How Much Water When Dieting

How Much Water When You Are On A Diet

How Much Water Do You Need? Water is essential, especially if you are trying to lose weight or on a diet. Here are some easy ways to meet your daily requirement.

Water Is Essential

Water is one of the most important elements of the human body. It makes up approximately 70 percent of our muscles, and about 75 percent of our brains. It is also an essential part of a healthy diet and plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the body. Some of water's many benefits:

• Transports essential nutrients throughout the body and rids the body of waste

• Acts as a lubricant for the body, moistening eyes, mouth, nose, and skin

• Helps maintain adequate blood volume

• Helps regulate body temperature, especially in warm weather

• Helps prevent constipation

• Helps medications to work

• Helps prevent urinary tract infections

• Acts as an appetite suppressant

• Is calorie-free

• Boosts metabolism when drunk cold (we burn 2 calories per glass as we warm it up to body temperature)

A Dieter's Dream

Drinking water also forces fat to be used as fuel. How does this work? Without water, the kidneys are unable to function properly, so the liver picks up the slack. But the liver cannot properly metabolize stored fat as energy. The result is a decrease in fat metabolism, leading to more fat stored in the body. So, drinking lots of water helps avoid extra fat deposits. Which in turn helps your diet.

How Much Do You Need?

The standard advice from nutritionists is to get at least 64 ounces of water daily. This is called the 8 x 8 rule (eight 8-ounce glasses). If you are trying to lose weight, it is especially important to stay hydrated. A good rule of thumb, experts say, is to drink half your daily water consumption between the time you wake up and lunch, and the other half between lunch and bedtime. If you are exercising, you might want to drink a bit more. Drink 8-10 ounces approximately 30 minutes before exercising. You should also drink some water while exercising; about 3-4 ounces every 15 minutes. Finally, when you're through exercising, drink another 8-10 ounces to make up for the water you lose through prespiration. Healthy adults of all ages need at least 8 cups of water every day. Children should have 6-8 servings, but the serving size depends upon the child's age. For children age 2 and under, a serving is half a cup; for kids age 3-5, it's 3/4 cup. For kids 6 and up, a serving is one cup.

Sneaky Ways to Drink More

Here are some easy ways to work in more water each day:

• Take frequent water breaks throughout the day

• Start lunch and dinner with a cup of soup

• Drink 100 percent juice at breakfast. (Dieter's caution: while juice and other beverages count toward your fluid intake, they are often high in calories.)

• Never pass a water fountain without drinking

• Take a bottle of water with you wherever you go

• Remember that only decaffeinated beverages count toward your goal

Water helps your system in so many ways. Not just for dieting, but for keeping your skin hydrated. It may take you a bit to get use to drinking so much water, but if you start first thing in the morning and carry it on through out the day, you will find it much easier.

Pastries and Dieting

Pastries and Dieting

Who says we have to give up everything while on a diet? There are ways to still eat those things we like, such as pastries. All you have to do is change a few things in the ingredients and viola, "You can have your sweets and eat them too"

Being on a diet doesn't mean you have to kiss pastries goodbye. Instead of cooking with heavy pie crusts and homemade doughs, substitute phyllo dough in your homemade recipes. This light, thin Greek dough is traditionally used in baklava, and it has 79 calories per ounce and less than a gram of fat. Compared with piecrust at 110 calories and 7 grams of fat, phyllo dough is a bargain! Brush it with olive oil or a scant amount of margarine before you bake it for a healthy, flaky dessert.

Phyllo dries out easily because it is so thin. The secret to success with phyllo is keeping the dough moist. Start by thawing the phyllo while it is still wrapped. If you're only using half of the package, roll up the remaining sheets, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and return them to the freezer. As you prepare a recipe, keep the dough moist by covering it with plastic wrap. Triangles are a typical way to shape phyllo. To make triangles, cut the dough into strips, place the filling at one end, and fold.

Here is a basic Phyllo dough recipe.

In Greek: φύλλο, pronounced FEE-lo

Freshly made phyllo dough is always preferable, and it isn't difficult. If you have a pasta machine, using this phyllo will produce sheets of thin to thick dough to use for pitas and pastries. The alternative, rolling it out with a rolling pin, takes time and experience to master. This dough is ideal for small fried pitas (pies) and bourekakia (also small fried pies).

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of raki (or white vinegar)
• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cups of hot water
• flour for work surface and hands

PREPARATION:

Note: The key to the recipe is hot water. Use hottest tap water.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand until it holds together. On a floured surface, knead by hand for 10-15 minutes until soft and malleable, with a smooth feel.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before using.

Unused phyllo can be kept in the refrigerator, in air-tight wrapping, for up to 10 days after making.

