Water is good for more than just FUN! Drink more!!
Welcome to 21 days of Habit Hacks, where you can find one or several ideas for making better choices for a healthier lifestyle! As I have mentioned before, research suggests that it takes 21 days of consistently practicing a behavior to make it a part of your everyday life. The other thing to think about is that once we do this, we don’t have to think about it. A habit is an action or pattern of behavior that is repeated so often that it becomes typical, to the point that we become unaware that we are doing it. So, all we have to do is practice something for 21 days and it becomes perfected to the point that we do it without thinking! Then, we can choose another habit to hack (lol). So, get ready to choose one (or more) habits to change over the next several weeks and you will be in a much stronger and healthier state when those holiday temptations arrive!
Day #1-WATER!! That all-important ingredient that brings life to everything! The easy rule of thumb, drink half of your weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 lbs., you should drink 100 oz. A few things to remember:
- You do get some water from other sources, such as: fruits and vegetables, other beverages, etc.
- It’s ok to spice it up (I get bored with just water) – infuse your water with cucumbers, fruit, etc.
- Be careful when choosing flavored waters, look at the label. One great alternative I found recently is Hint
- Remember that thirst can often be disguised as hunger. Take a moment to think about whether you are actually hungry, while you are thinking, drink an 8 oz. glass of water! You might decide you aren’t hungry or at least think more carefully about what you choose to snack on.
- The Journal of the American Dietetic Association states that people who drink water before eating, eat about 75 fewer calories.
- Your body goes into “starvation” mode when you don’t eat enough. Similarly, when you don’t drink enough water, it holds on to what it has and you may look and feel bloated.
- Your body will look and feel better when it is fully hydrated. Your skin will be more supple, your ‘systems’ will run more efficiently and the ‘toxins’ will be flushed out of your body more quickly.
So, suck it up! (excuse the pun) and DRINK MORE WATER! Some studies have shown that just drinking more water, without any other changes to diet or exercise, can increase a person’s metabolism to the point of burning enough extra calories to equal a 5 lb. weight loss. That is reason enough, don’t you think?
I don’t want you to stop there-keep checking back each day and you could turn those 5 lbs. into a lot more! Until tomorrow, be well!
Your Best Fitness Friend
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