wash water. I've taken my chances, with good luck so far.
Ice cubes are often the cause of water-borne illnesses among tourists. If you're not sure that the ice cubes are made with purified water, order your drink without ice. Also, brush your teeth with bottled water to be safe. Showering is usually safe unless you stand there with your mouth open.
Food Safety
Use common sense when choosing a restaurant. The kitchen won't be cleaner than the customer area. In Mexico I saw a box of meat sit unrefridgerated for three days. It was still for sale when I left town. It occurred to me that although I wouldn't buy meat from that store, the restaurant I ate at might. Notice signs of cleanliness, and wipe the edge of our glass before you drink.
My wife and I eat almost anywhere, and have so far been healthy during our travels. We always have a small plastic bottle of waterless hand-sanitizer gel handy, and we use it before meals when traveling. It often isn't the food that gets you sick, but the bacteria from your hands, which have been touching money and other biologically active things all day. Wash your hands a lot, use sanitizer, and you'll cut the risk of illness in half.
Not sure which restaurants are clean and safe? Ask the locals. Also, watch to see what local residents do when eating. Do they refuse the milk, or do they bring their own soup spoons? If you're in an area where the standards of cleanliness and food safety are just plain lower than you like, you can look for a restaurant owned by someone from a country with higher standards.
For total safey when you travel, don't drink the water or eat in restaurants at all, or just don't travel. Seriously though, you can eat quite well from packaged foods, and you can bring iodine pills to make purified water. Eat fruit washed in your iodine-water, and you can even maintain a healthy diet while traveling.
Are you safe if you just drink bottled water? Well, was the salad you ate washed in the local tap water? If so, you may not feel well later. If they don't post a sign saying the food is washed in purified water, ask them. Otherwise, it may be best to skip the salad. On the other hand, the Latin-American custom of dressing salads with lime juice may actually kill the bacteria from the wash water. I've taken my chances, with good luck so far.
Ice cubes are often the cause of water-borne illnesses among tourists. If you're not sure that the ice cubes are made with purified water, order your drink without ice. Also, brush your teeth with bottled water to be safe. Showering is usually safe unless you stand there with your mouth open.
Food Safety
Use common sense when choosing a restaurant. The kitchen won't be cleaner than the customer area. In Mexico I saw a box of meat sit unrefridgerated for three days. It was still for sale when I left town. It occurred to me that although I wouldn't buy meat from that store, the restaurant I ate at might. Notice signs of cleanliness, and wipe the edge of our glass before you drink.
My wife and I eat almost anywhere, and have so far been healthy during our travels. We always have a small plastic bottle of waterless hand-sanitizer gel handy, and we use it before meals when traveling. It often isn't the food that gets you sick, but the bacteria from your hands, which have been touching money and other biologically active things all day. Wash your hands a lot, use sanitizer, and you'll cut the risk of illness in half.
Not sure which restaurants are clean and safe? Ask the locals. Also, watch to see what local residents do when eating. Do they refuse the milk, or do they bring their own soup spoons? If you're in an area where the standards of cleanliness and food safety are just plain lower than you like, you can look for a restaurant owned by someone from a country with higher standards.
For total safey when you travel, don't drink the water or eat in restaurants at all, or just don't travel. Seriously though, you can eat quite well from packaged foods, and you can bring iodine pills to make purified water. Eat fruit washed in your iodine-water, and you can even maintain a healthy diet while traveling.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Drink Water To Help With Weight Loss
I am a great proponent of permanent and safe weight loss by changing the mental picture you have of yourself.If you change the way you view yourself and the way your mind sees you and talks to you, you can then easily change your weight successfully.
That being said, you can help yourself along greatly by making small and simple changes to your diet. Eating healthier foods is a great way to add to your program.
First, drink more water. Add at least one more glass a day to what you already drink. And, at the same time, make it fun. Try these:
1. Seltzer
Add a lemon or lime for a nice "punch."
Bored with lemon and lime slices? Then try something more adventurous like a wedge of orange, a slice of pineapple, or a few cut up strawberries. All will add a little flavor.
2. Herbal Tea
Put an herbal teabag into a bottle of water and let it sit in your fridge for a while. It flavors the water.Strong flavored teas work best. Stay away from the ones that contain caffeine.
If its cold outside drink hot herbal tea. You'll enjoy the refreshing pause in your day.
3. Flavored Syrups
Raspberry, peach, cherry or your favorites add splash to a glass of water. Just a splash will work so it does not add calories. Sugar free syrups don't add calories but are full of chemicals, so be careful in your choices.
4. Soup
Broth and bouillon are great choices. If you like the creamy soups be wary of the extra fat in them and use these only occassionally.
As daunting as it seems to drink those 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, all evidence has shown that drinking enough water helps weight loss, improves skin, and is just plain good for you. Studies have shown that people sometimes eat when they are in fact dehydrated. So drink up and enjoy trying some of these methods.
That being said, you can help yourself along greatly by making small and simple changes to your diet. Eating healthier foods is a great way to add to your program.
First, drink more water. Add at least one more glass a day to what you already drink. And, at the same time, make it fun. Try these:
1. Seltzer
Add a lemon or lime for a nice "punch."
Bored with lemon and lime slices? Then try something more adventurous like a wedge of orange, a slice of pineapple, or a few cut up strawberries. All will add a little flavor.
2. Herbal Tea
Put an herbal teabag into a bottle of water and let it sit in your fridge for a while. It flavors the water.Strong flavored teas work best. Stay away from the ones that contain caffeine.
If its cold outside drink hot herbal tea. You'll enjoy the refreshing pause in your day.
3. Flavored Syrups
Raspberry, peach, cherry or your favorites add splash to a glass of water. Just a splash will work so it does not add calories. Sugar free syrups don't add calories but are full of chemicals, so be careful in your choices.
4. Soup
Broth and bouillon are great choices. If you like the creamy soups be wary of the extra fat in them and use these only occassionally.
As daunting as it seems to drink those 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, all evidence has shown that drinking enough water helps weight loss, improves skin, and is just plain good for you. Studies have shown that people sometimes eat when they are in fact dehydrated. So drink up and enjoy trying some of these methods.
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