Drink Away The Weight

I found this article while surfing the web for information on water. It really made sense to me!

You think you’ve hit gold, huh? Maybe you’re anxious to hear about how a new study on drinking actually helps you to burn fat.

You’re possibly hoping to read about the new “wine diet” or the “vodka 30 day fat loss plan.” OK, I admit it. I was a little sly with the headline for the story. I’m referring to water -- our good friend H2O.

Everyone always says it’s good to drink a lot of water to help to lose fat. I hear people say it to each other every day like schizophrenic parrots.

“You should drink more water!” “You don’t drink enough water!” “You should drink more water, because it will help with your fat loss…” -- blah, blah, blah.

Ever have someone explain to you how water helps you to lose fat? I bet no one can explain it to you. Most people tell you to drink more water to lose fat, but few know the reason why.

So, how does drinking more water help us to burn body fat?

Stay with me on this and read carefully. This will make you a star during the next water conversation you have.

From the standpoint of fat loss, you want to be in a position metabolically where the liver is converting stored fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs.

Unfortunately, another of the liver’s responsibilities is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need a lot of water to work properly. Actually, your kidneys need a lot more water than most people realize.

If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has a double duty assignment. It has to do the work of the kidneys along with its own work. This double time assignment only serves to lower the actual productivity of the liver. It then can’t metabolize fat as quickly as it could when the kidneys do their job with efficiency.

If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you’re also setting yourself up to store fat because you've made the liver less efficient at turning stored body fat into energy.

So, you’ve learned how vital the roles of the liver and kidneys are, but now the question becomes how much water?

When examining the research, there is a paper in the Journal of the American Dietetics Association (Volume 99, number 2, pages 200-206, 1999) that discusses water requirements. In the paper it states:

“To be well hydrated, the average sedentary adult man must consume at least 2,900 mL (12 c) fluid per day, and the average sedentary adult woman at least 2,200 mL (9 c) fluid per day, in the form of non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages, soups, and foods. Solid foods contribute approximately 1,000 mL (4 c) water, with an additional 250 mL (1 c) coming from the water of oxidation.”

The paper also states that "Dehydration of as little as 2 percent loss of body weight results in impaired physiological and performance responses."

To summarize, it appears that sedentary individuals require approximately 9-12 cups of water per day (4 cups come from food, 1 cup from metabolism and 4-7 cups from fluid intake). The lower numbers are for females and higher numbers for males. Personally, I like the higher numbers for both males and females alike.

Unfortunately there is very little research concerning how much fluid is actually needed for those who workout intensely. So, add more if you workout, but do so within reason. Now, with glassses held high, let's toat to your new healthy body.

References
Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE; A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

Cheers,

Eve :-)