By Sara Esther Crispe
So I finally gave in and saw a nutritionist. I had been doing everything right (or so I thought), and the scale just wouldn’t move. The answer? Remarkably simple. Remarkably obvious. Remarkably overlooked. I wasn’t drinking enough water. She explained that just as our bodies are comprised mainly of water, water is essential in both weight loss and a healthy body. The water flushes out the toxins and waste, and without drinking enough, we are robbing our bodies of what they need the most. I thought about this, and realized how true this is in so many areas of our lives. It is not coincidental that just like our bodies are made up of mainly water, so too is the world. And we all know that you can plant some flowers in the most perfect place with the best soil, but if you don’t water them, they will die... In Judaism, water is compared to life, and therefore represents the Torah. Mayim chayim, the waters of life, is the phrase that is often used. Yet water can be easy to overlook. It has no color, it has no taste. And there are so many other options, that one can mistakenly think that some juice or soda or coffee can replace what only water can do... So, when my nutritionist told me that the biggest obstacle in reaching my weight-loss goals was my lack of water, it just made so much sense. And more so, she explained that it is important to drink not only when I am thirsty, but often specifically when I am not—that is when I need it the most. She also explained that often when we think we are hungry, we actually are not. We need water, not food. So, if we drink before eating a meal, we are likely to eat much less than without that water. My goal is to drink a few cups before I eat and exercise, during exercise and after, and before every meal. It might be forced, but sometimes we need to train ourselves to do what is right and healthy, because regardless of what I feel like, my body needs that water. So I hope, as I increase my water intake in the physical sense, that I make sure that the emotional and spiritual waters are being digested as well, for if I want growth in my life, I need to remember to water all that I have. To read entire article click here.