Today's Challenge - Drink Your Water

Did you know tha****er makes up about 70% of our muscles and about 75% of our brain?  It helps our breathing, removes toxins (like sugars and other gunk) from our systems, prevents dehydration, helps us feel full, great for the hair and skin, and helps with our energy level.  Plus, the more water we drink, the more revved up our metabolism is. Water is just plain important, and it is for this reason that every diet book we have ever read has told us that we needed to drink water. When lose water from our bodies by doing involuntary things, such as breathing, and tha****er needs to be replaced.  But...if you are physically active, well then you will lose water at a higher rate. Did you know that for 1 hour of vigorous activity, you can lose up to 1 quart of water???  That's ALOT of water. But, for many of us, getting our water in is a real problem.  I know that I have often complained that with the increased eating plan that I am under that it is difficult to get in my water, because I have to stop drinking 30 minutes before eating, and cannot start until 1 hour after eating (I eat every 2 - 3 hours).  So, I've had to take a step back to figure out how to do the increased food and get in water, and one of things that I have learned is that for me, water is not limited to water, but can include some fruits and veggies, milk, veggie juice, etc. (Now, this may not work for you, but is provided as a suggestion). Did you know that we should avoid caffeinated drink such as coffee and sodas because they actually cause you to lose fluids and become dehydrated? Ok...so what's the recommendation?  The recommendation is to drink 8 - 8 ounce cups of water a day.  And if you exercise, make sure that you have water before and after your work out AND add an extra cup or two to compensate for loss during your work out. So, now you are thinking..."Ok, smarty pants....how in the heck do I get in all of this water?"   1.  Get you a water bottle.  One that you can use to monitor your intake.  Find a water bottle that will not clash with your outfits or cause you to look at it and go "UGH".  This water bottle is your new best friend and will be hanging out with you everywhere you go.  Mine is a 20-ounce pink bottle and it has a flip top on it.  I love it so much that I bought 2 so I could have a clean one at all times.  And, with it being pink, none of the guys in my house will use it - ha-ha. 2.  Sip your water every 10 - 15 minutes in between meals and snacks.  Make it a goal to drink so many ounces during a specified time period and challenge yourself to meet that goal.  For me, I drink 5 of those bottles a day (remember...I lose alot during my workouts), so, my challenge each day is to drink 1 bottle every 1 1/2 hours or so. 3.  Find flavors that you like.  Water can be very boring, so jazz it up.  Sometimes, I will add a slice of lemon to my water.  I like the Crystal Lite Peach Tea (actually the Wally brand because it is zero calories), and have just found the South Beach Strawberry Banana (allows me to add a few calories and 5 grams of fiber plus a small amount of protein) and the Crystal Lite Hydration to go packs. 4.  Drin****il you go to bed.  I take my water bottle to bed with me and it's on the night stand all night.  I've been known to wake up in the middle of the night to get a drink. So...with the warmer weather coming, staying hydrated will become much more important.  So, today's challenge is to drink your water!