Yield: approximately 2 1/4 pounds

With a pasta machine: To make phyllo sheets for pastries, run it through the pasta machine (with settings from 1-10, with 1 being the thickest), gradually working it down to setting mark 9 on your machine. For phyllo sheets to make small fried pitas, use setting number 6.

You can also freeze the phyllo sheets to be used at another date. Here is how you are to defrost and then use them.

The Five Rules of Phyllo

1. Never handle phyllo with wet hands.
2. Bake phyllo pies and pastries at approximately 350F (175C) on the rack just below the middle of the oven.
3. Defrost properly following package and/or recipe directions.
4. While working, keep unused phyllo covered to prevent drying.
5. Don't throw out damaged, torn, or unused phyllo!

Now, the details:

• When making a recipe that calls for 1 package (1 pound) of phyllo, always buy two just in case.
• If using frozen phyllo, thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours and bring to room temperature before using or the dough can be gummy (if thawed too quickly outside the refrigerator) or crack (if still partially frozen).
• Prepare all other recipe ingredients before opening the phyllo package, and have waxed paper and a cool damp towel ready to cover it.
• Always work on a flat dry surface, and make sure your hands are dry. Getting the phyllo wet (with water) will make it gummy and sticky, and impossible to manage.
• Gently open and unfold phyllo. If any pieces stick together and cannot be gently separated, the usable part can be cut away, if large enough.
• Small breaks or cracks in phyllo sheets are normal.
• If a recipe calls for a certain size of cut dough, use a ruler.
• Phyllo sheets can be cut with a scissors, shears, pizza wheel, or pastry cutter.
• When brushing with butter or oil, or spraying with a butter-flavored cooking spray, start at the edges and work in. The edges dry out the fastest. And don't use too much - just a light coating, otherwise the end result is greasy.
• If you have several pastry brushes, use a soft wider one (2 1/2 - 3 inches) for sheets, and a smaller one for small triangles or rolls. Otherwise, a soft 1 1/2 to 2 inch wide brush works well on both sheets and small pastries or pies.
• If the recipe for a pastry needs a perfect top layer and the dough has not cooperated totally so far, just select a perfect sheet, brush it carefully with butter or oil (per recipe specifications), and use it as the outer layer or wrapping.
• Phyllo pastries should always be cooked in pans with a flat bottom.
• Never try to reheat phyllo pastries or pies in the microwave. If they've been refrigerated, either serve cold (if appropriate) or let them come to room temperature.
• If phyllo sheets get torn or don't defrost properly so they stick together at the edges, salvage what you can.
  

Then all you need to do is add your favorite low fat ingredients. I will cover some of those ingredients and recipes in my next posting of pastries and dieting. If you have some ideas on recipes to use with this, leave me a comment and I will share it.

Health Benefits of Weight Loss

It Helps Your Health To Lose Weight

Losing excess weight is beneficial for two reasons: It can make you feel better and it lowers your risk for illness and helps you live a longer, healthier life. Weight loss helps health conditions that often go hand-in-hand with obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, esophageal reflux, arthritis, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and depression. It also raises levels of beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol. Especially encouraging is that you don't have to lose a tremendous amount of weight to become healthier.

Even a modest weight loss of 5 percent-10 percent of your starting weight can lead to significant health benefits. In one study, people with hypertension who lost 10 pounds over six months reduced their systolic blood pressure by 2.8 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and their diastolic blood pressure by 2.5 mm Hg. These reductions in blood pressure were equivalent to the reductions brought about by treatment with blood pressure medications. Weight loss is so effective that many people with high blood pressure can stop taking blood pressure medicine after they lose weight.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted two 12-year studies of overweight adults -- one of men, the other of women -- to find out whether intentional weight loss is associated with a decrease in mortality. The study of 43,457 women, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1995, found that any amount of intentional weight loss was beneficial. The authors reported a 20 percent reduction in premature deaths among women with obesity-related medical disorders who intentionally lost some weight. In this group, the most dramatic effects were a 40 percent-50 percent decrease in deaths from obesity-related cancers and a 30 percent-40 percent decline in deaths from type 2 diabetes. The study of 49,337 men, published in the same journal in 1999, found a 32 percent-36 percent decline in deaths from diabetes among men with health problems who intentionally lost weight.

So you see, losing weight is not just important for appearance and how your clothes fit, but more so for your health. Dieting is not easy, but you can succeed.

Relieve Stress and Lose Weight

As many know, stress is one of the main contributors of gaining weight. Through the years I have noticed that when I was the most stressed about things in my life, I put on more weight.

