Healthy Living - Why Is Drinking Water So Important?

by Bob Lachniet

President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Simply put – because you’re made up of water! Actually, between half and two thirds of the average person’s weight is made up of water. In a 150-pound person, that’s about 10 gallons of water. There are many reasons to drink water. Drinking water helps you burn fat. You can beat a fever with water. Your complexion improves when you drink water. Bet you didn’t know – without water…you can’t build muscle! It even improves your mood!

Additionally, in the Arizona heat, your body dehydrates far faster than it does in cooler weather, and for your body to operate at full efficiency during exercise, you need to be well hydrated. And, when it comes to exercise, remember the rule “Drink Before Your Thirsty”!

In Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj argues that the body can “misinterpret thirst signals as pain,” and that drinking more water can be helpful in curing everything from headaches and depression to asthma and arthritis. And, if you’re trying to loose weight, extra water with your meal is a great way to keep from over eating! Plus, when you drink water, you don’t consume other food or drink that might keep those pounds on – that extra couple ounces of water helps quench your hunger pains!

Here are a few tips to help incorporate more water in to your daily routine:

1. Carry water with you everywhere. You'll drink it if it is there.
2. Add lemons, limes, and even cucumbers to change it up.
3. Keep it cool/cold. You'll burn more calories as you body tries to warm it up.
4. Alternate every other glass of what you typically drink with a glass of water.
5. Try cutting your fruit juices with water. You won't even notice the change.
6. Drink an entire glass of water before every meal.

Happy training!

(Note - Iron Belle Fitness contributed to this article)