Healthy Weight Loss Plan: Nutrition 102 - Water

The first thing I ALWAYS tell people who want to lose weight is that they must cut out their calorie-containing beverages and replace them with water.  It is impossible to overstate the importance of this simple tip. 

Water is a fundamental source of life.  We all need a lot of it to survive.  Our bodies cells' are made up predominantly of water.  Our bodies are begging for the stuff.  So why not listen to our bodies and give them what they need?

It may seem simple, but I recently was working with a client who could only get to the gym twice a week (though I tried to get her to work out more often).  Her diet was not great, but I didn't want to change things drastically at first for fear that she would not be able to stick with it.  So I told her to make one change.

She told me she drank several glasses of soda every day.  I told her to replace one of those with water.  After a week, I told to to replace another and continue to do so every week until she replaced all of her soda intake with water.  It was hard for her at first, but she got used to it and eventually started to like drinking water.  And...she dropped 10 pounds in her first month!

So if you drink soda, juice, milk, or any other calorie-containing beverage; begin replacing it with water today.  It will make a HUGE difference in your weight loss success.

Water is good not only because it has no calories; it is also crucial to our health.  Since our cells are made up predominantly of water, just about all of our bodily functions rely on proper hydration for maximum effectiveness. 

Several chronic conditions can often be traced to a history of poor hydration.  Every single system of our body must be well-hydrated to work effectively.  This includes the nervous system, respiratory system, and digestive system.  If you don't want problems with your brain, your breathing, or you gut then you better make sure you remain properly hydrated at all times.

Not sure if you are staying properly hydrated?  Here are a few signs of dehydration:

• Dry Mouth
• Brightly Colored Urine (anything that isn't clear)
• Thirst
• Dry Skin
• Loss of Skin Elasticity
• Fatigue

If you are experiencing any of these signs, it would be a good idea to drink a glass of water immediately

Sometimes when you think you are hungry, you may actually be thirsty.  This is because the signals of huger and thirst to the brain are sent in the same way.  In other words, it is sometimes impossible for you to decipher the difference between hunger and thirst. 

To combat this problem, if you suddenly become hungry despite just eating recently, try drinking a tall glass of water to see if you become satisfied.  If not, you may actually be hungry but it's worth a test to make sure you are properly hydrated and to avoid overeating.

I mentioned above that water is very important to all of the body's systems.  This, of course, includes the digestive system.  Water is crucial to good digestive health.  In turn, good digestive health is crucial to healthy weight loss.

Throughout this healthy weight loss plan, we will be working to rid your body of toxins and other garbage that are currently being stored in your fat tissue and colon.  These things are largely responsible for the belly fat that you so desperately want to get rid of.  To get rid of these things, we must flush them out of your system.  Doing so will require a lot of water.  A lot of water will be lost in the process and a lot will be required to make sure you remain properly hydrated.

Therefore, it is a good idea to begin the process of drinking more water immediately because it will be increasingly important as we move forward.

Here are a few tips to ensure that you stay hydrated throughout the day:

• Drink 1 glass (about 8 oz.) of water immediately upon waking up in the morning (ASAP!).
• Drink 1 glass about 15 minutes before each meal.
• Drink 8 oz. 15-30 minutes before exercise.
• Drink 8-16 oz. during your workout.
• Drink 16 oz. within the hour after your workout.
• Keep a bottle or glass with you at all times to sip throughout the day.
• Drink a glass if you feel that your mouth is dry.
• Drink a glass if your urine is not clear.

When it comes to a healthy body, nothing is more important than water.  It is essential to survival and essential to every bodily function.  If you want to achieve a true Healthy Body Revolution, you must drink a good amount of water and stay properly hydrated at all times.

While I strongly urge you to follow the tips in the "How to Stay Hydrated" section, I realize that some people may have some trouble making a switch to a water-only beverage plan. Accordingly, I have created similar recommendations to those of my client mentioned earlier in the article for how to incorporate water into your healthy weight loss plan.

• Begin by replacing one non-water beverage with water each day for one week.
• Try sipping on water whenever you experience any of the signs of dehydration.
• Add a little bit of lemon juice to your water if you need some taste at first.
• Replace one more non-water beverage with water every week until you are only drinking water.

NOTE: I also recommend drinking green or white tea on occasion for their antioxidant benefits. That will be explained in a future article.

So start drinking more water today and see the pounds begin to fall off!

Nutrition 103: A Healthy Body Cleanse