Let's Talk Hydration

It's almost inevitable. At some point, my clients will come to me and say their weight loss has slowed or come to an all-out screeching halt. The first question I ask them is....

1) How's your hydration? I'm not talking just water. I want to know about your electrolyte intake, too. A good rule of thumb, is to drink about half your body weight, in ounces, pday. (If a physician, nutritionist, or dietician tell you otherwise, listen to that.) Using my rule of thumb, if you weigh 200lbs, you'll want to drink approximately 100oz of fluids per day. While, yes, water is the best. Other fluids count towards that goal as well. (YES, even your coffee! It's not actually enough of a diuretic to "not count")

Why?

Mostly, because being hydrated is ESSENTIAL to weight loss. Water is required for nearly every metabolic process including fat oxidation. Even mild dehydration can reduce resting energy expenditure, not to mention it can increase your cravings, cause muscle aches, decrease your energy, and more. I believe we truly underestimate the power of mild dehydration. I cannot tell you how many people came into the emergency department, when I worked there, complaining of abd pain, muscle cramps, dizziness, headaches, and 1-2 bags of fluids later... they were like a new person. Not always, but it was enough to take note.

Second, I have found that 9.5/10 times mild dehydration is the main cause for the vague nausea often associated with taking a GLP-1. I've had clients who've experienced significant nausea after their injection pre-hydrate the day before and have much less nausea on those usual days they struggled the most. On more than one occasion I've had clients come in requesting IV fluids and zofran for their nausea, only to get halfway through the bag and decide they didn't need the zofran. That tells me it was more of a hydration issue than anything.

SO, all that being said... DRINK YOUR FLUIDS!! DRINK YOUR ELECTROLYTES!! So much of the water we drink today has been stripped of the natural minerals and nutrients we once acquired naturally through springs and wells. Don't be afraid to add a little sodium, potassium, and magnesium here and there, just to name a few!

Happy healing,

Dot