Water

I'm trying to move back into "training" mode from "Lazy Holiday Mode"  and with all the training and healthy eating also comes one very important factor.  Water.  We all need it.  We all know we're supposed to drink it, but trying to get your daily 64 in, to many, is about as enjoyable as a stint in the dentist seat (mental note: dentist appt).  I figured I'd share with you what I do to get my water in.  First, I may be a bit more hardcore than most- but I eliminated pop.  I will drink it at parties, social functions or when we are at restaurants, but in my everyday life- no more pop.  I either drink water,  flavored seltzer water (and by flavoring I mean- the LaCroix type not the sweetener pumped "Flavored Sparkling Water" they sell for .99 at walmart)  and I drink Pelligrino.  If I'm bored with the taste of my water, I'll add in Arnold Palmer Half and Half Iced Tea/Lemonade stick (naturally flavored) to my glass. 

For me, it's hard to have a meal without something bubbly.  When I was a kid, I had a horrible gag reflex, especially if something was too oily or greasy (it usually happened worst when we had pizza or chicken).  As I got older, I found that drinking pop with its carbonation helped curb the reflex.  But then, drinking pop became a habit, and before I knew it, my husband and I were blowing through a 2liter of pop a night between the 2 of us.  So, instead, I drink Pelligrino or LaCroix.  I still get the bubbly sensation (to prevent the gag reflecx which Im sure now is more psychosematic than anything else)  and it's better for me and less calories. 

According to this website http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm  apparently the amount of water you comsume is not a one size fit all kind of thing.  According to this I should be drinking 96 ounces of water and not 64.

My trick to getting that much water in (without using flavoring to trick my tastebuds in every glass)  using a straw, and drinking my water at room temperature.  A lot of people can't do the whole room temperature thing, but for me, I drink most everything at room temperature.  When I went to this fly by night diet pill doctor, his staff had told me that if you're working a desk job and poudning water all day long, that you should drink it as cold as you can tolerate it.  And that by doing so, you will be burning more calories, because your body has to work to bring it to the same temperature as your body before digesting it.  I have no idea if this is true or not- but if you want to try it, knock your socks off :)  For me,  just a regular old glass of room temperature water goes down fine. 

Note:  Do not drink ice cold water while you are in the middle of a workout, I don't know the scientifics of it, but apparently it shocks your system and it's super bad for your body.

The other thing I do, everytime I get up (either to use the restroom or walk something to someone elses desk-  I make a pit stop in the kitchen to fill up again)  it tricks me into thinking that I am behind on my water drinking, gets me a few extra steps into my day, and keeps the whole getting my water in, a continual focus in my day.

So, that's my tidbit for the day.  No pool (again) today because a certain facility can't get its tish together and get their water heater working.  Not cool.

Til Next Time!

~Millie :)