Debra Roby is certified as a Personal Trainer through NASM. She trains private clients in the SF Bay area and is developing an online coaching business. She blogs at Weight for Deb.
When we get mildly dehydrated – simply missing one to three glasses of water throughout the day- the symptoms are often weight gain, confusion and a craving for sweets. Because we do not recognize these clues as “my body is thirsty”, we go about addressing these symptoms incorrectly. Often our “cures” -coffee or soda, salty or sweet snacks or even a nap- make the condition slightly worse instead of better.
We’ve learned it’s important to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Sipping from one glass each hour throughout the day keeps our cells hydrated. When we forget, our body pulls water from where it can find it -our urine, our intestines, and our blood-to insure that our cells can continue to function. When this fluid is pulled away, it leads to kidney stones, bladder infections, constipation and more. More chronic dehydration affects our brain, leaving us confused or unable to concentrate.
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