Once I found out what triggered the stress and the weight gain I took control. Below you will find what I found helped me quite a bit. Yoga! It is more simple than you think. I'm putting down the steps to help relieve your stress and to help you with your dieting.

The daily pressures of home, family, and work can really start to add up. Before you reach your breaking point, take a few minutes to decompress with some simple yoga exercises. Find a quiet spot. Settle into a comfortable pose and clear your mind with some deep breaths. Then, take some time for yourself and your own well-being with these basic yoga poses.

Try these 10 yoga poses to reduce stress, ease lower back pain, and rejuvenate your mind and body.

Cross-Legged Lower Back Stretch

1. Sit a few inches from the wall with your legs crossed. 2. "Walk" your fingers up the wall, stretching from the lower back. 3. Broaden your shoulders by separating and lifting your shoulder blades. Keep your throat and neck soft. Don't tense your shoulders, just lift them. 4. When you think you have gone as high as you can, rest for a moment while your body adjusts to the pose, then walk your fingers a little higher. 5. Rest and repeat several times. 6. If this is too difficult, try the next pose.

Upward Arm Stretch

1. Sit in a chair facing the wall. Place your hands as high on the wall as possible and walk your fingers higher up the wall, stretching from your lower back. 2. Broaden your shoulders by separating and lifting your shoudler blades. Keep your throat and neck soft. Don't tense your shoulders, just lift them. 3. Once you think your fingers are as high as they can be, rest for a moment in that position so your body can adjust, and then walk your fingers higher. 5. Rest and repeat several times.

Chair Lower Back Stretch

1. Sit in your chair and widen your legs so they are wider than hip distance apart. 2. From the hip crease, bend forward and allow your entire body to relax. Drop your head and completely relax your neck. 3. If you are not completely comfortable, try putting a rolled blanket or towel at the hip crease and lean over again. 4. Hold this pose as long as you like. With each exhalation, allow your body and mind to relax a little bit more. Sit up on an inhalation, pause for a few moments, and try again.

Right Angle Pose

1. Standing very close to the wall, place your hands on the wall at waist height, shoulder distance apart. 2. Walk back until your torso is perpendicular to the wall and your legs are directly under your hips. 3. Extend your arms by firmly pressing your hands into the wall, as though you want to topple it. Go ahead, try to push it over! 4. Extend your spine to its maximum length, and work on straightening your knees and elbows. 5. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds. To release the stretch, step toward the wall.

Downward Facing Dog

1. Place the back of a chair against the wall. 2. Kneel 2 to 2 1/2 feet in front of the chair seat, and place your hands on the edge. 3. Come up onto your toes, straighten your legs, lift your buttocks, and angle your torso downward. 4. Work on straightening your arms and legs, and lengthening your back as much as possible. 5. Think about moving the front of your thighs toward the back of your thighs. Having a friend pull the top of your thighs back can help you get the full benefit of this pose, by taking the weight off your arms. 6. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds. 7. If this is too easy, place your hands on some thick books or directly on the floor instead of on a chair.

Knees to Chest

1. Lie on your back, bring your knees into your chest, and hug them. 2. If you like, you can gently rock from side to side. 3. Breathe deeply into your lower back and with each exhalation, allow your entire back to relax just a little bit more. 4. If this position hurts your knees, roll up two washcloths and place one behind each knee.

Legs Up the Wall Pose

1. Lie down with your buttocks at the wall (or at least as close as possible). 2. Extend your legs up the wall. Flex your toes toward you and work on getting your knees straight by extending the hamstrings. 3. Stay in this position for a minute or two, then go on to the next pose.

Legs Up the Wall Wide Angle Pose

1. Start in the previous pose, then widen your legs. Go slowly -- you don't want to overstretch your inner thigh muscles. 2. You can place rolled-up blankets under your upper thighs to help support your legs. You will be able to stay in the pose longer this way. 3. Keep flexing your feet toward you and trying to straighten your knees. Use your hands, if necessary, to keep your thighs pressed against the wall.

Supported Chest Opener

1. Roll up a blanket or thick towel. Lie down with the roll placed under your upper middle back. 2. If you would like, use a pillow or a folded blanket under your head. 3. Close your eyes and relax. Stay in this position as long as you like.

Chair Pose

1. Lie on the floor with your calves on a chair seat. 2. Place a blanket under your head if you like. 3. Cover your eyes with a small towel or other soft piece of fabric, and insert earplugs if you wish. 4. With each exhalation, relax a little bit more. Stay in this position as long as you like. It is totally relaxing.

You don't have to do all of these at one sitting, but the more you can reduce your stress, the more it will help you with your diet and dieting.

