The big mistake many people make even when they are carefully regulating their diets, is lack of attention to their body’s fluid needs. Granted, foods are the energy source by which the body produces fuel for exercise. But did you know that only around 25 percent of that energy is actually used for mechanical work? The other 75 percent or so is released as heat. This is the energy which causes your body to get warm or heat up during exercise. To get rid of this extra heat and protect your core temperature, your body starts sweating. As the sweat evaporates, your blood and your body are cooled. If you could not cool off with water from your body, you would quickly succumb to heat stress and illness. If your body does not have enough fluids to spare to sweat efficiently, evaporation won’t occur and dangerous consequences can result.

Studies show that thirst is not a good indicator of your actual fluid needs because fluid changes occur very quickly.

How water can effect Fat Loss

Water can surpress the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies show that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water can actually reduce fat deposits.

Why? Your kidneys can’t function properly without enough water. When kidney function is reduced, some of the work load is taken on by the liver. The liver’s primary function is to metabolize stored fat into useable energy. If the liver has to do some of the kidneys work, it can’t function at its optimal capacity. As a result, it metabolizes less fat. More fat remains stored and weight-loss/fat-loss stops.

The best way to overcome water retention is to give the body more water. The body will then release the stored water. Diuretic medications and weight loss schemes that intentionally dehydrate the body offer only temporary relief of water retention. Your body will perceive this as a threat to survival and will slow down metabolism, try its best to save fat stores and burn lean tissue, all while trying to hold on to every spare drop of fluid.

If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt or sodium in your diet may be the issue. The more salt you eat the more water your body will hold. Your body holds water to dilute the salt because your body can only tolerate so much sodium. Drink more water to flush your system as sodium passes through the kidneys. In addition, try looking at how much salt is in the foods you are eating. My interactive nutrition reportcard can show you instantly how your diet rates for sodium intake and can make suggestions on ways to reduce your intake.

Water helps to maintain muscle by giving it the natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. Remember, as I stated earlier, your muscles are primarily made up of water.

Think of the following example to illustrate the need for water in the human body. A 150- pound man carries approximately 45 quarts of fluid in his body. A 120-pound woman carries about 36 quarts of fluid. With these two people, if they are inactive and live in a cool to moderate climate, the man will lose about three quarts of fluid a day and the woman about two and a half quarts a day through perspiration and excretion.In a hot and humid climate, the same two people, Mr. and Mrs. Inactive, will lose even more water. Mr. Inactive can lose more then 10 quarts and Mrs. Inactive more than eight quarts in one day. If it’s really hot and humid, they could lose more than two quarts of water in an hour!

What are some of the warning signs of dehydration?

Generally the average person is not 100 percent hydrated to begin with. Add a warm climate, as we demonstrated with Mr. Inactive, and it can spell dehydration, especially if Mr. Inactive were to begin an exercise program. Scientists define dehydration as fluid loss greater than just one percent of body weight. Here are some early warning signs to look for:

You can easily monitor yourself for early signs of dehydration by taking these steps:

1.Check the color of your urine. It should be light in color to clear with little odor. If it is a golden or deep color with a strong odor, you are dehydrated.

2.Weigh yourself without clothing before and after exercise. Any weight lost during exercise is fluid loss and should be replaced by fluids as soon after exercise as possible. Use the general rule: “A pint is a pound. For every pound lost during exercise, you lose a pint (2-cups) of fluid. Replace each pound lost with 2-cups of fluid.

3.Watch for muscle cramps. Sweat loss and dehydration can disrupt the balance between the electrolytes potassium and sodium, leading to cramps. Adequate fluid replacement is necessary to restore electrolyte balance.

4.Dehydration is cumulative. Your body unfortunately cannot rehydrate itself. If you fail to rehydrate on numerous occasions, you will become increasingly dehydrated and begin to suffer from the early symptoms of dehydration mentioned.

Can water help improve performance?

Certainly. Even though water is calorie free, it is a wise investment to use it to enhance your fluid intake. Without it, performance would drop significantly. When water is drawn away from working muscles, blood volume is decreased so the heart must pump harder to supply the same amouny of energy.

Consider what would happen with Mr. Inactive our 150-pound man if he lost 2 percent of his body water (six cups of water, or 3-pounds):

His physical and mental performance would drop by 20 percent. If he lost 4 percent of his body water (twelve cups, or 6-pounds), his performance would drop by 30 percent, and he would be at risk for heat exhaustion. So you can see that fluids are important to sedentary individuals as well as active exercisers. But how much fluid should you drink?Am I drinking enough?

All sedentary adults need a minimum of eight to ten cups (two quarts) of fluid every day. Exercisers need this minimum amount plus they need additional fluids to replace fluids lost through exercise. Again, do not rely on your sense of thirst to help signal you to drink. Your sense of thirst is diminished during exercise, so don’t depend on it to prevent dehydration. Once you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Smart Moves: In addition, the overweight person needs one additional glass of water for every 25 pounds of excess weight.

Here are some hydration tips for active individuals to use with their exercise programs:

Before exercise

Drink eight to sixteen ounces (one to two cups) of fluid two hours before exercise to make sure the body is well hydrated. This will also allow you time to eliminate any excess prior to exercise. About 15 to 30 minutes before exercise, drink an additional four to eight ounces of fluid (one half to one cup). This will give you fluid in your system available to replace sweat losses.

During exercise

Try to drink from four to eight ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. This might seem difficult at first, but with practice as part of your exercise routine, your body will adapt to taking fluids. In fact, the fuller your stomach with fluid, the faster it will empty and become available to your body. If you are an athlete, it is important not to wait until the day of a competition to try this. Instead, try immediately to make this a part of your routine.

After exercise

Try to drink at least eight to sixteen ounces of fluid (one to two cups) or more depending on how much weight you have lost. Replace any fluid you have lost using the “pint equals a pound” guideline mentioned.

Remember to drink fluids before during and after exercise.

This article was part of a chapter from my latest ebook, The Smart Moves 7-Day Nutrition Action . In my ebook I review sports drinks and go over the topic of hydration in much greater detail as well as specific products to avoid while exercising. Yes, I name names.

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