Day 2 Fitness Challenge= Drink more Water!

So yesterday I posted about this months fitness challenge. I am working my way to a better healthier lifestyle. In the long run I hope to lose weight, look better, and feel better.  This year Chris and I turned 42 and boy do we feel it.  I had to by my first Granny glasses so I could see.  I have a drawer full of ankle, knee, foot braces, strange products have appeared in my medicine cabinet, things creak and ache like never before.   So I need to do something to change, I can’t sit around and eat fritos and salsa, top ramen, and kool-aid like I did when I was younger (Last month). So yesterday I announced I am going soda free, in addition to that I need to increase my water intake.

Water- First of all water does not have any chemicals, preservatives, artificial anything. Unless of course you get your water from the LA County Waterworks.

I have heard many people say they just don’t like the taste of water and I used to feel that way also so I am going to share with you how I grew to enjoy and even crave water.

1.  Water down your water – Sounds strange but when I first decided to cut out sodas water just didn’t do it for me and I was replacing soda with fruit juice.  Fruit juice in itself isn’t bad but it does contain a lot of calories.  If you have watched any episode of Biggest Loser than you have probably heard “Don’t drink your calories” This is true. We often consume 200-500 calories just in what we drink for 1 meal. This can add up to a lot. So I started to water down my juices. i started with 3 parts juice and 1 part water. I really didn’t notice much of a difference in taste. Over time I kept increasing the water and decreasing the juice.  It is not unusual to now find juice flavored water in my house. I usually have about 10-25% juice and the rest is water. There are still calories but I find I drink a lot more water this way.
2. Flavor your water – Some restaurants have the worst tasting water and I often wonder if I am better off drinking a soda. It is very easy to just add squeeze of lemon to your water but i often get tired of that also. Mix it up, use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. makes your drink cold and adds flavor as it melts. Then eat the fruit. Try adding fresh mint leaves or cucumber for a cool refreshing dink. Better yet make Sassy Water. Sassy water is one of the best tasting waters and I promise you wont miss the sweetener with this. I will post the recipe below.
3. Keep bottles/cups handy – I recently bought what I call an adult sippy cup and am in love with it. As soon as I get to work I fill it up. I carry it with me on breaks and to meetings. I am amazed at how much more I drink when I have my sippy cup with me.  What is nice is that it is dish washer safe and reusable which saves money over buying bottled water. I can also easily fill it with my sassy water. You can find these cups at several stores  for $2-10. Check out Walmart or Big lots for the best deal.
4. Get a Brita Pitcher – Get a Brita or other filter type pitcher. A great piece of advice a friend gave me was every time you go to get some water from the fridge first fill you cup with tap water and add it to the pitcher, then pour out the filtered water. This way you always have filtered water ready for you. Better yet install a filter in your fridge or on your tap. This makes it easy and convenient and is a lot less expensive than buying bottled water.
5. Set a goal and keep track – Another bit of advice is each morning fill up 4-6 bottles of water, whatever your goal is, and keep them at your desk. Give your self a goal of drinking 1 bottle every 2 hours. make it a drinking game. Every time your boss/co-monkey/frined says “_______” take a swig.  I bet this will make you meetings a lot more fun and entertaining!
6. Drink before you eat – Before you eat any meal or snack. Drink. Start with 1-2 ounces and build up. I find that I will easily drink 2 sippy cups during lunch. 1 while I am eating and 1 while I am just sitting there talking. My cup holds 16 ounces so it is a quick way to get my water in.

Sassy Water Recipe 

This recipe is straight off of Pinterest. Supposedly the water is something prescribed by Dr. Oz and is supposed to help burn off belly fat. I don’t know about that but I do know that water is delicious and refreshing especially on a hot day. I assume it burns off belly fat because you drink this instead of other sweet drinks. The water fills you up and the flavor works as an appetite suppressant. Some of the best water you will ever taste and there are no calories or artificial anything! (In the picture the pitcher isn’t dirty, it is frosty from the fridge)

• 1 lemon sliced
• 1/2 a cucumber sliced
• 3-5 sprigs of mint
• 1 tsp fresh ground ginger

Place ingredients in a pitcher fill with water and enjoy.  I find the water is better if it has sat overnight. I add more water when the pitcher gets half full and continue to do this for about a week.  I use fresh grated ginger which floats in the water and looks to some like it is dirty. If this turns you off then just put in thin slices of fresh ginger.

Top 11 Health Benefits of Drinking Water

Copied from: www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.comYou will be amazed of the benefits of drinking water as follow:

1. Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. 
   
2. Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7. Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy:Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.
9. Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
10. Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

I can go on and on and on.

Just a warning you can drink too much water. Do not force yourself, over time you will find that you gradually drink more and more.