Question #7: Why is it so important to drink water and how much should I be drinking?

Answer: For one thing, it is important to drink water because our bodies are made up primarily of water and we can easily become dehydrated. Drinking plenty of water is very beneficial. Here are several reasons why:

•Water helps cleanse your body

•Water helps the body metabolize stored fat which is necessary for weight loss

•Water aids weight loss by naturally suppressing the appetite

•Water lubricates and cushions the joints

•Water serves as a shock absorber for your eyes and spine

•Water maintains blood volume and proper muscle tone

•Water helps relieve constipation

•Water can improve the appearance of your skin

•Water is a great treatment for fluid retention

As we consistently drink water, our natural thirst returns and we get thirstier—making it easier to drink more. To know how much water you should be drinking, many sources recommend that you divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water a day. I strive to drink six to eight glasses a day. Of course, if you are in the sun, exercising or sweating, you should compensate and drink more.

Question #8: Is it important to periodically change my mode of exercise?

Answer: I think it is great to do a variety of aerobic activities in order to target different muscle groups. For example, walking targets different muscle groups than swimming or bicycling. Even the benefits you get from the stair climber are slightly different than the benefits of using a cross-training machine. It’s good to mix things up a bit.

If you normally do a high-impact exercise, you should balance it with low-impact workouts. For instance, if you’re a runner and you run four or five times a week, substituting one or two of your workouts with low-impact exercise such as cycling, swimming or walking, would be much better for your body—less wear and tear. Making that kind of adjustment to your routine would make a huge difference in your body over a period of 15 or 20 years.

On the other hand, if you always do low-impact exercise, it would be great to add some impact or resistance (weight) training to your routine because resistance makes your bones stronger.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, weight or resistance training is the only type of exercise than can substantially slow and even reverse the declines in muscle mass, bone density and strength that were once considered inevitable consequences of aging.

I recently read about a study where researchers had elderly women jump up and down 50 times a day—a form of high-impact exercise. Guess what happened? The women’s bones got stronger. So there’s something to be said for adding some impact to your exercise program. Just make sure whatever you choose to do is safe for you.