It was nice to hear that many of you are on board and looking forward to some sustained change in your lives. Hopefully the journaling has brought forth some issues that need to be addressed, foods that need to be eaten or not eaten or a much needed activity boost. Keep the journaling up and let’s move on.
The following is information about the importance of water in our diet by our nutritionist Tracy Owens. Tracy and I have collaborated on many programs over the years and she always seems to have the best solutions to dietary issues not just because her information is correct but because it’s easy for the client to follow. You can have all the knowledge in the world but if it can’t fit in your lifestyle, once again, it’s not going to stick. So why would I pick water over say, eating vegetables or increasing activity? Because I feel it’s the one dietary thing you cannot do without and the thing that makes the biggest difference in a person’s lifestyle whether they are trying to lose weight, combat lethargy, gain strength, etc. KIT Fx - Week 2: Drink the correct amount of water
This week we will keep up the journaling, as hopefully it is something you have gotten use to and figured out which type works best for you, and add keeping up with our water intake. The easiest way my family does this is to take a container and fill it with the amount of water you need to drink each day, and drink it. Mine is in a pretty jug which fills a glass I keep handy and I otherwise allow the water to be used for tea but nothing else. This keeps me from drinking other things such as soda or other beverages that we all know are not good for us. My son likes to keep his in a smaller container and he knows he needs to drink 3 of them, or more during his summer football sessions. Watch out for frequent trips to the restroom and know this will subside as your body gets used to the increase in water intake. Feel free to comment and have a great week!
maylene
Our bodies are made up of approximately 50-55% water. What do you know about water? Here are some facts:
• It is fat free, cholesterol free, calorie free and low in sodium
• Just a few days without water can compromise your health
• Water carries away waste products so toxins do not build up in your body
• Muscle tissue is approximately 73% water
• Sweat, which is comprised of water, transports heat from the muscle to the skin. Sweat also helps cool the body when you are feverish
• Blood is 90% water. Blood transports nutrients to cells and carries away waste products--if you don’t drink enough it hampers this process
• Water is lost every day through the simple act of breathing
• Water aids in the digestive and elimination process
• Even a small amount of dehydration can cause problems. Your body will steal water from cells and the blood stream
• Recent studies indicate that drinking sufficient amounts of water may lower colon cancer risk by 45% as compared to those who drink 2 or fewer glasses daily.
How much water should you drink???
• The best way to tell if you are getting enough water is the color of your urine--it should be light in color and large in volume. (However, if you take vitamin supplements your first trip to the bathroom you will notice that your urine will be a bright yellow)
• Another “rule” is to divide your weight by 2 and this is the number of ounces of fluid that you need every day. Keep in mind this includes the fluid in milk, juice, coffee, etc. You can actually take 20% away from this figure because it is presumed that 20% of your fluid needs are covered by what is naturally occurring in foods.
• If you are urinating more than once every 2-4 hours you are probably drinking more than you need so back off a little bit
So how much fluid do you need if you are an athlete and you spend a lot of time soaked in sweat?
• Drink 1 oz for every 10 pounds of weight 2-3 hours before competing or training. For example, a 150 pound person needs approximately 15 oz of fluid 2-3 hours before competition
• Drink another 7-10 oz 15-20 minutes before competing
• Drink 5-8 ounces of fluid every 15 -20 minutes during competition
• After competition, weigh yourself sometime to see how much weight you lose in sweat. Then drink 20 ounces of fluid for every pound that you lost.
• If, you are dehydrated, muscles lose strength and endurance and leg cramps will be likely to develop
What are the benefits of drinking water??? Just consider the following
Weight control - Water makes you feel fuller
Mental Performance - Dehydrated people perform worse on arithmetic tests than well-hydrated individuals
Physical Performance - When you are dehydrated, your heart beats faster, you slow down, and you lose strength, power and endurance.
Tracy Owens, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, Board certified sports dietitian, provides nutrition counseling at the office of Triangle Nutrition Therapy www.trianglediet.com. She also provides sports specific nutritional expertise and programs for teams, local sports performance centers, gyms and clubs.
this is amazing! i have been searching for the right way to approach my oldest daughters weight gain and less than active lifestyle. i felt a bit paralyzed because i didn't want to be too critical and damage her self image with poorly thought out "encouragement" to get more fit. thank you so much for doing what you do!!
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