Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Healthy Hydration

Healthy Hydration

Water is an essential component of the human body and is critical to successful weight loss and exercising. Yet many people don't understand the importance of staying well-hydrated and what it takes to stay that way.

Water is important because it regulates our temperature, cushions and protects our vital organs, aids digestion, transport nutrients to working muscles and organs, helps dispel waste and can help prevent us from over-eating.

Water loss:

In doing all of these things, water is consumed or expelled from our bodies, which means that it needs to be continually replaced.

When the temperature of our body rises, during exercise for example, we lose higher amounts of water through sweat. In one hour of intense exercise, our body can lose up to a litre or more of water.

When we fail to replace lost water and our body can't cool itself properly, we enter a state of dehydration.

Sometimes we can mistake mild states of dehydration for hunger.

When we don't drink enough fluids, our body gives us signals which resemble hunger pains. When this happens, many of us start eating unnecessary calories because we have misunderstood what our body is trying to tell us.

By staying well-hydrated throughout the day, we minimise the chance of unnecessary eating and maximize our chances of achieving our weight loss goals.

Dehydration:

If you've ever felt thirsty, you have experienced dehydration.

In a dehydrated state our body is unable to cool itself properly, which in extreme cases can lead to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke.

Without an adequate supply of water we begin to lack energy and our muscles may begin to cramp.

For regular exercisers, maintaining a constant supply of water to the body is essential. Dehydration leads very quickly to muscle fatigue and can even effect our coordination. Even small amounts of water loss may hinder athletic performance.

To prevent dehydration, exercisers must drink adequate amounts of water before, during and after their workout or event.

Fluid balance and replenishment:

It is very important that we all drink enough water. Thirst is a signal that our body is already on the way to dehydration.

It is important to drink continually throughout the day and not just to avoid thirst.

One easy way to check that you are adequately hydrated is to check the colour of your urine.

If your urine is light to clear you are fine, if your urine is too dark the chances are that you are not drinking enough water and may be becoming dehydrated.

Of course, if you are taking vitamin supplements, this test may not be accurate because supplements tend to darken the colour of your urine for several hours after taking them.

Water is usually the best fluid replenishment for most people, but sports drinks can provide added benefits in extreme conditions.

As well as containing water, some sports drinks contain electrolytes and other trace elements which aid in fluid absorption, which is very important if you are exercising at a high intensity for more than 45 minutes or so.

But remember, water is not the only source of fluid replacement. Healthy foods like fruits, juices, soups and vegetables all contain varying degrees of water that aids in the replenishment of lost fluids.

By world standards, Australian's are very lucky to have access to safe, clean drinking water. This makes staying well hydrated really easy, so what are you waiting for? Drink up!

Everyday Hydration hints:

? As a general rule, drink at least 1 litre (4 glasses) of water for every 30 kilos of body weight each day. If you weigh 60 kilos, for example, drink at least 2 litres of water per day. If it is hot or you are active drink even more.

? Look for light to clear coloured urine to make sure you are adequately hydrated.

? If you are hungry when you shouldn't be, try drinking a couple of glasses of water - you might be misinterpreting thirst for hunger. If you are still hungry 10 to 15 minutes later, try eating a piece of fruit to keep you going until your next meal.

? Eating fruit and vegetables and drinking juice are great ways to hydrate your body.

? Try to keep a bottle of water handy at all times and always keep an emergency bottle of water in your car.

? Drink a glass of water before going to bed and another as soon as you wake up, 8 hours is a long time for your body to go without water.

? Caffeine and alcohol can have a diuretic effect, making you lose even more water, so be sure to compensate for this additional loss.

Exercise Hydration hints:

? Drink one to two glasses of water at least an hour before you start exercising.

? Drink another glass 20 to 30 minutes prior to exercising.

? Drink 125 to 250ml of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes or so during exercise.

? Drink an additional 250ml of fluid within 30 minutes after exercising.

? Drink 500ml of fluid for every half kilo of body weight lost after exercise.

For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit http://www.weightloss.com.au and become a happier, healthier you.

Scott Haywood

shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Google’s scam detection features, powered by artificial intelligence, are a significant step forward in safeguarding Android users from fraud.

The FBI has issued a warning that scammers are impersonating doctors, police and banks using spoofed numbers as "smishing" texts surge nationwide.

Communities with unreliable internet service stand to gain after Amazon's Project Kuiper launched its first full batch of satellites into orbit April 28.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says unsubscribing from spam might actually backfire. Learn when to avoid it and stop junk effectively.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how the first nonstop beating heart transplant, called zero ischemic time, at Taiwan hospital changes surgery.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: FBI warns of "time-traveling" hackers.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about a soft, vine-like robot called SPROUT that aids safe survivor rescues in collapsed buildings.

Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California confirmed it had been sharing private health data of 4.7 million users with Google for three years without even realizing it.

Delta and JetZero’s blended wing body aircraft marks a meaningful step toward a cleaner, quieter and more efficient future for air travel.

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.

Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

Healthy Hydration

Weight Loss