Do you drink enough water? Do you train hard, eat right, take supplements and then don’t consume enough water? You may be doing more harm than you think. Coming from someone who once had kidney stones, you DO NOT want them. I’ve had 3 children and the pain I experienced from an episode with a kidney stone had me thinking “what labor pains”. This was during a time when I was definitely not consuming enough water and had moved from the east coast to the desert. Believe me, I’ve learned my lesson.
Our bodies are comprised of about 70% water. It is important for the regulation of our bodily funcitons and processes to have enough water. You can survive longer without food than without proper hydration. Plus, your skin will also improve with better hydration.
Dr. Howard Flaks, a bariatric (obesity) specialist in Beverly Hills, Calif, says, “By not drinking enough water, many people incur excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness and water retention.” In other words, if you don’t drink enough water, you will actually retain more water and bloat. Not my favorite look. And no, wine is not water, nor is soda or beer. Nothing is as good as straight up water. Herbal tea can help your reach your hydration needs, but water is best.
One school of thought is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you should consume daily. Don’t worry about going to the bathroom constantly. While this may initially be the case, your body will adapt to your increased intake. You should, however, cut yourself off a few hours before bed so you are not interrupting your sleep with bathroom breaks.
So, if you are struggling with those last few stubborn pounds, ask yourself if you are taking in enough H20. It may likely be your real “trouble spot”.
Drink up!
Tiffany