Alternatives for Ice Cream While Dieting

Alternatives for Ice Cream While Dieting

If you've given up your favorite treat for your diet, we've got good news. It turns out there are dozens of healthier alternatives to ice cream. An average ice cream bar contains 260 calories and 17 grams of fat, but dip into sorbet or low-fat frozen yogurt and you'll save at least 100 calories and 10 grams of fat. Nonfat fudge bars, ice pops, and low-calorie ice cream sandwiches are other yummy ways to indulge while watching your waistline!

And those nonfat fudge bars, ice pops, and low-calorie ice cream sandwiches taste just like the regular ones. What a way to be on a diet!

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Dieting Tips

Here is another brief diet tip. Funny how small things can add up while we are dieting.

Before you whip up regular potatoes with dinner tonight, why not make sweet potatoes instead? At around 90 calories per half cup, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene, antioxidants, and fiber; regular potatoes baked in their skins have almost double the calories and very little beta-carotene. No need to add sugar or a lot of butter to the tasty orange tubers either, because these potatoes are sweet enough! Not bad tasting and what benefits there are for your diet.

Not only are you saving majorly on the calories, but you are also getting fiber, beta-carotene, and antioxidants. These are all important in any diet.

Diet Tip of the Day

Diet Tip of the Day

Starting your meal with a small, healthy salad of dark greens, colorful veggies, and low-calorie dressing is a quick way to get some added vitamins while also taking the edge off your hunger.

Restaurant appetizers can often be deep fried or high in calories, carbs, and fat.

Start with a crisp salad and you'll eat less of your entree while still getting all the vitamins you need!

Carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower are my favorites to have whenever I need a snack. Very good diet food and also very filling. Just don't use that high calorie veggie dips. Be creative and make your own low calorie diet dip for them.

Quick Diet Tip

Quick Diet Tip

If you absolutely hate jogging, you probably won't look forward to a mile around the track. You can get the same benefit from rollerblading, dancing, or practicing karate -- depending on the amount of time and the level of exertion. A fun, 20-minute game of basketball can burn up around 175 calories. So find the exercise that's right for you, and then you'll want to stick to it.

Today's Diet Tip

Today's Diet Tip

Taking time to enjoy a meal can often seem like a major inconvenience. An excellent way to moderate how much you eat is to slow down, relax, and focus on your food. If you're eating while you're driving in your car or while you're working on your computer, you're rushing through the process and potentially overeating. It takes 20 minutes for the body to start really digesting food, so take your time and enjoy your meal!

Something so simple to start doing and can make some major changes while you are trying to lose weight while dieting.

Dieting and the Yo Yo Affects

Dieting and the Yo Yo affects are one of the worst scenarios, while trying to lose weight. You do so well at the beginning of the diet. Can see the pounds drop on the scale and then it stops after a week or so.

We wonder what we have done wrong and become bewildered with the diet and the lack of progress then.

This begins the YO Yo affects that I was referring to. After deciding the diet was a failure we stop with the diet. Then the weight we had lost comes back and sometimes even more.

Time to sit back and evaluate what you are doing or not doing during this process of dieting. Are you giving the diet enough time to actually work? Do you quit when you hit the plataue? Did you give the diet time to make the changes in your eating habits?

Sit down and write out all the reasons why the diet failed or why you believe it failed. Evaluate the diet fairly.

Some other things to ask yourself is:

• Did I pick a diet that I actually could deal with?
• Was the diet leaving me feeling like I was starving?
• Did you exercise along with dieting?
• Where you serious about the diet before you started?

These are only thought starters. Still the same, they are important.

Picking out a diet that has foods on it that you don't like is going to kill your chances of staying on the diet for very long. Pick out a diet that has food you will eat.

If you choose a diet that leaves you feeling like you are starving all the time. You will fail miserably with it. Be practical and make sure you are getting enough food or liquids to where you are left feeling full.


If you diet and don't exercise, you are not giving your body something it needs. Speeding up your metabolism helps you to burn more calories, as well as to make you feel better. Exercising does not mean doing sit-ups or going to a work out gym alone. Exercising can be as easy as just going out for a walk. Preferrably a power walk. This means that you are going at a good rate that raises your heart rate. You will feel great after you do this and jump start your metabolism. Believe me, you will see the difference as you do this and diet.

Being serious about the diet before you start is so very important. If you just say you are going on a diet to appease someone else, you are in trouble! I find that when I go on a diet, it is best to just keep this to myself and do it. Then the only person I'm dealing with is myself. Remember the saying "To thine ownself be true"?

Break the dieting yo yo. Set your own goals and make sure you follow-up on the things I mentioned above, before you start your diet.

Happy dieting!


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