water. (+podcast)

DRINK IT!

PS:  a podcast i like: http://realweightloss.podomatic.com/ 

To lose fat, water is the key, apart from the proper diet choice and exercise. How does drinking water help in fat loss?

• It curbs hunger: Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Insufficient fluid can lead to over eating. You brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. If there there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving for water. In another word, when you think you are hungry, your body may in fact telling you that you are thirsty!
  As most food contains some water, if you don't drink enough water, you may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply and as a result, you gain more calories and more weight!

• Water makes you feel full. Because it is filling and calorie free, water is part of the solutions when it comes to weight loss and maintenance. Water takes up room in your stomach, making you feel full. This means you’ll eat less and feel less hungry.
• It replaces sugary drinks: A half-cup of fruit juice contains between 45 and 80 calories. Sodas, sugary drinks, shakes are all contain calories. By drinking them, you would be adding considerable number of calories. On the other hand water has zero calories. So, to replace sugary drinks and cut down on your calories, keep a glass of water in your hand and sip it instead of grabbing a mixed drink or any other type of drink.
• Water boosts your metabolism. The findings are reported in the December issue, 2003 of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The researchers Michael Boschmann, MD, and colleagues from Berlin's Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center tracked energy expenditures among seven men and seven women who were healthy and not overweight. The subjects, after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, increases the rate of burning calories by 30% within the time frame of 30-40 minutes.

swimming for fun and (weight-loss) profit

Now that I have a regular walking routine established, I am looking for ways to expand my exercise palette. Altho I have enjoyed swimming in the past, I have never found that extended work-out have resulted in weight loss. Upon my brother's recommendation to reposition it in my work-out schedule, I hopped in the pool today at the gym and was pleased to discover that all the walking and other exercise I have been doing has prepared me well for a swimming work-out. But, the question remains, can swimming help you lose weight?
I did some research and this is what I found:
There are some questions about how efficiently swimming burns calories. According to Tom Robergs, "Research done on swimming showed that weight loss seemed more difficult. The theory is that the water submersion initiates a complex [nerve pathway] to lower metabolic rate." And with a lower metabolic rate, the body uses fewer calories to maintain normal function. While Robergs says these explanations need further research, his associate Sarah Stratton says swimming can be a boon for weight loss -- if you follow the same principles as with any other exercise, and challenge yourself. For weight loss, Stratton recommends interval training, in which you push yourself hard for short spurts, and then drop back to a less-intense level of exercise. "If you don't do interval training, it's just as if you're doing a slow walk," Stratton says. Sue Nelson, aquatic program specialist for USA Swimming in Colorado Springs, Colo., has many success stories of obese clients who lost weight after they began working out in the water. One man was 500 pounds, had rheumatoid arthritis, and had to quit work because he couldn't get around.
"He went from a wheelchair to a walker to crutches to a cane to nothing by working out in the water," says Nelson. "He became one of my employees and lost over 250 pounds."

stay hydrated

dehydration can be a diet-killer. when your body becomes dehydrated, your metabolism and digestive systems slow down, your appetite increases while your energy levels decrease and your coordination and performance during workouts severely suffers. drink water regularly throughout the day and aim for a total of eight to 10 glasses every day.