Who Knew Water Would Have This Effect For Dieters!

Did you know that not drinking enough water might be why you're on that dreaded weight loss plateau even though you're maintaining your diet' Research suggests that a lot of Americans unknowingly suffer from mild, chronic dehydration, and that might be you they're talking about! I hope you read this article because it explains and makes sense the importance of water and the surprise impact to dieters.

Water is an essential ingredient for your weight loss. Water is required for a whole range of the body's biochemical processes, so lets look at what water does specially for dieters:

Your body needs to metabolize stored fat into energy - so much so, that your body's metabolism can be slowed by even mild levels of dehydration. And the slower your metabolism, the slower your weight loss (and you become tired), until eventually your weight loss just grinds to a halt! You now have just hit the dreaded diet plateau.

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. What good news! In the hypothalamus, a region in your brain that controls appetites and cravings, the control centers for hunger and thirst are situated next to each other, and there tends to be some overlap. This has both advantages and disadvantages for the dieter. On the flip side, it means that chronic mild dehydration can confuse these mechanisms, leading to feelings of hunger, rather than thirst. But on a positive note, it means you can use water to reduce your appetite. For example, in one University of Washington study, drinking a glass of water reduced nighttime hunger cravings for most of the dieters studied. I have also found this to be true.

Water is an essential to the processes that enables your muscles to contract. So water helps maintain muscle tone. Better muscle tone means a better looking body, and isn't that what dieting and weight loss is about?

There's help for that sagging skin. Water also helps to prevent the sagging skin that often follows weight loss - water plumps the skin cells, giving the skin a younger and healthier look.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lots of waste to get rid of because of all that fat. So enough water is essential to your health while dieting.

Water also helps with constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from within, particularly from the colon. This leads to constipation. But normal bowel function almost always returns with adequate water intake.

Generally speaking, mild dehydration can cause a number of health problems, in addition to your diet plateau. The symptoms of mild dehydration can include:

- Headaches; that light headed feeling as dehydration interferes with normal body processes, including waste disposal.
- Fatigue, as the body's metabolism is slowed - mild dehydration is usually the most common cause of daytime fatigue.
- Hunger; cravings due to weakening of the thirst mechanism
- Fluid retention as your body tries to hold on to the water it already has
- Constipation, as the body works to conserve its internal water sources

Not a pretty picture but once you get your water in balance, you reach the "breakthrough point", a concept pioneered by Dr. Peter Lindner, a California obesity expert. He says, "Once you've reached the breakthrough point, fluid retention eases, the liver and endocrine system start to function more effectively, you will start to regain your natural thirst and your hunger cravings will be significantly reduced. And so the end result of reaching and sustaining the breakthrough point in your water balance is that your body is able to metabolize fat more effectively."

How much water should you drink daily to be healthy' First, a couple of basic principles:

1) The simplest way to tell if you are drinking enough water is check the color of your urine: It should be clear or a very pale yellow in color. (but note that some supplements and medications may also affect your urine color).

2) Get in to the habit of drinking regular and adequate amounts of water. Never wait to drink until you're thirsty, because if you're feeling thirsty, dehydration has already set in!

Having said that, an adequate water intake for a sedentary but normal-weight adult during cool weather, is generally recognized as 8 x 8 oz glasses. You will need more water in hot weather, when you lose more water through sweat. You also need to drink more water when you exercise. Athletes attempt to enhance their performance by maintaining an optimal fluid balance while exercising, estimated to require 6 to 12 oz of fluid at 15 to 20 minute intervals. Even if you're not concerned about your athletic performance, you should consume a similar amount of water when exercising, in order to maintain adequate hydration.

Here's another important thing to remember; if you're overweight, you'll need an extra glass of water for each 25 pounds overweight, because the extra weight creates extra metabolic demand.

