Water seems pretty boring to talk about but it is SO important and definitely overlooked. Everyone knows that water consumption is important, but how much water should we actually be consuming?
Let's talk specifics... I do find it very interesting that there really isn't a recommended daily allowance for water intake but I think a good place to start is to take your body weight, in pounds, and divide it by two, and aim for that many ounces of water daily. So, for example, someone who weighs 140 pounds should be consuming at least 70 ounces of water throughout the day. This will help aid weight loss as well as revving up your metabolism. I'm sure you've heard that your body is made up of 70% water, but what you might not know is that adequate water is necessary to help the body and liver break down fat and help build protein when you're working towards weight loss. In fact a recent study showed that in conjunction with a low calorie diet, individuals who consumed 16 oz of water prior to each meal resulted in up to 8 pounds more weight loss, over a 12 week period, when compared to their non-water drinking counterparts.
And when I say water I mean plain old H2O, maybe throw in a few cucumbers, berries or lemons (check out this neat infusion water bottle Aqua Zinger) BUT we want all of our water consumption to remain calorie free and without unnecessary artificial sweeteners. I have remained not a fan of artificial sweeteners in general. I really feel that they are tricking your brain into thinking you're getting something you're not and that comes with consequences. All of that sweet stimulation on your tastebuds, especially if that's the majority of what you're drinking, i.e. diet soda/crystal light/etc., is going to end up causing you to crave sweets and snack. I've definitely lived through the multiple diet pepsi's a day phase and I find it stimulates my appetite and makes me hungry, where water actually has the opposite effect. Water is what your body needs, and it's calorie free, so drink up!
