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“What on Earth is 'metabolism',
anyway?” People use the term all the time, but ask them what it means and
you’ll get all kinds of answers.
There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now, but the
one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of FAT.
This is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored fat
to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs.
Unfortunately, another of the liver’s duties is to pick up the slack for the
kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are
water- deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering
its total productivity. It then can’t metabolize fat as quickly or
efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If
you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but
you’re also setting
yourself up to store fat. Do you want to be a fat-storer? If not, say this
every day until you’re well-established in the water habit: “I’m a
fat-burner, not a fat-storer!” Pound your fists on the table as you say it.
“I’ve tried it and I couldn’t stand it!” The problem is that, though many
decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. It’s
understandable. During the first few days of drinking more water than your
body is accustomed to, you’re running to the bathroom constantly. This can
be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise
normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as
it’s going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is
fruitless
Do take heed, though.
What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water
it has been storing throughout all those years of “survival mode”. It takes
a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you
continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of
what it doesn’t need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your
ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly. You are
excreting much
more than you realize. |
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Your body figures it doesn’t need to save these
stores anymore; it’s trusting that the water will keep coming, and if
it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will
cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life. It’s true. This is
called the “breakthrough point.”
One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine increases
the body’s fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before
going to the gym. This finding may hold some degree of truth in it, but
caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may
increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this
is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly.
This isn’t doing your heart any favors, either. It’s already working hard
enough during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your
best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It’s a big bully that
pushes your friend water out of your system.
Water is the best beauty treatment. You’ve heard this since high school, and
it’s true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities
in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes
your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or
weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated.
In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until you’re blue
in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won’t
notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the
water
they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and
you’ll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin.
“Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?!” It’s really not that much. Eight
8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is okay for the
average person, but if you’re overweight, you should drink another eight
ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also up
this if you live in a hot climate or exercise very intensely.
This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It’s not
healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Try to pick three or
four times a day when you can have a big glass of water, and then sip in
between. Don’t let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you’re already
becoming dehydrated. Drink when you’re not thirsty yet.
Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly help
hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and whatever
else aren’t what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in the glass, or if
you really think you hate water, try a flavoured water. Just make sure you
read the labels. Remember that you’re going to be consuming a lot of this
fluid.
It’s probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours before
you go to bed. You know why.
“How cold should it be?” This is debatable. Most experts lean toward cold
water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is also some
evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning. On the other hand,
warmer water is easier to drink in large quantities, and you might drink
more of it without even realizing it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just
drink it! When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly
notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If
you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an
absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing
results, this might just be the
missing link.
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