Saturday, 6 October 2012

Day 3 - Let's talk water

How is everyone doing with their healthy eating so far??  I have to admit having this blog to keep up with has made me way more aware of my choices!  Today I wanted to focus on what we drink, and more importantly WATER!  I think we tend to forget about how important it is to stay hydrated.  It is good rule of thumb to try and get in 64 oz of water daily, that is 8 glasses.  In theory you should have 64 oz of liquid but why waste all those extra calories on sugary drinks like pop or juice? Stay away from diet drinks as well.  They contain chemicals to create flavour and reduce calories.  I often hear " I don't like the taste of water" well it doesn't hurt to put some natural flavours in it.  Try squeezing a lemon into it or even a lime, put cucumber in it, try some berries, or if you like the fizziness of pop try carbonated water.  There are a lot of different options to add flavour to your water, but the important thing to remember is, stick with water!  If you are overwhelmed with the 64 oz start off small.  A bottle of water contains 2 'glasses' or 16 oz.  So you only need 4 of those throughout your day. Most reusable water bottles can hold up to 32 oz.  Mine holds 20 oz so I know I need approximately 3 of them a day.  I try and drink a full glass of water before my coffee in the morning (I can't give up my coffee).  It is also important to remember that many of the healthy foods you eat contain water.  Fruit and veggies contain water so if you are eating a lot of fresh ones you will be getting water in that way as well.

Here are some great benefits to drinking water:

  • It will help you lose weight - Water is an appetite suppressant.  Sometimes your body confuses thirst with hunger so you are eating when you should be drinking!
  • Great for the skin - Water helps replenish skin tissue and moisturizes!
  • Less muscle cramps - Adequate  hydration keeps your muscles and joints lubricated so you are less likely to cramp up.
  • Reduce Fatigue - When you are dehydrated you body has to work that much harder to do its job. Keep hydrated and your body will thank you for it :)
Who wants to give up pop for water??  You know you can do it and it is only for the rest of October :) 

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