Anyone who knows me - particularly my family and those I have trained - is well aware of two things I say all the time. One is (everyone together now) "Use Your Core!" and the other is "Drink Your Water!" (If I missed a few other things I am sure someone will post and remind me!)
Yes, a strong core leads to a strong body that is more likely to stay free from injury. But today we are going to talk about Water - yep, good old H2O. I often talk about the importance of water, and try to give tips and reasons why it's so good for you. So this morning I logged into my email and there was a great message from another trainer that I follow. Her points about water were great, and very thoroughly outlined my thoughts on the subject, so I decided to marry her thoughts up with mine, and below are the results. But before you read on, go get a glass of water!
1. Water makes you feel less hungry and more full after a
meal. We've all heard this one, right? Well, here's why: various research shows that if you drink 2 cups
of water 30 minutes before a meal then you will consume 75 less calories, on
average, during that meal. So while you are prepping the meal, or on the way home to your family dinner, drink a bottle of water. Many people’s greatest concern when transitioning to
a healthy eating plan is “I don’t want to feel hungry.” Getting in your daily
dose of water, along with a properly balanced meal plan filled with fat burning
foods, is the perfect combination for never feeling hungry while fueling your
metabolic fire to burn off those unwanted pounds.
2. Water helps you tone up and maintain toned muscles. Have you heard this one before? If
your muscles are dehydrated, you won’t see that lean, toned look you are working
so hard to achieve. Increase your water intake and you’re likely to see a change
in your muscle tone fast. It is your blood’s job to deliver oxygen and nutrients
to your muscles and organs, and blood plasma is composed of 90% water. So not
supplying your body with sufficient amounts of water will lead to muscles that
do not have the nourishment they need to contract, function, and build up
optimally. Also remember that muscle is one of your best tools for increasing
metabolic rate and becoming a fat burning machine all day long. Add to, don't take away from, the work you are doing in the gym (or by doing those push-ups!) by drinking more water.
3. Drinking water increases your
metabolism. German researchers once conducted a study
where they measured the participants' resting metabolism before and after they
drank about two cups of water. The results showed that after 10 minutes their
rates of metabolism began to pick up, after 40 minutes their metabolic rates
were 30% greater, and they remained at this faster rate for at least an hour.
If you aren't aware of what metabolism is...it's the way we burn those calories! So anything that helps with that task has to be worth a little effort - yes? What a simple way to ensure your body stays in fat burning mode all day
long (yes, take another sip right now).
4. Water helps your liver complete its job of metabolizing
fat. Two critical organs when you’re trying to lose
weight are your kidneys and liver. It is your kidneys’ job to eliminate waste
from your body, and water is essential in this process. If your kidneys are not
getting enough water to complete this vital task, they will ask the liver for
some help. The liver will always say “yes” and if the liver is too busy doing
the work of the kidneys, it can NOT focus on what you really want it to do which
is metabolize unwanted fat. By simply supplying your body with enough water, the
kidneys can do their work and the liver can do its important fat burning work as
well. You wouldn't go all day without flushing the toilet, would you? So don't withhold the necessary water your body needs to "flush"!
This very simple step can start making a dramatic difference in your weight
loss immediately. (I hope you just took another sip of water).
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