Hydration and Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Did you know that water plays a vital role in supporting healthy weight loss? Unlike fat, our bodies can’t store water, so it’s necessary to replenish continuously throughout the day. In addition to staying hydrated, water helps speed up metabolism and prevents overeating. In fact, sometimes, when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. Attention to this is significant as we head into the summer and our warmest weather. If reaching a healthy weight isn’t motivation enough to drink more, there are several other benefits.
Why Hydration is So Important
Increased energy and improved brain function. It may help and prevent headaches. Can improve skin health and beauty. It helps flush body waste and aids in digestion. Helps protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues.
Try some of these tips when trying to stay hydrated to reach a healthy weight.
Drink the right amount of water. Certain health conditions and lifestyles can determine how much water you need. For example, expecting mothers or athletes may need extra fluids to stay hydrated. As a baseline, you should be drinking 64 ounces* per day or half your weight in water.
Purchase a reusable water bottle. The easiest way to remember to drink more water is to keep a water bottle handy at all times. Your water bottle becomes your visual cue to drink more, and you are more likely to refill it when it is empty.
Drink water with every meal. Drinking water with your meals not only helps you stay hydrated but can also help improve your body’s digestion. If you are hydrated, your body will produce sufficient saliva, which helps break down food into nutrients that your body can easily absorb.
Eat vegetables. Your food choices are a major contributor to hydration and account for roughly 20 percent of your daily fluid intake. Certain vegetables are high in water, such as iceberg lettuce, celery, and cucumbers. To put it into perspective, the water composition of a cucumber is 96%, making it a smart choice to include in your meals or on salads.
Track your water intake. So you don’t fall behind and are sure to consume 64 ounces* of water daily, log water intake to remind yourself when it’s time to fill up.