Tag Archives: water

Drink Up: What Water Can and Can’t Do for Your Weight Loss

By Bob Greene from TheBestLife.com

There’s some debate over what water can and can’t do: Does it fill you up? Can it help you slim down?

Research shows that foods with a high water content (like fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups) do fill you up; water by itself, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to be as filling. And yet, studies show that people who drink more water end up consuming fewer calories during the day. In fact, the stat I often refer back to comes from researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: People who drink an average of 6.5 cups of water each day consume 200 fewer calories a day.

If water doesn’t fill you up, then how can it help promote weight loss? There are a few theories. First, it seems that water drinkers have a healthier diet overall. Drinking water also keeps your hands and mouth busy—if you’re gulping down a glass of water, you’ll be less likely to snack. Not to mention, many people confuse hunger for thirst; when you’re fully hydrated, you may not be tempted to ease those pangs with food. (more…)

Posted on January 11, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

5 Ways to Fuel up for Exercise

By Team Best Life – TheBestLife.com

It may seem counterintuitive to take in calories before you head to the gym to burn them off, but eating a healthy bite beforehand can help you make the most of your workout. No matter what kind of activity you’re planning, you can use these tips to fuel up for fitness:


Eat when it feels best. Eating one hour before your workout is a good general rule, but everyone’s body is different. For instance, some people may feel uncomfortable or bloated trying to exercise after a snack or meal while others may be distracted by a rumbling tummy. Only you know exactly how much you can comfortably eat and how soon before your workout.

Keep track of carbs. Because glucose—a carbohydrate—is your muscles’ preferred source of fuel, you need to go into a workout with enough stored glucose (aka glycogen). If you eat a balanced diet, you should be all set. But if you’re hitting the gym hours after your last meal or snack, you might need a little carb boost; 15 grams should do the trick. (more…)

Posted on January 5, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Lose 7 Pounds a Year from Drinking Cold Water

Did you know it matters if you drink cold water versus warm water? It seems like there are always tips and tricks when it comes to losing weight. One of the tips I’ve heard is to drink water before you eat and there are a few proven reasons on why this is true. The first reason is that sometimes when your body is dehydrated it confuses the signal of being thirsty for hunger. The signal is sent to your brain and as a result you feel like eating. If it’s actually because you’re dehydrated, drinking a glass of water will help alleviate the urge to eat something.

The second reason to drink water before you eat a meal is because it will make you feel more full. You may have heard this already but do you know whether you should drink cold or warm water? If you are wanting to feel full for longer, you will want to drink room temperature or warm water. Warm water tends to stay in the stomach longer than cold water. The reason for this is because when you drink cold water, it has to leave the stomach faster so your body can heat it up quickly. So when choosing between the two, go for warm water.

Another trick I’ve heard over the years is that drinking ice cold water makes your body burn more calories. Is this fact or fiction? (more…)

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Kristina

How Much Water Is Enough? The New Rules for Hydration

You’ve heard it been said that we should drink a lot more water than we currently do in order to stay hydrated, since our bodies are made up of 80 percent water and need tons of the stuff to function properly. But what if this notion is false? What if we’re all looking like overzealous idiots carrying around our 82 ounce Nalgene bottles in an effort to stave off dehydration?

While experts typically recommend that we aim for 2.5 liters of water a day – or roughly eight glasses – new insight from an article published in the Australian public health journal is arguing otherwise, saying that the necessity for 64 ounces of water a day is a flat-out myth.

The primary message of the new research is this: While drinking a lot of water has been shown to decrease appetite, the authors of the article contend that consuming foods with a high water content promotes even more weight loss than just plain water. And in addition, they argue that our bodies are likely getting the hydration they need from the fluids we take in in addition to water- including coffee, tea, and even beer. (more…)

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Dana

Water is Good For You, but it Won’t Flush Away Fat

If you mention weight loss it seems a million “tips” or “pieces of advice” come flying out of the woodwork. There’s many of them out there like, “Don’t eat after such and such time,” “Stop eating bread and carbs,” or “Eat eight tiny meals a day.” Most of this can be overturned and found to be another empty promise of how to lose weight. One myth that seems to be pushed is about how water has the power to flush out fat from the body. Sadly, it seems this may be just another myth.

The myth is often stated that, “drinking eight glasses of water a day flushes out fat.” Truth is, that’s simply not true.

“…There’s no magic about drinking water,” says Sue Gebo, RD, MPH, an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

Gebo explains that water cannot flush away fat, that is just a hopeful myth. While water can not perform this trick, a Virginia Tech University study explains how this myth may have started.

The study found that people who drank 16 ounces of water prior to eating a meal actually consumed 75 to 95 fewer calories than the control group. Both groups in the study were on prescribed low-calorie diets and on average the water drinkers lost more weight, 4.5 pounds more than the non-water drinkers. (more…)

Posted on May 21, 2023 by Lacy

The Alkaline Water Fight: Is it Healthy or Not?

Alkaline water seems to be causing quite a stir in the health field, with those in favor and opposed both passionately arguing their sides – one claiming it provides amazing health benefits, and the other arguing it’s a complete hoax. But to gain a better understanding of what exactly alkaline water is, we did some research and consulted several health professionals to shine better light on this supposed miracle beverage.

