Body water (hydration level)
Our daily water requirement, which can vary from day-to-day and from
person-to-person, depends on a number of factors e.g. level of physical
activity, environmental conditions, health status.
The general recommendation is to drink 6-8 glasses of fluids (this can
include water, tea and coffee) daily. Fluid can also come from the food you
eat – like fluid-rich fruits, vegetables and soups.
A useful indicator of whether or not we are consuming enough water is
how often we urinate and the colour / shade of our urine. For example,
a person passing dark urine and only urinating twice a day is likely to be
under-hydrated.
Note:
urine colour can also be affected by certain foods, medications and
vitamin supplements.
Bone mass – what is it?
Bone is a living, growing tissue. During youth, your body makes new bone
tissue faster than it breaks down older bone. In young adulthood, bone mass
is at its peak; after that, bone loss starts to outpace bone growth, and bone
mass decreases. But it’s a long and very slow process that can be slowed
down even more through calcium-rich diets and weight-bearing exercise.
Who should monitor bone mass?
Most people have no need to monitor bone mass, but certain groups –
postmenopausal women, men and women with certain diseases, and
anyone who takes medications that affect bone tissue – might want to
watch for decreases in bone mass. The bone mass reading is to be used as
guide only. Watch for trends over time and contact your healthcare provider
for a more detailed explanation of the readings and with any questions or
concerns.
Three-point action summary
Your scale is a fun and useful tool for helping you on your weight loss journey
– get the most from its features by:
• Using the same scale, sited in the same position, on each occasion
• Following the recommended weighing procedure (time of day, etc) on each
occasion.
