I'm looking out for you, ladies.
That's why today's post is about helping you do the right thing. I don't want you to shrivel up into a little dried up raisin-woman who can't take care of business because you're dehydrated.
That's right. I'm going to stand here and make sure you drink your 8 glasses of water today. As women, we are often so busy taking care of everyone else - and everyTHING else, that we don't take care of our own selves the way we should. Plus, you can't order your kids around with your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth because you haven't been drinking enough water.
Here are just a few benefits of drinking water, courtesy of Fitday:
1) Drinking Water Keeps You Young
Drinking plenty of water is great for your skin. If you don't drink enough water, you'll suffer from dry skin, and you'll be likely to use more creams and lotions to moisturize. However, creams and lotions don't strike at the root of the problem. Drinking plenty of water keeps your skin moisturized and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
If you don't drink enough water, your body will try to retain it in order to conserve resources. This retention makes your skin puffy and can even lead to bloating.
2) Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight
There's a reason why most diets and fitness programs ask you to drink a lot of water. One of the benefits of drinking water is that it helps you lose weight.
Water suppresses your appetite, so you don't eat as much. Drinking plenty of water also prevents fluid retention, because your body won't try to retain water if it's getting enough.
Drinking water also helps your body burn stored fat. If you're not drinking enough water, your liver will be forced to help your kidneys detoxify your body. When you drink plenty of water, your kidneys don't need any extra help, so your liver will be able to metabolize stored fat more efficiently. Drinking water flushes toxins from your body and prevents constipation.
3) Drinking Water Helps You Build Muscle
Another benefit of drinking water is that it makes your muscles stronger. That's because water carries oxygen to the cells of your body, including those of your muscles. Drinking plenty of water enables your muscles to work harder and longer before they feel tired, and this can help you build muscle.
4) Drinking Water Makes You Smarter
Drinking water can increase your cognitive function. Your brain needs a lot of oxygen in order to function at optimum levels. Drinking plenty of water ensures that your brain gets all the oxygen it needs. Drinking eight to ten cups of water per day can improve your levels of cognitive performance by as much as 30%!
Drinking plenty of water also supports nerve function. It ensures that your body's electrolyte levels remain high enough to allow your nerves to relay messages to and from the brain in the way they were meant to.
5) Drinking Water Is Good for Your Joints
One of the lesser known benefits of drinking water is that it helps keep your joints strong, healthy and lubricated. Your joints need moisture in order to remain strong and flexible, so that your movements are smooth and pain free.
Today's Small Thing is to drink at least 8 glasses (8 oz ea.) of water. That's only 8 cups - so you don't have to fill your giant 16 oz. iced-tea drinking glasses 8 times - and it is very doable. Are you with me??
EACH GLASS
POINTS: 20 for each 8 oz glass of water - up to 8. That's 160 points for doing what you should be doing anyway!
You're welcome.
Do you drink enough water on a regular basis, I mean when you're not getting points for it? How do you keep track, and what are some tips for helping you stay hydrated?
