The Importance of Water - For You!

Don't underestimate the importance of water and of having
enough throughout your day. It increases your energy levels,
and it might take hunger feeling away – because sometimes
you think you're hungry when you're really just thirsty.

How Much Should You Drink In A Day?

Like anything, the most accurate answer is "It depends." Depends on what?

Believe it or not, if everything else is equal - males need more than females.

If you're physically active, working up a sweat through work or exercise, you need more of that good H20, and if you live in a hot climate, you probably need more as well. 

So this is just a guideline - but it's a good one - to drink half your weight in ounces of water. For instance, if you weigh 144 pounds, that would mean 72 ounces of water, or 9 glasses a day.

If you are 240 pounds, that is 120 ounces, when divided by 8 gives you 15 cups glasses a day. That sounds like a lot, doesn't it? It's still important. Someone who is 240 probably is carrying extra fat and fat issue doesn't absorb water as efficiently as lean tissue, so if anything, it's even more important for this person to drink an adequate amount.

What Counts as "Water"?

Water, of course, counts, and clear herbal tea - and that's it! Nothing else.

No coffee, tea - whether black, green red or white, coffee substitute, pop, soda, Gatorade, energy drinks, Koolaid, juice, drink boxes, milk, almond milk - none of these count. And herbal tea gets disqualified if you've added milk, sugar, honey etc.

It Matters (to me, anyway :)
What Kind I'm Drinking

Sometimes I drive from Prince Edward Island where I live to Ontario to visit my family. It's 1,800 km, or 1,120 miles. It's a bit of a drive.

I like to bring along lots to drink. 

One time I bought a case of bottles (too much plastic, I know, I don't do this anymore.) But as I traveled, and was working my way through the case, all that happened was that I was getting thirstier. Has this ever happened to you? That the more you drink, the thirstier you get?

So I drank some more, but it didn't help, I was feeling more and more dehydrated.

Finally I stopped at a grocery store and bought a large container of spring water. I filled one of my insulated cups and amazingly, this quenched my thirst, no problem.

Why? Is it the water source? The sodium some companies add? I don't know.

But now I always buy a large jug and fill up my own bottle as I go. It tastes so much is better and I don't add all that plastic to the environment.

I live in the country and we have a well. I love it, - no chlorine! I know it's necessary to use chlorine for purification in the cities, but I sure don't enjoy the taste (or the smell) of the chlorinated stuff anymore. I avoid it as much as I can.

I also enjoy it even if it's distilled. Some of my family objects to the taste, but it feels so good going down! It quenches my thirst better than anything else. I love it. 

Being Hydrated Helps to Get Rid of the Waste

If your home is full of clutter and waste, you can still function. You don't feel as good about it, and you can't do things as efficiently, but you can still operate.

It's the same with your body. If it's all cluttered up with waste products, you're not going to be at your best.

Water helps to remove waste, both from your cells and your body. When you have enough, you will enjoy more energy, have more clarity of thought, and have more fun compared to how you'll feel if you're dehydrated.

Just this past year, I made sure to drink as much as I need to have. I was surprised to have so much more energy during the day. I hadn't changed my eating, or sleeping, or activities or anything else. Now if I'm dragging, I always take a look at how much I've had. If you're dragging a bit, check yourself on this.

It Helps to Curb Hunger

I have also taken to heart the suggestion that “if you are hungry, drink before you eat, you may actually be thirsty”. I have found that to be true sometimes. If you are on a quest to lose some weight, this is important to remember. It will help you not to snack as much, and it will help to move the waste products out of your cells. 

But I'm Not Used to Drinking That Much!

Here's what I do:

Choose something to put your water in for the day. It could be a pitcher, jars, or fill up some bottles. The first time you do this, you might need to measure it and pour the right amount into your containers. Take note of how high the water is in the pitcher, or how many insulated mugs you filled etc., and this is the last time you have to bother with measuring.

Every morning, fill them up and then you easily know how much you've had in the day and how much you still need to drink. No counting! No forgetting - “Was that four glasses that I had or five?”

The next thing I do is, even if I'm not really feeling thirsty, is to have at least one sip. That's it, just one. It's really not that hard. I'm not chugging down a whole glass, it's just one sip.

   Then it's a little easier to have a second sip, then a third, 
   then suddenly, I'm feeling really thirsty. I don't know why,
   but that's how it works with me. Next thing I know. I've had
   a lot of what I wanted to drink today and it's only part way  
   through the morning, and it's been no work at all!

   I also find that there are times of day that I find it easier to
   drink water than other times.

I've decided that it's not that important to spread it evenly throughout the day, but instead, I make sure I have enough every day. I have most in the morning; by the time 4:00 rolls around, I don't want to drink much more. Hey, whatever works, right? :)

Why Can't I Just Eat What I Want?

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Teresa has left the city life and lives in Prince Edward Island, Canada with her husband
and is wondering if raising chickens will be her next project.
She has 4 grown up children and 5 grandkids who try to visit when they won't
have to spend too much time dodging mosquitoes and black flies.
Teresa is a certified Strategic Interventionist through Robbins Madanes training,
a certified StrengthsFinder adviser,
and a life coach with a life-long interest in nutrition.
Teresa has a passion for helping others to find and fulfill
their full potential and to live with abundance.
She sees optimum health as a necessary part of this,
and besides, isn't this what you want?