Small Change Challenge Finale

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!

Small Change Challenge - Week 3

It's hard to believe we are already 3 weeks into the Small Change Challenge and I still haven't been able to get those 100 ounces of water down every day. This was supposed to be an easy goal to reach but I'm finding it harder than expected.

I have been making progress but have only worked up to 4 days this past week so I'm going to keep drinking. Time to refill my water bottle ~ two down, one more to go.

Cheers!

Small Change Challenge - Week 2

Right now I'm drinking a delicious Cup of Stanley instead of water because the BOSTON BRUINS won the STANLEY CUP!!! I don't remember the last time they brought the Stanley Cup to Boston since I was barely out of diapers then so it's very exciting. It was such a great series to watch and a good way to get your heart rate up without having to exercise or break a sweat. I'm looking forward to another celebratory parade here in Boston. I've been to all the other parades we've had for the Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots so this will be sweet. It's so much fun to be a sports fan in this town.

Ok, time to update my hydration status. I did a little better this week by getting those 100 ounces in THREE whole days. Again, I got at least 64 ounces in the other days but only finished off that third bottle a few times. Maybe by the time the challenge ends I'll have worked my way up to a whole week of 100 ounces.

I definitely notice how full I feel when I do get those 100 ounces down. There was a study that said people ate significantly less when they drank a glass of water at least 20 minutes before a meal. I believe it because with all that water sloshing around in my belly I feel full much quicker.

There is a downside to filling up on water though and that is the constant need to pee. I ran some errands after going to the gym yesterday and had to do the cross-legged pee-pee dance up the stairs and almost didn't make it without wetting myself. Speaking of wetting myself, another benefit I've noticed after losing 90+ pounds is that I don't leak when I sneeze or cough anymore. (Sorry, TMI?). Anyone else have/had that problem?

I've been trying to get as much water as possible down early in the day so I'm not up all night taking trips to the bathroom especially since I woke up the other night, stumbled to the bathroom and stubbed my toes on the door. Luckily I don't think I broke any of them but DAMN it hurt. It took a long time to get back to sleep with throbbing toes after swearing like a sailor. Ouch!

I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone else did with their Small Changes. Looks like I'm going to need to keep working on this one for the duration of the challenge. Just like my weight loss, it's a slow and steady process but every single small change adds up to something big.

Cheers!

Small Change Challenge - Week 1

Week One of the Small Change Challenge was a big ol' bust for me. I thought getting enough water would be one of the easiest of small changes to make but I guess sometimes the small changes are just as hard as the giant ones.

It's just water. What's so hard about staying hydrated? Just drink it, right? It's not like I have to walk a mile and pump it out of a well, I just have to go in the kitchen and turn on the faucet. Well, apparently there's more to it than that. It's not as easy as it looks, at least not for me.

I drink at least a 32 ounce bottle for every hour at the gym but the rest of the day is a struggle. I've been Diet Coke free for almost 3 years so I drink 8-10 ounces with my meals but other than that I'm not getting nearly enough.

Today was the first day all week I actually drank 100 ounces but only because it was so hot and humid ~ I really needed it. I always hated the heat and humidity but it's a little easier to deal with now that my thighs don't try to light on fire from all the friction.

Looks like I have to keep working on this small change until I get it down. It really shouldn't be so hard. I hope you're having more success with your small changes. I'll be checking in and cheering you on. I hope you're showing me how it's done. If you didn't join the challenge you can still make those small changes to add up to big results.

How much water do you drink? Do you get enough? Remember, hydrate or die.

Hydrate or Die ...

When was the last time you had a nice cool drink of water? How long have you ever gone without it? I know a few people who NEVER drink a plain glass of water and they're still alive and kicking so what's the deal?

We've all been told how important it is to stay hydrated but we don't realize how vital it is until we can't simply fill up our water bottles, the stores are sold out and people are fighting in the isles to get their hands on a few gallons.

Millions of gallons of water have been rushing into the Charles River due to a massive water main pipe break. Over a dozen communities are under a state of emergency with a boil water order in effect indefinitely. If you are unable to get your own supply of water, the authorities are out in various locations distributing one case of water per family per day and making sure nursing homes and schools are well stocked. They aren't sure how long it will take to fix or when we will be able to drink from the tap again. They say it's safe to bathe in but we must boil all water before drinking or washing dishes, etc.

I didn't even think about it when I woke up this morning and brushed my teeth with the TAP WATER! Luckily, I haven't suffered any ill effects from it but I'm putting a bottle of water on the bathroom sink to remind me not to do that again.

I'm sure it was all in my head but I've never been so thirsty until I heard I couldn't drink the water. My house is not stocked with gallons of water since we switched to using a water filter system to help eliminate all the plastic bottles going into the landfill. I guess going green comes with some risks.

After hearing the news we went right out to the supermarket where we found a bunch of empty shopping carts in the water isle but no water on the shelves. We went to another store with a big sign out front saying "sorry, out of water" and then finally hit a gas station where we paid $6 for 6 little bottles of water because they were all sold out of gallons.

I was sad to learn that some places have been price gouging and hoarding water supplies when people should be coming together to help each other out in a time of crisis. If only people would just take what they need instead of trying to stock up a year's worth of water to get through a few days it would make it so much easier for all of us.

It's a bit of an inconvenience but nothing compared to people in other parts of the world who don't even have a faucet to turn on. Before we had a well drilled at our camp up north we used to have to trudge through the snow to our dug well to fill up buckets of water to be able to flush the toilet in the winter so this is easy peasy compared to that. Now if I can just remember not to automatically turn on the faucet to brush my teeth I'll be all set.

Time to fill up my bottles to take to the gym since I won't be able to simply hit the water cooler to fill up. Have you had your water today? Do you buy bottled water or drink from the tap? Drink up, it's good for you.

Remember, hydrate or die.