High Fat, Low Carb Diary Day 2: Water is Life

I think most (if not all) diets agree that drinking water is very important. It is a part of our life that we very often do not really appreciate. Especially when our water intake comes from indirect sources like fizzy drinks etc.

The Benefits of Drinking Water

The percentage of water in our bodies is a lot higher than you might think – roughly 60-70% – and requires continuous replenishment to avoid dehydration. Because the fluids inside our bodies are in constant motion, we need to hydrate ourselves through out the day to compensate for the loss of water due to sweat, metabolism, etc.

Depending on the source, the suggested amount of drinkable water per day is 1 – 2 litres. However this should be adjusted based on the weather, level of activity, health, etc. Our bodies can dehydrate quite easily during exercise or any intense activity, and usually when we feel thirsty, it means we are already dehydrated.

Another benefit of water is it’s cleansing function. Drinking water, rather than other fluids, helps remove all sorts of toxins from the body, which can in turn improve your skin condition and lessen its dryness and other ailments. Drinking water is especially important in the morning, as during the night all the toxins tend to build up in your body (which might be one way of explaining why we feel so dreadful when it comes to getting up…).

Relevant to this diary, drinking water also helps with weight loss. Because it not only quenches your thirst, but fills your stomach as well, it helps to prevent feeling hungry. For most people eating is a habit, and if they can achieve the feeling of fullness by drinking water it can help curb snacking. Moreover it also aids digestive processes, meaning less problems with the food you did eat.

One of the signs of dehydration apart from feeling thirsty, can be fatigue or dizziness. Thus if you encounter these problems, you can first try to dispel the symptoms with a glass of water. You might just find yourself reaching out for pain killers a little bit less often. Obviously this will not be a magical cure for any kind of pain, but very often you will find yourself not really realizing that you are dehydrated.

It is common knowledge that sodas and different types of fizzy drinks rather than hydrate, increase your thirs. What is less commonly known is that it’s not only sodas that can secretly dehydrate you. The popular tea and coffee can have a similar effect too.

Diet Journal

This entry is part of my diet trial, which can be found here.