So What is the Real Truth About Drinking Water?

Hi,

You have probably heard that drinking water is good for you.  Almost everyone seems to recommend that you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. 

It is healthy for you and it will help you lose weight. 

So let's look at these statements.

First, is it healthy to drink 8 glasses of water a day?  For some people the answer is yes.  But, it is hard to imagine that my wife who is 5'1" tall and weighs right around 100 pounds needs as much water per day as I do (6' and around 180 pounds). 

Add in the fact that I am much more active than she is.  She works in an office and sits for 8 hours a day.  I also sit a lot, but I exercise every morning and go to the gym 5 times a week.  Plus, I do some kind of movement or exercise throughout the day. 

So it would stand to reason that I need more water than she does.  Most health gurus just blindly say that everyone needs 8 glasses of water a day.  That is BS.

And no one seems to know where this 8 glasses idea originally came from.  Did someone just pull that number out of thin air?  I don't know. 

And what if you drink tea, or coffee or juices?  How about if you eat grapes or oranges?  Does that juice count or does it have to be water only? 

Here is the bottom line.  Drink when you are thirsty.  If you are exercising then drink more.  If it is hot outside, then drink more. 

If you feel you have no energy, then drink more. It is possible that you are dehydrated.  Being dehydrated will cause you to feel like you have no energy. 

Okay, what about water helping you lose weight.  Now you might think that drinking water doesn't have any affect on your body weight. 

Surprisingly enough though, drinking water does raise your body's metabolism.  Drinking cold water raises it even more. 

A study on water induced thermogenesis showed that drinking 500ml (about 2 glasses of water) did raise the metabolic rate by up to 30%.  This effect started at about 10 minutes after drinking and peaked at 30 minutes after drinking. 

The good news, especially for men, is that most of this increased metabolism was fueled by lipids (of body fat).   In women, it was mostly fueled by carbohydrates. 

In either case anytime you can raise your metabolism and burn some calories it is a good thing. 

However, this does not mean you should try to drink 2 glasses every 1/2 hour.  Too much of a good thing can easily become a bad thing.   Yes, too much water can harm you. 

So what can you do?  If you aren't drinking very much water now, then start drinking more.  Start by drinking 1/2 a glass every couple of hours.  See how that feels. 

If you are already drinking several glasses a day, then keep at it. 

Drinking water is good for you and will help your raise your metabolism.  Just don't overdo it.

Thanks,

Mike Val

http://www.valshealthsite.com/