How do you know if you are getting enough water?
Well, there is a mathematical formula to help you know exactly the right amount of water you should be drinking depending on your weight. BUT, since I was a PE major and totally hate doing math, I am going to tell you the easier way....
Check your pee.
Yup.
Get real here. What color is your pee? If it is orange - you are dehydrated. Bright Yellow? You could stand for more water in your life.
Light yellow and almost clear - YES! You got it!
How frequently do you need to visit the john? You should be going pee frequently. The downside to getting the right amount of water is frequent trips to the bathroom.
Just to get a little personal here, I probably have to pee maybe 4 or more times a day. Back in the day when I drank very little water, I was maybe going once a day.
SO why make the trade for more bathroom visits? Isn't that annoying?
Well folks, would it shock you to know that most people do not get enough water and are dangerously dehydrated.
AND that soda and sugary drinks DO NOT hydrate the body. Do not count that diet coke as your fluid consumption!
Water helps
- Lower your blood pressure
- lowers cholesterol and reduces risk of stroke and heart attack
- Moisturizes the skin
- reduces acne
- reduces water retention
- helps you to eliminate... eh hmm... "body waste"
- Boosts overall levels of energy long-term (unlike caffeine)
- prevents headaches
- slows the appearance of aging process by making your skin look younger
- helps with weight loss
- helps keep blood sugar levels in check - great for diabetics
- lubricates your joints
- helps prevent cancer by flushing toxins from the body
- helps prevent neurological disorders like Alzheimer's by keeping blood vessels in the brain healthy.
- improves overall mood and reduces depression. (try it for 30 days and see if I am wrong)
- improves sleep
- and yup, it will boost your immune system!
So put down the diet soda and pick up that water bottle!
I once had a first and only time client that showed up to class with a diet soda in her hand. I greeted her and welcomed her to class. Our conversation went something like this...
me: Hi! Welcome!... (blah blah blah... general greeting...)
Her: (very unhappy sounding) yeah, my doctor told me I had to start exercising. I am not thrilled to be here. I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have to make some lifestyle changes.
Me: (boldly crossing a line here - Grabbing her soda out of her hand) Well let's start here. All the exercise in the world won't make much difference until you start drinking more water instead of soda. (hands her a bottle of water).
Her: Oh Hell NO! (grabs her soda and throws the water bottle at me) Water is for bathing in! I am NOT giving up my Diet Coke!
I laughed a little and thought ... "Enjoy your Diabetes, lady." I never saw her again. I wonder how she's doing.
If you have not made the switch from soda yet, take this challenge and do so today!
Start feeling amazing! You might go through actual withdrawal symptoms like I did. It was rough at first but SO worth the extra effort and my life is better for it!
- Cheers
Michelle
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