Is it just me or does 2018 seem to be flying by at an astonishing rate already?! I mean, I haven’t even started on some of my “resolutions” yet! Wait, does that mean it’s too late to even bother?!
Hahaha.
Ok, I don’t actually believe that… but I do here it from clients, believe it or not!
If you were following my Newsletter Series towards the end of 2017, you know that I’m not big on the word “resolution” because I feel like it just sets us up for failure. Instead, I believe any change that we make needs to be engrained into our lifestyle – and is why the series was called How to Make Healthy Living a Lifestyle – and for setting you up for a Successful New Year. (You can check out our BLOG to catch up on all 8 TIPS if you missed any.)
With that said, I still think it’s important to create steps to help you achieve your goals; to help them seem more attainable – more realistic. For this reason, the next couple months your HFFM Newsletter Series is going to be all about creating Healthy Habits to Help Make 2018 Your Healthiest Year Yet!
And to get you started, I’m making #1 something we already touched on in the last series, but I think is critical to the success of your health: Stay Hydrated!
TIP #1 – STAY HYDRATED
We all know the importance of drinking water. In fact, I wrote a whole blog about it! (You can check it out here). Water truly is the most underrated health and weightloss tool. Our bodies are actually composed of nearly 60% water – which means that almost every body part and function is affected by water in some way, shape or form!
But did you know that once you start to feel like you need water that you are already dehydrated?! And no, this doesn’t just mean that you need to quench your thirst. It literally means that: your body is in a state of not having enough water for it to function optimally.
From muscle cramps and confusion to having a rapid pulse or headaches, you’re body can start to go haywire pretty quickly after its water supply starts to decline. Thankfully, once your body starts to rehydrate, these signs of dehydration will disappear quickly as well. [It’s those long-term consequences of not getting enough water that we should be really worried about! You can read more about those HERE.]
And while drinking water is [obviously] the most efficient way to rehydrate your body, eating ice chips can also do the trick – although if you know me well, you know how much I personally hate ice. Weird? Yeah, maybe a little 😉
Consuming other liquids will also provide water to help with hydration and can include drinks like tea, almond milk, sparkling water, etc. Even beverages like coffee and wine can “technically” help hydrate since they do provide your body with water. However, caffeine and alcohol are also considered diuretics and will make you run to the bathroom more frequently, which can cause you to lose more of that precious water you are trying to absorb. Sugary drinks can also have this affect as your body literally tries to expel the sugar out by releasing water and making you urinate more, and is why those with diabetes often feel thirsty and have to go to the bathroom so much.
Even the foods we eat contain some amount of water. And while some contain more water than others, foods such as lettuce, some vegetables, and the majority of fruits are mainly composed of water – and is another reason why you should add more of them into your every day meals!
Now contrary to popular belief, there isn’t a set amount of water that everybody should drink in a given period of time. We are all created differently and therefore, the amount that it takes to hydrate one person is different from the amount that it would take to hydrate another. Things to consider would be your current height, weight, the amount of exercise you get, etc.
To make things simple though, I suggest that you drink at least half of your body weight in ounces each day, and then add another 10 ounces per ½ hour of exercise. Depending on the intensity, this number may need to go up.
Like most things in life, getting healthier is a process and there isn’t one thing that will suddenly make you cross that threshold. It’s all of those little steps that add up and is why I chose staying hydrated – aka, drinking more water – to be the first!
Now let’s stick with this TIP for the next week and then stay tuned for next week’s Newsletter so we can truly make 2018 our healthiest year yet!
And don’t forget, if you missed our last Newsletter Series (How to Make Healthy Living a Lifestyle), you can check out the articles on our BLOG, or feel free to CONTACT US for it too.
Have any questions or want more tips now?! Then CONTACT Healthy Fit Fab Moms today to learn how we can help you and your family live a healthy, fit, and fabulous life! Please LIKE us on Facebook and FOLLOW us on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to stay connected as well!
