I can tell you that I personally know people in my family - I won't name names, but you know who you are ;) - that probably don't drink ANY water at all in a day. Seriously. If they are thirsty, they get a pop. (That's what we call it around here.)
Here are a few fun facts about water:
* 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
* Drinking 2-3 liters of water a day burns 50-75 additional calories, and speeds up your metabolism by as much as 30%.
* In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
* Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
* Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
* One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
* A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
* Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
* Water is vital for keeping your system clean. It helps with detoxification and assists bile acids in flushing out toxins.
This is a really great app called Water Your Body. I love it because you customize your own specific water container, and every time you drink a glass, you just tap it and it will add it to your total. There is a graph that shows your intake history and how much water you have left to drink.
One thing I think is really cute - you can schedule reminders during the day, and when it's time for a drink, there is a pouring water sound effect. How awesome is that? My phone can remind me to drink my water!! It makes drinking water fun - like a game! Now there are no excuses!
Water is great, isn't it? If you are trying to lose weight, or even just be healthy and energetic - you should aim to drink 2-3 liters of water a day. If you must choose a pop, make sure to drink an extra glass of water to make up for it. I used to have a pop every day, then I said I would only have it on the weekends. Eventually I just started preferring water. :)
As a side note - my parents have their own well, and let me tell you - I never knew water could be so yummy! It's seriously delicious!
Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day? Do you say soda or pop? (Just curious.) haha