How can you drink so much water' Weight loss experts secrets say drink 3 glasses of water with every meal. That's 3 glasses with breakfast, 3 with lunch, and 3 with dinner. Plus, of course, additional regular water between meals when you're exercising or when its hot. That sure makes it doable, doesn't it?

So if you're dieting, stalled on a weight loss plateau, or suffering some of the classic symptoms of dehydration, do, above everything else, be sure that you have an adequate water intake. It could be the missing ingredient in your diet regime and as easy to fix as drinking 3 glasses of water with each meal.

Remember that water is a natural appetitie suppressant. Use it to your advantage. If you're out shopping, take a bottle of water with you. If you feel like a late night snack, either go to bed or drink a glass of water. If you want a change, add a little bit of lemon juice into a glass of water. I find, instantly, my desire to eat is gone. Give it a try.

Sintilia Miecevole is the Administrator of www.fineweight.com providing information or resources from weight loss, information and Weight Watcher Diet to nutrition information and more.

Related Information of Interest:

Memories Are Forever When You Create A Photo Album
It took the digital camera to make me finally create a photo album. You see, I had a virtual photo album on the computer, one which would show the images that I had taken, and where I could arrange them in whatever configuration I wanted.

I realized then, that I had to create a photo album, or forever lose track of all of my precious memories. I simply didn't know where anything was anymore, so I set off to by a lovely hardbound book to create a photo album to organize all of my most precious pictures so that I could show them.

With the prevalence of digital cameras and the fast pace of life, few people really take the time to create a photo album anymore. This is really a shame.

I could even design covers or text for my digital photo album, which was pretty neat. It was so convenient, that I rarely bothered to look at my old pictures any more. I just wasn't up for the effort of digging through them anymore.

I had always kind of wanted to create a photo album, but had never gotten around to it, and over the years I had become pretty good at hunting for just the image which I wanted in my box of pictures.

Then one day, I was having over my sons fiance. She's a sweet girl, and I decided to embarrass him and make her feel part of the family by showing off some of his baby pictures. But when I looked for them, try as I might, I couldn't find them at all.

When you create a photo album, you make something that not only showcases your photos, but arranges them in the personal style that shows you really care about what you are doing.

If you make your own photo album, you can not only select what photos to include, but what kind of book to use, how many per page, and where in your home to display it.
I first decided to create a photo album about a year ago.

Ironically, I didn't even think to create a photo album until I had been using my digital camera for a good while. Back when I used to use my normal, analog camera, I would keep all of my pictures in boxes, and I could go into them and look at them whenever I wanted.

Life is an accumulation of our cherished memories save them by creating a photo album.

New Business Names: Naming With A Story
Sometimes a company name communicates a message on its own, and sometimes the story underlying the name adds depth and distinction to that message.

Isis Group International, for instance, uses the name of an Egyptian goddess in a word combination that comes across well to the ear and looks great in an artfully designed arrangement of fonts, shapes and colors. (See the logo at isisgroupinternational.com.)

The tag line clarifies what the firm does: Training and Consulting for a World of Difference. The firm's three experienced consultants conduct cross-cultural training, coach international executives, help smooth the process of cross-border mergers, and more.

With the story behind the name, an even deeper level of meaning unfolds. I wrote it this way for the opening section of the firm's brochure:

"Isis: Insightful Guidance for Global Success

"In ancient Egypt, the goddess Isis possessed a well-earned reputation for exceptional tenacity, intelligence, healing, resourcefulness and creativity. Isis Group International follows in her footsteps with customized consulting, training and coaching for today's smaller than ever, diverse world."

In explaining what the name means, the firm reveals some of its values and implies that it has certain qualities that matter to clients. Ideally, testimonials, other marketing copy and the firm's work itself all complement this story. The whole package then becomes unusually appealing and memorable.

For this naming strategy to work, you need a name that at least hints at the story and a story that contains something not generally known that fits how you wish the company to be perceived. Most adults who don't recall that Isis was an Egyptian goddess or her specialty as a goddess would still vaguely sense the international flavor in the name. With more familiar mythological figures like Hercules or Midas, however, the story would run the risk of belaboring the obvious.

