Your body needs fluids to be able to transfer energy to muscles and to enhance the metabolism, which in essence is the body’s ability to burn fat. Waiting until you feel thirsty is not a good indication for when to drink, as this means you are in fact already dehydrated! By not drinking enough fluids, not only can your health be damaged, but your physical performance will also suffer.
As little as 2% dehydration can cause a decreased ability to be active, but at 5% you may experience as much as a 30% drop in daily performance. Feeling hungry is another potential sign of dehydration, so when your stomach rumbles, have a drink and wait 20 minutes to see if that reduces your craving for food. Drink tepid water (between 15 and 22 degrees), as water that is too cold won’t be absorbed into your system properly until it warms up.
If you don’t enjoy plain water, try weak tea or fruit tea, or add lime or another cordial. Fruit juices are OK, although they can cause discomfort if drunk to excess. The best approach is to consume a variety of different drinks.
Strong tea and coffee are diuretics and assist the dehydration process by making you lose fluid by going to the toilet regularly. Alcohol has the same effect, so make sure to drink a glass of water between beverages; I know that doesn’t sound as much fun, but at least you’ll drink less calories, save cash and avoid a hangover the next day! Alternatively choose a carbonated water as the bubbles fill you up in similar way to beer or lager, as well as aiding your digestive system.
Must Do
- Drink at least 8 tumblers of fluid a day
- Drink a glass of water every time you fill the kettle
- Try to reduce your alcohol intake by having alternate days off
- Drink a small glass of water between alcoholic beverages
- Keep a bottle of fresh water in the car
Activity and energy
Being more active in daily life as well as trying out a more formal type of activity like FitSteps is a great way to shift the pounds, improve energy levels and enhance your body’s ability to process its fuel. Essentially it’s a bit like driving a car and making sure the oil travels around the engine to lubricate all the parts.
Of course, if you park a car for too long, or only drive short journeys, soon enough problems will begin to emerge. However the brilliant thing about the body is that it continually repairs damage. So it’s always better to enhance your daily life with physical activity to help you increase your energy levels.
This week I suggest that you to record exactly what you eat and how much activity you do each day. Why not stick it to the fridge to remind you to keep track of everything your consume?
Success always starts with a good plan and monitoring is key to Achievement. Checking progress regularly is important so that you can see how much of a daily energy deficit to achieve to enjoy positive weekly results. In terms of weight, you should initially aim to lose 1–2lbs per week for sustainable, safe weight loss.
To lose body fat you need to consume 500–800 calories less than your body needs each day. However, in general terms, women should never eat less than 1,200 calories per day and men no fewer than 1,500 calories.
Hydration
A Health Tip from Mark Foster
Weekly FitSteps classes with Rosemary in Mundford will start on Wednesday 29th January 2014 from 7pm to 8pm at Mundford Village Hall. Price £5 per session. New FitSteppers should come early to register. Please bring your completed 
