The age-old 8 glasses/day (64 ounces) rule is merely a starting point. 3 liters (approximately 100 ounces) is essential for digestion and other vital body functions in any adult. Even better, 4 liters permits a light detox.
5 REASONS WHY WE NEED MORE WATER:
1. To flush away toxins and weight from years of eating processed foods (cereal, string cheese, soy products and vending machine treats) as well as, fresh but overly-salted prepared foods from Whole Foods and organic restaurants
2. Amping up your exercise routine to boost metabolism and burn fat means you gonna sweat out more fluid which needs to be replenished.
3. As Spring/Summer bring warmer temperatures, we involuntarily require our internal cooling system to kick into gear. Even if you don’t see sweat accumulating on your body or clothing, pores produce perspiration more rapidly to adapt to increasing temperatures.
4. Higher protein diets require more water for digestion: every gram of protein requires seven times more water to digest than a gram of carbohydrate.
5. Drinking water simulates feeling of satisfaction similar to that of consuming food we enjoy. Drinking more water can help reduce noshing on empty calories for both those who consciously snack out of boredom, as well as for those only acknowledging consumption when mouse jams having run over chip crumbles they fail to even remember eating.
BONUS: Hello, wrinkle fighting! Drinking adequate water plumps up our skin reducing the appearance of wrinkles!
While I’ve been a power guzzler for as long as I can remember, clients coming from the drier end of the water consumption spectrum are sometimes overwhelmed with the prospect of drinking more than a few glasses a day. Recognizing that all change is relative, I’m giving you tips to make a more FLUID transition…hahaha…ok, listen up.
TIPS TO DRINK MORE WATER
1. Keep a 1 liter BPA-Free water bottle handy. The larger the bottle the less frequently you have to refill it, plus, this simplifies the math! Select an ostentatious color! The brighter the bottle, the more profoundly it will scream “DRINK ME!” My bright purple Nalgene bottle jumps at me whenever my eyes flutter away from the computer screen or spot it on the floor behind a client I’m helping perfect their abs. We recommend a 32oz WIDE MOUTH bottle, as they are the easiest to keep clean. Avoid bottles with a Narrow Mouth, as it’s too small to fit a cleaning brush inside, and bottles with complex mouth pieces and straws as it’s nearly impossible to ever get internal pieces clean. The 80% of working Americans spending most of their day behind a desk are perfectly positioned to knock back 3 liters during 8+ hours at the office, since that bottle can just sit on their desktop. Mobile salespeople, stay at home moms running errands or others spending a lot of time in the car could easily tote a Nalgene as well, and/or keep vehicle stocked with several liters of water.
Note: Avoid harmful BPA chemicals by storing water bottles in trunk or cover with a towel to prevent exposure to sunlight and/or heat. For more on avoiding BPAs:
2. Flavor bonus! For variety, add fresh lemon or lime juice, thin slices of strawberries or cucumber or raw crushed ginger or mint, all of which have been shown to have digestive benefits.
3. Avoid Water Enhancers like MIO, which is merely a myriad of crap bottled and distributed by Kraft. You’ll need additional water just to process this junk. Just check out the ingredient list:
Water, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Malic Acid, Contains Less than 2% of Natural Flavor, Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium (Sweeteners), Potassium Citrate, Red 40, Blue 1, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).
Huh? Translation:
Propylene Glycol, a bitter liquid used to prevent discoloration of foods during storage causes various diseases in animal studies. (Yes, Kraft tests on animals). To cover the PG’s bitterness and flavor your water, Kraft uses the potentially carcinogenic lab-manufactured sweetener Acesulfame Potassium. Despite being marketed to deliver “Natural Flavor,” Mio contains artificial colors so the ignorant to envision the zero-calorie “sugarplums” assumedly dancing in their water, which may cause cancer and hyperactivity too. Lastly, mold inhibitor potassium sorbate extends the shelf life of toxic Mio several years.
4. Tea Time! Enjoy green tea hot or iced! Drink it clean, as in no sugar or artificial sweeteners. Taper the green tea at the end of the day if it affects your sleep, and/or switch to herbals, like chamomile or the red.
5. If the rest of these ideas don’t help, rely on your inner cheapo. What’s the one beverage that’s readily available for free? DRINK YOUR WATER, MONEYBAGS!
So… Is bottled water more pure than free tap water? Find out!
SURPRISING SECRETS ABOUT BOTTLED WATER
