I was super excited earlier this week!
I got on the scale and discovered that in 2 weeks I’d lost 4 pounds!
I know 4 pounds doesn’t seem like much, when my ultimate goal is to lose 25 pounds, but it’s a start, right?
While I’ve been wanting to lose the weight for a while, I really started making the effort 2 weeks ago. Remember that I got a Fitbit for Christmas? Well, 2 weeks ago I started using it to up my game in the effort to shed the pounds. I’ve been really keeping track of my walking and other exercise a lot more diligently. I’ve also started using it to keep track of my food intake, and remind me when it’s time to have a healthy snack to head off food cravings at the pass.
But that’s not the biggest change I’ve made in the past 2 weeks.
Instead of eating LESS of this or that, my biggest change has been getting MORE of something very important.
That something is water.
I started paying attention to my water consumption and realized I wasn’t getting nearly enough.
I really make an effort with water. I carry a water bottle everywhere; it’s like an extension of my hand. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to drink. I try to eat water-rich foods so that I get water from different sources.
Even so, sometimes I still don’t drink the water, even though I know I should.
Water can help with weight loss. Studies have shown that regularly 16 ounces of water (that’s the size of a standard water bottle) before meals can help shed the pounds and keep them off. People who regularly drink the water and follow a low-calorie diet lose more weight than those who follow the same diet but don’t have the regular water intake. They were also shown to be more likely to keep the weight off for a full year after the study.
Hunger is also a sign of dehydration, which is why experts recommend that if you’re feeling hungry, you drink a glass of water instead of eating. By doing so, you’re not only eliminating unnecessary snacking, but you’re giving your body what it really needs.
If you’re trying to lose weight to boost your fertility, water can be the key ingredient. Issues with ovulation are the leading cause of female infertility, and we know that sometimes, just losing 10% of our body weight can help get ovulation back on track, and water can be the hidden weapon to help you get there.
So how much water do we need?
The common guideline is 64 ounces of water daily – 8 8-ounce glasses of water.
This is a good guideline, and certainly an easy one to remember. If you can get that much water every day you’re in pretty good shape.
I think we actually need more than that, and the amount does vary depending on the individual.
For the first week of my increased water consumption I did focus on getting 64 ounces each day, but starting the following week, I upped my goal to half of my body weight in ounces, as this is what most experts recommend. If you live in a hot, dry climate, you’ll need even more.
Most experts recommend our water intake to be half of our body weight in ounces each day.
How to know if you’re getting enough water?
Now if you’ll excuse me, writing this post has made me thirsty!
To your health and fertility,
Stephanie xo
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