Almost everyone knows that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. But is it really necessary? “Absolutely,” says Dave Parise a national education provider for certifying bodies in the fitness industry.
Consider this: Your lungs expel between two and four cups of water each day through normal breathing – even more on a cold day. If your feet sweat, there goes another cup of water. If you make half a dozen trips to the bathroom during the day, that’s six cups of water. If you perspire, you expel about two cups of water (which doesn’t include exercise-induced perspiration).
“Almost every cell in your body needs water to function properly. Many of the patients I see don’t drink enough water. They are dehydrated, they aren’t drinking as much water as they should especially considering how much your body needs.” It is your catalyst for fat burning and retention.
The human body, which is made up of between 55 and 75 percent water. Lean people have more water in their bodies because muscle holds more water than fat. Fat is in need of constant water replenishment.
I will point out that a person who wants to lose 5 percent of their body fat needs to consume at least half their body weight in water per day. Adequate water consumption can help lessen the chance of kidney stones, keep joints lubricated, prevent and lessen the severity of colds and flu and help prevent constipation.
“I encourage clients to drink eight at least one cup of water for every hour awake. Those who do report that they generally feel better.
But not everyone likes water. Many people prefer soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, coffee and other drinks. All these drinks can help quench your body’s thirst for fluids, but they typically contain 100 calories or more per serving. They are also high in sugar and other chemicals that make it unhealthy.
When you get in the car, take along a bottle. When you sit down to watch TV, have something to drink. When you go to a meeting, have a bottle with you. Fill a swell, or a BPA free bottle and place it on your workstation. Open the top silly! When you drink swallow five times!
Dave Parise CPT FPTA MES