Enlist the aid of a top-notch graphic designer and marketing writer to enhance the association with the story, and include a brief version of the story when you introduce the company.

Marcia Yudkin is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity and ten other books hailed for outstanding creativity. Find out more about her new discount naming company, Named At Last, which brainstorms new company names, new product names, tag lines and more for cost-conscious organizations, at www.NamedAtLast.com .

Delicious Christmas Cookies Recipes
Keep your kidsbusy during Christmas break baking cookies to give as Christmas gifts. Below are some common Christmas cookies that arenï¿½t too hard to make and are great for Christmas sharing.

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread cookies are classics that will melt in your mouth. You can roll the dough out and use Christmas shaped cookie cutters or simple roll the cookies into balls and then roll the balls in a festive topping like crushed almonds or coconut. These cookies are easy and fun to make.

Youï¿½ll need the following:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 pound unsalted butter
pinch of salt

To make the cookies mix the ingredients well and then roll out to ï¿½ inch thickness and use cookie cutters. Or make small balls out of them and roll the balls in nuts or coconut. Place on a greased cookie sheet and then flatten lightly with the bottom of a glass

Bake at 300ï¿½ F. for around 20 to 25 minutes.

Secret Kiss Cookie

These fun cookies have a chocolate kiss treat inside!
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bag chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped (7 ounces)
powdered sugar

Cream the butter, vanilla, and sugar. Blend in the flour. Wrap a tablespoon of the dough around a chocolate candy kiss. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350ï¿½ for approximately 15 minutes until the dough has set but is not brown. Then while still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar.

The recipe above makes about 2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Thumbprint Cookie

This is a colorful and fun cookie that kids love to make with a thumbprint.

2 1/2 cups flour ï¿½ add more if dough is too thin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
Chopped nuts
Jam

Use an electric mixer and beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Then add sugar and flour, vanilla and almond extract, blending well. Chill the dough for 2 ï¿½ hours then form it into small balls and roll them in the nuts. Place the balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet then make an indentation with your thumb and fill it with jam. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until firm and light brown on bottom. Bake at 300ï¿½.

Marianne Jackson is a staff writer at Christmas Gazette and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Family Review.

Five Reasons Why You Should Drink More Water Everyday
1. Drinking more water everyday will keep your skin looking smooth and supple. Applying expensive creams and lotions to your face is not an effective way to conceal the effects aging has on your skin. The real fountain of youth can be found in a glass of water.

2. Drinking more water everyday will help you cut calories. Most popular beverages are loaded with calories. A can of soda can have as many as 240 calories per serving. Drinking 1 or 2 of these each day is a recipe for gaining weight. Choosing to drink water instead is the calorie free way to quench your thirst.

3. Drinking more water everyday will help you distinguish thirst from hunger. If you allow your body to become dehydrated it will be difficult to discern whether that gnawing feeling in your stomach is a call for food or a call for water. And if you keep eating food when what your body really needs is water, you will gain weight.

4. Drink more water everyday will help your think more clearly. Research has repeatedly shown that staying hydrated is necessary for the human brain, which is 85 percent water, to function at optimal levels. That is why many school systems throughout the country now encourage students to keep a bottle of water at their desks and to drink it throughout the day.

5. Drinking more water everyday will help you feel better. Your body is about 75 percent water and 25 percent solid material. Doesn’t it make sense that you would need to drink water on a daily basis to ensure that your body has all the water it needs to perform at optimal levels. It is a mistake to believe that thirst is the only indicator of a need to drink water. Constipation, achy joints and fatigue are also signals that your body may be dehydrated.

Jacqueline D. Stanley: Author, Speaker, Chief Encouragement Officer at Lettuce Is Not Enough University: The Place to Learn How to Live Well and Lose Weight. lettuceisnotenough.com