It's Summer - at Last! And Hydration is More Important Than Ever!

When following the OPTIFAST Program and other diets, it is critical to get enough fluid to drink. Our bodies, after all, are composed largely of water. As we lose weight, we excrete more fluids and waste products as urine.

We get a significant amount of water in the foods we normally eat. When our eating changes, we must be conscious of getting enough water.

Here are some important Hydration Tips to keep you healthy:

• Drink a minimum of two quarts (64 ounces) of water each day.

• Try to drink water or a non-caloric beverage between each OPTIFAST "feeding."

• Remember that some beverages - like coffee, caffeine tea, and colas - act as diuretics. This means they make you pee more, so you may become dehydrated more easily. We all know these beverages can be great helps during a diet; just limit them to the recommended maximum of 24 ounces each day.

• Exercise increases your fluid requirements. Be sure to take a water bottle with you when you work out.

• Summer heat increases your fluid requirements also. Drink more water and other fluids to allow for water loss from evaporation.

How can you tell if you are not getting enough fluid?

Our bodies have a variety of mechanisms to manage our fluid balance. If you are not getting enough fluid, your body will tell you by one or more of these signs and symptoms:

• Thirst

• Your urine will appear more concentrated, i.e. more yellow than usual. (When you are getting enough fluid, your urine will look almost as pale as water - except for the first urine of the day which is always more yellow.)

• Light-headedness, dizziness, or fainting - especially when getting up too fast

• Dry skin and lips

• Headaches

• Nausea

• Fatigue

• Generally feeling less well

As always, we at Queen Anne Medical Weight Loss want to see you succeed in your weight loss, and we want you to do it as safely as possible.

Remember, we're all in this together.
Linda Gromko, MD