Lose Weight - Burning Extra Fat With Water

H20, otherwise known as water, is one of the single most important ingredients that helps our bodies to maintain its day-to-day functions correctly. Our bodies are composed of over 70% water and it is vital that we maintain our water intake so our bodies can function at optimum levels.

Function of Water for Fat Loss:

To begin, water has absolutely no calories, so it cannot be converted to fat. Water infact helps dissolve fats and transports them around the body. If your body does not have enough water, it means organs such as your kidneys will not function properly, leaving your liver to pick up the slack. The problem here means that there will be more strain placed upon the liver, which is one of the main organs that metabolizes fat, therefore fat metabolization will be reduced.

Beauty Benefits:

Another advantage of drinking more water is that it can work wonders for your looks. For men, muscles should be composed of up to 80% water, meaning that muscle tone can be greatly improved just by drinking water. It will also flush out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clearer complexion. Skin that is becoming saggy due to aging or weight loss can look increasingly plump when the skin cells are re-hydrated.

How Much Should I Be Drinking?
Typically, Eight 8-ounce glasses of water is classed as "OK" for the average sized person to be drinking per day. But, for overweight people this should be increased by an extra 8-ounces of water for every 25-pounds of excess weight carried. Water intake should also be increased if you live in a hot climate or exercise extensively.

The key is not to let yourself become thirsty... If you are thirsty then you are already becoming de-hydrated. Spread the drinking evenly throughout the day, but drinking more before, during, and after exercise, and plenty of water to accompany meals. Though, bear in mind that it is not healthy to drink too much water at one time.

Tips:

• Drink water ice cold to burn more calories! - By adding ice to your drink your body has to heat the water you drink to bring it to the optimum temperature for the body to use. This alone could burn 50-100 extra calories per day!

• If you don't like the taste of water you can add flavourings, but be aware that these can contain large amounts of sugars and calories. Try adding a few slices of your favourite citrus fruit to the water.

Burn More Calories - Cardio After Resistance

When training or going to the gym, one myth that people commonly adopt is that it is "better to do cardio-vascular exercise before the weight/resistance training. But, from a calorie-burning point of view, this is incorrect.

It is much more benificial to complete resistance training and then progress to do a handfull of short-burst cardio sets. The reasoning behind this is as following; when you have completed your resistance training, you are naturally depleted of glycogen. This encourages your body to use up stored fat as energy more effectively compared to any other time.

So, at this point, the key is not to 'overdo' it on the cardio because that could prove counter-productive. Instead, try and complete short interval sessions. For example, if you were on the treadmill, spend 2 minutes walking at fast pace, and 1 minute running. Alternatively, you could be continually exercising at medium pace and then alter the gradient to say 8% for a while and then back again.

The main thing to keep in mind when completing this cardio set is that you need to keep your body guessing. Another advantage of doing your workout in this order is that it should keep your metabolic rate higher and for a prolonged period after completing your workout. Thus burning even more calories.