I hope you are having a good week. I got this email from a client the other day and I thought you could benefit from it if you were in the same situation:

Hey Jim!

I have a problem with monthly female bloating. I don't drink water like i'm supposed to either, and I'm noticing that around my ovulation time, My waistline is gone.

I know you're a guy, but I think your knowledgeable about this as well. I'm confused about this and frustrated because I never had a problem like this before.

At first I thought damn am I gaining weight?

But I noticed that after my cycle begins the accumulated water leaves and I'm able to see a more toned waistline again.

What can I do to change this around ?

I'm 31 years old, am I fighting nature at this point? or do I combat this by a strict 6-8 ounces a day?

Jim I'm really confused about this body and how to stay at one weight. Please help!

J.C. Hey Tanisha, Basically, in addition to your ovulation, the reason why you're getting a bloated look is
because (as you mentioned) you're not drinking enough water. When you aren't properly hydrated, your body builds up toxins.

To fight these toxins, your body RETAINS as much water as possible to help metabolic functionality...hence you looking bloated.

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Furthermore, because you aren't drinking enough water your fat loss capabilities are reduced as well. When you're dehydrated, your liver, which is responsible for metabolizing your proteins, carbs and FAT, is put on hold, so instead of it burning your fatty acids like it should, your liver fights off toxins to protect itself.

Water plays a HUGE role to your success! 75% of all metabolic activities, take place in water. It's the ONLY beverage you should EVER drink if you want to get the best results.

It is very important to drink water throughout the day to lubricate the joints, regulate body temperature, help muscle growth, help digestion, maintain mineral balance, and most importantly hydrate the body. It also important to note that good old H20 takes away hunger pains as well.

Your body loses about 8 glasses of water a day due to dehydration. Try to drink a minimum of least a half a gallon a day (64 ounces) instead of soda, fruit drinks, sweetened teas or other caffeinated drinks which will NOT help you!

All they will do is contribute to spiking your insulin levels and are responsible for storing extra fat to your body. They also contribute to you having cravings and causes you to overeat or splurge.

The thing is, you don't just drink water when you're thirsty...you drink water when you aren't. This way, you are putting your body in the best position to not only burn fat properly, but be generally healthy as well.

Yes, you will have go to the bathroom more, but trust me, it's well worth it. Hope this helps.

Jim Coughlin is a personal trainer and the owner of Coughlin Fitness & Results, a nationwide personal training company. He is also the author of The In-Home Personal Trainer, a helpful guide to successful in-home personal training in addition to other products and many other popular fitness articles.

Jim is very passionate at motivating people to empower themselves to live a healthy lifestyle through consistent exercise and proper nutrition. He has free weekly success tips which you are welcome to subscribe to on his website http://www.fitnessandresults.com