What is it? Alklaine water has a higher pH level than regular tap water, which is why proponents say it can help neutralize acid in your bloodstream, boost your metabolism, and help your body absorb nutrients more effectively. But according to Mayo Clinic Nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, RD, none of these health claims have been scientifically proven, and she recommends plains water as the best option for most people.

Proposed benefits: Since alkaline water supposedly contains healthy ionized minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium, it’s thought to help reduce risk of suffering from symptoms of metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, high cholesterol and kidney stones.

It’s also thought to have antioxidant properties and potentially reduce rates of heart disease, promote healthy weight loss, and improve bone density. But there doesn’t seem to be any scientific evidence to back these arguments up, leaving us to conclude that these are all just claims. (more…)

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Dana

Top 7 Healthy Foods to Keep in Your Tornado Survival Pack

Now that it’s spring, mother nature is reminding us just how much power she can bring by hitting several states with tornados. Officials say this is only the beginning of what looks to be a very busy tornado season.

If you live in an area where tornado activity is possible and if you haven’t already, you must get a tornado survival pack prepared. It doesn’t take a lot of time and most items are around your house already. If you ever do find yourself in a severe storm with the potential of tornados, you’re going to be very thankful you prepared ahead of time.

Your list should include obvious things like a flashlight, radio, batteries and medical supplies. But you should also include nonperishable snacks and food. You may think tossing in some twinkies is good enough, but if you do find yourself dealing with a disaster your body is going to need good nutrition to maintain your immune system and health. So what are some healthy items to keep in your survival pack? I thought you would never ask. I have come up with seven healthy items you must include. (more…)

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Kristina

Hidden Health Threat in State of the Union

Last night’s State of the Union address from President Obama covered a lot of ground in a relatively short period of time. Nearly none of that covered health-related issues, mainly because it wasn’t politically expedient in an election year with job fears and emotions over tax fairness.

There were a few passing comments on health issues, none in any real depth. However, one really struck home with me:

“I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean,” said the President.

While many of us are eating too much junky processed food and not enough healthy natural food, water, the vary foundation of life on Earth is being threatened. It’s an issue that gets next to no coverage anywhere in relation to other environmental problems. But it’s the one problem that, if it got out control, would be the quickest route to our demise.

About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. More than 60 percent of an adult’s body is made up of it. Without it, you will die in about three days. It’s pretty important. (more…)

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Jason

The Importance of a Healthy Balance

Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.

Not quite a year ago my now 89-year-old mother was hospitalized because she became disoriented. After several tests we were told she had ingested so much water that she depleted her body of potassium and sodium. When she finally came out of it and we told her what landed her otherwise healthy self in the hospital her first reaction was, “I overdosed on water? It’s water!”

Water is a wonderful and necessary thing, but when over-ingested it can lead to serious problems in people of all ages and physical health. What this event reinforced for me was the need for balance. My mother had done just fine drinking water her entire 88 years of life, but when she heard a report on television that seniors don’t get enough liquids she over did it. (more…)

Posted on November 20, 2023 by GuestBlogger

10 Reasons You Need More Water Than You Think

By Michelle Schoffro Cook for Care2.com

We hear about importance of drinking enough water constantly. On the flip side, there has been a growing trend in the media lately that the commonly recommended eight cups of water daily is a myth, which is technically accurate, but not the whole story. Whether you need eight cups of water daily, or four or ten, most people are not getting the message that whatever their particular water needs are, they aren’t meeting them.

And even dietitians, nutritionists, and medical professionals are contributing to the problem by informing people that they get enough water in their diet in the form of fruits and vegetables. That might be true for some people, but after assessing the diets of countless people, I assure you that isn’t the case for most people.

Plus, have you ever noticed that when you throw vegetables in a pan and turn on the heat you’ll see liquid in the pan soon afterward, and then shortly after that you’ll see steam rising from them? That’s because you’re literally cooking the water out of the vegetables.

(more…)

Posted on August 20, 2023 by GuestBlogger

How Much Water Do You Really Need to Drink a Day?

We’ve all heard the rule that we should drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water each day to stay properly hydrated and healthy. But where did this rule come from? What is the science and research behind the recommendation? Do you need to drink more water if you work out a lot? And what about the foods, like soup and grapefruit, that have a lot of water in them? Do they count towards your daily water-total?

drinking-waterA new commentary in the British Medical Journal, where a doctor called the recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of water a day, “thoroughly debunked nonsense,” is causing many to question what had been considered hydration-law. To clear this whole water-recommendation thing up, we talked with some experts about hydration to get the real deal on how much you really need to drink.

Do I Need to Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day?

Basically, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to optimal hydration, says Dr. Josh Wagner, owner of The Life House on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where he practices chiropractic and sports medicine.

“Eight cups of water per day is the classic recommendation for keeping hydrated, but how could, say, a 105-pound woman need to consume the same amount of water as a 240-pound man?” Dr. Wagner asks. “I usually advise my patients to drink at least half their body weight in ounces of water per day, and to add even more water if they tend to enjoy caffeinated beverages or alcohol or if they have other health concerns, such as diabetes. You’ve heard it before, but water makes up such a large percentage of our bodies and is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle.”

(more…)

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Jennipher