How I lost 70 lbs. in one year.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. Good advice, good experience. Note however that the "established wisdom" on quantity of water is

You give some very good advice, and have good experience to back it up.

This does not contradict you, but it is worth noting that the "established wisdom" on the quantity of water we "should" be drinking daily is wrong. The commonly cited figure of "eight (8) glasses" of water daily is based on very old research.

Well, surprise, surprise, when a journalist went back to look at the original research on this, they found that the number was actually a measure of all the moisture and liquids in food and a healthy intake from back then. So we don't need 8 glasses of water daily.

All the same, your points about hydration and dehydration are excellent. H2O is far and away the main lubricant and transport system in the body. Most people need to increase their intake of H2O. Many drink large quantities of caffeine, which is a diuretic, and that means that a large portion of those caffeinated fluids are excreted (pissed out). So some additional fluid is needed.

Coffee and tea are healthy in moderation, beneficial, because of the anti-oxidants and the stimulative effect of the caffeine itself. Green tea is healthy in any quantity you care to drink. A largish man (180-200 pounds) can have up to five cups of coffee or equivalent per day, and probably should have at least three unless there are actual contraindications advised by a doctor. Smaller people should drink proportionally less, and I don't think there is much if any benefit for larger people to drink more. My intake is one liter of french press and about 15 years ago that replaced two liters daily of Coca-Cola. My weight has been stable those 15 years (BMI Body Mass Index just below 25, just below "overweight&quot .

Green tea is healthiest because it not only has the caffeine and anti-oxidants, but it additionally has some soothing and calming alkaloids, so it has an excellent balance for a healthy stress-reduced life. I may switch some or all to green tea in the future.

Absolutely avoid sodas and pop drinks except for the rare treat or emergency fill-in when regular sources of caffeine are not available. The fructose from corn syrup has an insidious effect on the body's insulin system and there are no beneficial effects aside from ordinary caloric intake (fuel). Of course those calories are empty of any other nutrition and there are much better foods that are fully of nutrients.

Finally, water is good.