Can Water Really Help You Lose Weight?

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Can Water Really Help You Lose Weight?

 by: Cassandra Germsheid

Yes, it can!

I believe that water not only helps with weight loss, but is
also one of the most important things to keep in mind when trying to
lose weight. Here are just some of the reasons why everyone should be
drinking at least eight glasses of water day.

• Naturally suppresses appetite
  
• Increases metabolism
  
• Reduces stored fat deposits
  
• Improves kidney function
  
• Decreases fluid retention
  
• Helps muscles maintain their tone
  
• Aids in the prevention of sagging skin after weight loss
  
• Rids the body of excess waste
  
• Regulates bowel movements
  
• It’s Free!
  
  
  

Aren’t these enough reasons for you to start drinking your full daily intake of water?

I started drinking 9 glasses a day, and I noticed a difference
over night!! I lost five pounds in the course of one day, and it’s
stayed off. The key is to keep drinking water, or you will see the
weight come back. For every 25 pounds you want to lose, drink an extra
glass of water.

Now, even though we have most of a day to suck back all that
water, it is actually more difficult that you might think. So here are
some tips to help you make sure you get your daily intake:

• Make an appointment with your glass of water. Schedule
  certain times of the day to chug back 8 ounces at once. After you wake
  up in the morning, on your way to work, during a commercial, etc.
• Have a water race with a friend or family member. The extra competition will help motivate you.
  
• I
  bought a big 1.5L bottle and made sure I drank all of it before the end
  of the day. If I didn’t, I told my co-workers that they had permission
  to dump whatever was left on my head.
• Before drinking that coffee or pop, force yourself to get
  another glass of water down. You will probably not even want anything
  else after that.
• When you go to the bathroom (and you will be going
  frequently at first), refuel yourself with another glass before going
  back to whatever it was that you were doing.
• Measure how much water you need in a bottle or measuring cup, then you can see your goal for the day.
  
• I
  played a game with myself while I was doing a puzzle. Every time I fit
  a piece into the puzzle, I would have to take a drink. It seems pretty
  silly, but it worked. I do puzzles pretty fast, so I downed almost 2
  glasses in less than a half hour.
  

Use these ideas, or come up with your own tricks to help you reach
your goal. You will notice a difference right away. I know I did. I
felt better, I could see my stomach shrinking, and I found myself
snacking less. It really works!

About The Author Cassandra Germsheid is the owner of Baby Tips Online (http://www.babytipsonline.com) - Dedicated to supporting mothers. She is a stay at home mother to her 11-month old daughter.

Protect the Skin You're In

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Summer is approaching and thousands of people will be working on their
tans before they whip out their shorts and swimsuits. However, improper
skin care can cause permanent damage from the suns rays. Regardless of
your skin type, it is very important to protect your skin. Here are
some key tips to keep in mind this summer.

Choose an appropriate sunscreen. If you’ve been to the store lately,
you’ve probably seen a complete aisle full of sun block products. It’s
often hard to know which one to buy. Look for one that protects against
UVA and UVB rays. (UVB rays are actually more harmful for sun burning
the UVA rays). It’s crucial that your sun screen protects against both
of these sun rays. Don’t waste your time with half the protection.

What about the SPF?

The SPF number simply tells people how much longer they can last out in
the sun without being burned. The higher the SPF number, the longer
your skin is protected against the sun.

For example, lets say you put on a sunscreen with SPF 20. This would
protect your skin up to 20 times longer than your average amount of
protection time. To find out how long your sunscreen will protect your
skin (multiply how long it normally takes you to burn * SPF of your
sunscreen) So, if you normally burn after 30 minutes in the sun and you
have sunscreen with an SPF 15, your skin would be protected for 450
minutes ( or 7.5 hours)

It’s also important to consider skin types when choosing the proper sunscreen.

For young children (6 months and up) : Choose a sunscreen with
SPF 15 or higher to protect against both sun tanning and burning. Look
for a product that offers UVA and UVB protection. This is known as the
“broad-spectrum”.

For Very Fair Skin: This type of skin burns quickly. Look for a sunscreen containing SPF 20 to 30.

For Fair Skin: This type of skin burns fairly easily but some tanning occurs. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 8 to 12.

For Medium Skin: This type of skin yields a moderate brown shade when exposed to the sun. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 4 to 8.

For Dark Skin: This type of skin rarely burns. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 2 to 4.

After choosing an appropriate sunscreen, apply it before going out into
the sun. Be sure and apply it generously over all skin that will be
exposed.

Taking good care of your skin now will give you great-looking skin well into the future.

P.S. Your skin is your number one defense mechanism against the
environmental elements. Exercise, rest, and good nutrition are the
foundation for beautiful, healthy skin.

GranMamma is the webmaster at First Name Meanings - Baby Names Box
- http://www.babynamebox.com - Where you can explore over 20,000 baby
names and their meanings. Read articles on parenting, family, home and
gardening. Be sure to say hi to GranMamma!