It's hard to believe four weeks have gone by since the Small Change Challenge started. Is it just me or does time go by more quickly the older we get?As I mentioned in my previous updates, I thought drinking 100 ounces of water a day would be an easy peasy goal to reach but I was mistaken. The challenge definitely made me more aware of my water intake but I never made it through a full week of 100 ounces a day. I made progress each week and this past week was the best of the four weeks with 5 days of 100 ounces. I was even able to get up to 120 ounces on two days and only suffered a couple of bruised toes from the nighttime bathroom runs.
I noticed that I tend not to drink much when I have a long drive ahead or a long day outdoors without easily accessible facilities. I hate having to hit the rest stops constantly and admit to being a bit envious of the guys who are able to find instant relief on the nearest tree while my teeth are floating.
Even though this challenge is over I will continue to work on getting 100 ounces of water a day. I know how important it is to stay hydrated and it's true that drinking all that water fills you up, helps to keep things moving, makes your skin look better along with a host of other benefits.
I loved meeting all my fellow challengers and watching everyone make progress on their small change goals. We need to remember that all the small changes can add up to big results. Keep up the good work and keep making those small changes.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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I love the before and after photos!! I don't think I saw that before. You look amazing and really give me great motivation right now when I need it most. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your water intake.... Do you feel like that much water helps with actual weight loss? Or do you do it just for general hydration and health?
I've always worried a bit about too much water over taxing the kidneys. But I'm not sure what constitutes "too much" for each person...
And thanks for reminding me to post a final small changes challenge update! I totally forgot.
Congrats on the challenge! 100 ounces a day is a lot of water and quite the challenge.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you, well done! Your before and after photos are amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt's not just you! The older we get, the fast time seems to fly by. Except when I am sitting here trying not to eat something:)
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to ask and kept forgetting, why the 100-oz.? I consider myself doing really well to get in the oft-recommended (yet still debatable) 64-oz.
ReplyDeleteTeresa: I just put the before and (almost) after pictures up recently. I'm thinking another 6 pounds isn't going to make much difference in a photo anyway. I think drinking enough water definitely helps with weight loss because it does fill me up especially if I drink a full glass before meals but I also like to be sure I get enough for general hydration, healthy skin, keep things moving, etc. Don't want to sound gross but I try to drink enough so that my pee is very pale yellow, almost clear. I never thought about it being a burden on my kidneys.
ReplyDeleteLori: Thanks! Now if I could only get on my bike. ;)
Tami: Thank you so much. You inspire me to keep making small changes even though the challenge is over.
Karen: It definitely stands still when you're trying not to eat something or at work at 4:00 on the Friday before a long weekend.
Cammy: There really isn't any magic to the 100 ounces other than I read a study that said if you work out and sweat a lot you should drink 8 ounces for every 10 pounds you weigh and I knew 120 ounces would be nearly impossible so I settled on 100. Maybe I should just stick with the oft-recommended 64 since that seems to be easy enough for me to do. Not sure there is much more benefit to the extra 36 ounces. I have heard stories of people overdosing on water but that was for some crazy contest and they literally drown from drinking obscene amounts. Goes to prove anything can be lethal if you have enough of it, even if it's a good thing.