Exercise, Water, and Health

Exercise, Water, and Health
By Donovan Baldwin

You might not be aware that the human body is actually made up of over 75% of water. However, I am sure that are aware that we cannot live without water. Fact is, my friend, we can only survive for about 3 days without water. In other times, humans drank water almost any chance they got. In modern life, however, water has been replaced in most of our diets by soft drinks and other artificially and sugar sweetened refreshments.

According to what I have read, and what the army medics used to tell us, in almost all instances, water is a healthier beverage and necessary for leading yourself towards better health and longevity.

Your personal need for water can vary greatly due to such factors as exercise, weight, and environment. For many years, research has shown us that more than 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis. By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body with this vital fluid and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

Most of us will wait until we are thirsty before we drink water...if we drink water at all.

The problem here is that this isn't a reliable gauge of the water needs for the body. By the time you feel thirst you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply. Therefore, drinking water regularly throughout the day is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

People who are trying to lose weight should understand that the body often misinterprets "thirst" as hunger. Often, simplhy drinking a glass of water (0 calories) will shortly make the feeling go away and will have a less devastating effect than most snacks we normally choose.

It is also important that you don't substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for good ol' water. The reason is that those types of beverages are diuretics and can cause you to lose more water through increased urination. You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, but, the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

If you simply cannot do without that cup of coffee or glass of soda, "buy" it with a drink of water before you treat yourself to the forbidden fruit.

I am sure you realize that anytime you exercise, you will need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water. For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water. Even when you sleep, your body loses water. By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be. However, if you don't want to get up at 3 AM to go to the bathroom, stay hydrated throughout the day and don't drink large quantities close to bedtime.

It should also be obvious that when you are sick you'll need more water than any other tine. When you get a cold or the flu, your body can become dehydrated quite quickly. You can help to prevent this by drinking more water at times when you are ill.

You will find there are several mixed opinions as to whether a water filter will actually provide any significant benefit to health or fitness. This is a subject you should explore yourself as you determine the best type of water for yourself. However, while I suppose that some "special" types of water may contain something of value not found in tap water, the ordinary stuff will do an excellent job of contributing to health...whether you are exercising or not.

If you do decide you would like a home water filter, you can get "Get Clean Water" starter pack from Shaklee.

I might take a moment to recommend you read my articles Water, Your Metabolism, and Weight Loss, and Water, Diet Sodas, and Weight Loss.

For good health, always make it a habit to drink water regularly on a daily basis. You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. You should also teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't replenish the nutrients your body needs. It also helps flush toxins from the body.

While I do not normally recommend diets themselves, healthy eating is important to any health, fitness, or weight loss program. Click Here to learn more about Diet Direct.

P. S. If you want to learn more about why Diets Don't Work, please click here.

If you want to learn how to burn fat, a great book to read is Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto