Healthy Diet Habits - - What is Number One?

If you pick up one habit early on in your program that will make a major difference in your weight loss, this is it. 

The list of benefits of water is so long, you’d think people were selling it as an 18th-century miracle tonic. There is evidence that fully hydrated bodies have higher metabolisms and can burn fat at a faster rate than thirsty, dry bodies. Water also helps you: 

• DIGEST FOOD
• FEEL FULLER
• LOOK AND FEEL FRESHER
• HAVE MORE ENERGY
• THINK MORE CLEARLY

If there is one thing that is clearly difficult with the band for me, it is getting in ALL of my required daily water.  I have to sip and sip and sip.  I have  good restriction with this fill and so it is just like a funnel in there.  I feel it pool at the top of my band and trickle through.  So I have to be drinking and sipping all day long!   So I cannot stress this one enough for the newly banded.  DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!

When you drink more water, and your body gets used to it, you ironically store less water. Seems that your body needs to trust that it’ll continue to get plenty of the good stuff, otherwise it’ll hold onto what little water it does receive. Less water means less weight. Early on, losing several pounds – even if it’s water weight – can be a huge motivator. 

A pound of FAT!

 

A healthy diet should NOT rely on fluids to provide calorie or nutrient needs, but water is necessary for metabolism and normal physiological function. In fact, water is the only fluid that the body truly needs. How much water do you need? Most people need about 8 cups every day, but active people usually need to drink more. Remember that water can come from lots of different sources--even foods contain the water that your body needs! 

 

Fresh fruits and veggies are tremendous sources of water. Fruit juices, milk, teas and decaf coffee also count. Watch out for caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can actually increase your need for more water; so a lot of caffeinated coffee or soda may do more harm than good. 

Relying on thirst is not a good strategy. By the time the brain signals thirst, you’re already dehydrated. If you’re working out, by the time you’re thirsty, your performance can drop 5-10%. The idea is to stay consistently hydrated for optimal performance and weight loss. Seesawing between hydration and thirst can hold you back. Again, your body needs to know that it’ll get what it needs all the time; otherwise it’ll store some back. 

Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday. Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one. Take a bottle of water with you everywhere you go.  Alan teases me because there are literally bottles sitting on the beside table, the bathroom counter, I have them all over my house most of the time.  But he also knows, that I get extremely  bitchy when I am dehydrated!  So he is always encouraging me to drink!


This is my second post about the importance of WATER!!  I have realized through out my journey how very important water has become to me and to my success at weight loss!


THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR WATER!

Happy Friday!