Exercise, Water, and Health
By Donovan
Baldwin
.
It might surprise you to know that the human body is actually made up
of over 75% of water. However, I am sure that it is no surprise 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.
In almost all cases, water is a healthier beverage and
necessary for leading yourself towards better health and
longevity.
Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to such factors
as exercise,
weight, and environment. For many years, research has shone
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.
A majority of us will wait until we are thirsty before we drink
water...if we drink water at all.
Keep in mind, 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 is much better
than simply waiting until you are thirsty.
For those hoping to lose weight, the body often misinterprets thirst
signals as hunger signals. Ofter, 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 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, although 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
lay down to 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, or even make your own water filter.
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 To Go
meals.
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
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