Simple living lifestyle challenge 4 drink more water

amy / 01/30/2014

The change: Drink more water

For years, I would deal with nonstop headaches and lower back pain. I would reach for the Tylenol and it pretty much became a regular pill I would take. When I started my weight loss a few years ago, the first thing I did was to drink more water. I replaced all my pops, juices, and coffee drinks with water. I drank so much that I would have to goto the bathroom all of the time it seemed. By doing that it helped me to lose 70 lbs, not gorge on food anymore, completely stopped my headaches, and has cured my back pain. Water has become an essential staple in my life. When I am feeling sluggish, or achy I don’t reach for the pain reliever or a cup of coffee first, I guzzle a cup of water.

Why make the change:

There are a myriad of health benefits from drinking water here are just a few:

helps promote weight loss–fills your belly up instead of eating so much food
when you think you are hungry you are usually just thirsty
boosts immune system–you are less likely to get sick when you drink lots of water. You are constantly flushing out toxins and bacteria from your body.
Most common cause of daytime fatigue?? dehydration—guzzle some water and feel great
less headaches–flushes out the toxins from your body.
cures back pain, prevents sprains and cramps—lubricates your joints and helps keep your muscles elastic to prevent joint pain.
Improves skin complexion—moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing, and smooth. The best anti aging treatment around!!
Most adults are popping pills for ailments and diseases that could have been prevented from properly hydrating and flushing out toxins from their bodies.
Makes you rich—-even if you buy bottled water, it is still cheaper than Starbucks and soft drinks.

How do we do that:

Okay so we know all the health benefits of drinking water, but how do we go about replacing our current drinks with water? You might think, “I really love my can of Diet Coke everyday and can’t live without it.” I would say, don’t drop it completely. Slowing start adding water to your daily routine.

For myself, I set up my “triggers” so that I know when I am supposed to drink them. I fill a 24 ounce container and I have to drink 2 before I eat lunch. I make sure to drink 2 more before I have an afternoon coffee. Then 2 more before dinner. So for myself I know that I look forward to that cup of coffee in the afternoon, if the time rolls around and I haven’t had my water, I quickly guzzle my cups before I have my coffee. Same goes before I have a meal.

Set up times that you have to finish your container of water or you will not get that next thing, whether it be lunch, snack, a pop, etc. When you set a goal with a trigger it is easier to remember to drink the water. Otherwise it will sit on your counter top for the entire day.

In time, your body will start eating less food, you might even lose your cravings for your pop or other high calorie drinks. You will definitely notice that you do not need a cup of coffee to keep yourself going for the day. Plus your body will start feeling amazing by flushing out all the toxins.

Pay attention to your “triggers.” Notice when you start to feel sluggish, notice a headache coming on, notice when you start feeling hungry. Immediately down a container of water, see the benefits almost immediately.

Ways to make water taste better:

Even though I drink a lot of water in one day, I still do not like the taste of it. For myself I add a peppermint tea bag to my water bottle and leave it in there for the whole day. I get a nice taste to my water. Other options are:

add a squirt of lemon juice
squeeze a lime wedge
add a mint leaf
add an orange segment
add a dash of peppermint extract—I used to do this it is very refreshing
add a natural tea bag to your water
add a packet of vitamin C
for a natural detox, add 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup and a squirt of lemon juice

How much should I drink

It used to be drink 8 glasses of water per day. But that was false information. Most doctors would agree to drink until your urine is a light pale color. It is rare to over hydrate your self but you can surely under hydrate yourself. For me I drink a little more than half my weight in ounces. So if your weight is 140 lbs drink 70 ounces of water.

cabbage soup–my weight loss miracle food

amy / 01/29/2014

When I started my weight loss journey, it was hard to go from eating whatever I wanted to suddenly limited what I ate. For myself I needed a food that would satisfy my hunger, was good for me, and that I could eat unlimited amounts of. That is why I call it my “miracle food” it is something that has helped me lose weight and keep it off, is good for me nutritionally, and has cured my over eating of foods that weren’t so good for me.

Cut up vegetables and fruit were great for snacking on and I ate plenty of those during the day while I was going about my work in the kitchen. But when it came time to eat, I needed something that would fill me up and be good for me.

That is when I came up with my cabbage soup. I remember this diet craze from when I was in high school, but I didn’t just want a quick fix I wanted something long term. This soup has become a staple in my ventures for my fasting, my weight loss and for something that I really enjoy the taste of. I usually make a big pot of this and then store it in quart containers that I freeze. When I need a soup for a meal, I pop it out of the container and heat it up in a pan.

Very simple and versatile to make.

What I do is I purchase a head of cabbage and then chop it up into small pieces. I put that in a pot with a container of tomato juice. I add whatever vegetables that I have on hand. Mixed frozen vegetables, cut up sweet potato, cut up regular potato, onions, zucchini, whatever vegetables you enjoy. I like to add a few cans of diced tomatoes as well. I add enough water to cover all of my vegetables and a bunch of garlic. I know, very bad for the social factor—but it works!!! If I am not fasting I add some chicken bouillon for increase of flavor.

Let it simmer all day on the stove. You will have a huge pot of low fat, body cleansing yummy food.

Some help benefits from cabbage:

It adds folates to your diet. Folic acid is one of the essential components of DNA. Are you listening pregnant moms? Not only will adding cabbage to your diet help protect your baby from birth defects, but it will satisfy your rumbling tummy without adding unnecessary calories.
Cabbage is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and is a good source of fiber. This is great for losing weight and for cleaning out your colon by making you regular:)
Cabbage has the fewest calories and least fat of any vegetable.
It is rated as a vegetable to help prevent cancer.

Eat a bowl of this before you eat your dinner, it will help fill you up with “whole” foods first so that you don’t eat as much of your other foods. My children like to add some freshly grated parmesan cheese or cut up mozzarella cheese to it and broil for a few minutes. It is delicious.

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