Beautiful woman drinks water from glassWater – I cannot stress enough how important it is to drink water throughout the day. It will not only make you feel better, it is key in all-over health and should be part of every weight loss strategy. Since our bodies are composed of 60% water, drinking water helps maintain the balance of body fluids.

Drinking an ample amount of water will help energize your muscles, aid in detoxing the liver (our main fat-burning organ), keep your bowels regular, and prevent kidney stones. It can even improve the way your skin looks and change the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by reversing the effects of dehydration. I do not think that anyone will complain about looking younger.

So, how much do water do you need? Many studies suggest drinking half your weight in ounces of water. For example, a person weighing 200 pounds should aim to drink about 100 ounces of water.

If you struggle to drink enough water, you could consider buying a HEALTHY BRAND of water drops like Sweet Leaf or Stur Water Enhancers. These use stevia as the sweetener and don’t have a bunch of chemical and no-good-for-you additives.

Here are just a few other beverages with benefits:

Green Tea – Drinking a cup of this healthy beverage does more than just quench your thirst. It can also help you avoid that dreaded mid-life bulge! A study by Penn State found that giving a green tea compound to obese mice actually increased their weight loss! Consider adding some fresh mint to relieve sore muscles and aid in digestion.

Oolong Tea –  It may not have the nutritional value of green tea, but this tea also touts some incredible benefits! This article lists a few of them and also provides other links to peruse.

http://www.naturalnews.com/042585_oolong_tea_Chinese_herbal_medicine_health_benefits.html

Lemonade – Lemons are a great detoxing fruit and are a great way to burn fat! Fruits high in vitamin C help to burn off body fat so the fat can be easily flushed out of your body. It is also good for boosting your immune system. Make your own healthy lemonade using fresh lemon juice with stevia or natural sweeteners. For extra benefits add other citrus fruits!

Cranberry Juice – Drinking cranberry juice does more than fight off urinary tract infections – It’s great for detoxing the liver and should be included in any weight loss diet. Make sure you only buy 100% cranberry juice with no additives including (hidden) sugars. Mix with water and stevia and enjoy throughout the day. For extra benefits add some freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice!

Red Wine – Since Jesus turned water into wine, I always include it in my list of must-have beverages. Wedding or poolside!

Numerous studies have showed that red wine can offer numerous health benefits and also shows protection from the sun’s damaging rays. Carol… living in Arizona… Oh yes, this makes perfect sense to me. On a hot summer day, I love to enjoy “wine punch” – Red wine mixed with fresh citrus fruit juices served over ice. Of course, drink wine in moderation – I can’t give you the go ahead to drink wine poolside all afternoon.

Coffee – Known to beat brain fog, this caffeinated beverage raises levels of a hormone linked to improved memory and energy. I’m not a coffee drinker, but know my coffee-loving friends are giving me a thumbs up right now!

Important Note: Drink coffee and wine in moderation – but drink as much of the other beverages as your little heart desires.