What Happens When We Don't Drink H2O?

How is everyone doing on their first day of the challenge? This is a great video that explains why we need to drink water! Hopefully by watching this you'll feel even more motivated to complete the drinking challenge.

Comment below to let me know how you're feeling and if you have any suggestions or questions :)

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CHALLENGE: 8-8 oz. of Water for August

How many of us have fallen away from our New Year's Resolution to become healthier in 2016? I know I have and I can be found looking like this at my desk these days:

Let's renew these resolutions and get back on track and finish the year strong! I'm going to start with something that's not too drastic to what you're already doing and challenge everyone to drink 8- 8 oz. cups of water per day (or 64 oz. total). I'll be around today to pass out tracking sheets for you. 


Challenge instructions:
1. Record the number of 8 ounce glasses of water every day.
2. On September 1st, total the number of 8 ounce glasses of water consumed during the month.
3. Only water will count towards the number of glasses you drink BUT you can add lemon, cucumbers, flavor packets, etc. to make it tastier. Sometimes just drinking straight water can be rough on your stomach. (Excluded from the count: soda, juices, teas, coffee, alcohol, sports drinks, etc.)

Prizes will be awarded based on the following criteria:
Gold: 191-220 total glasses
Silver: 171-190 total glasses
Bronze: less than 170 total glasses

There will be small prizes (probably something homemade or bought at Costco) for those who win the gold! The best prizes will be your new glowing skin, less bloating, better circulation, and a generally happier body.

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Power Ball Bites

Does anyone else feel the 3:00 afternoon slump every. single. day? Around 3:00, you can find me slouching in my chair and using my fingers to keep my eyelids from drooping. In the past, I've built a dependency on our neighbor, Sodalicious, for a mid-afternoon pick me up. How many of us have resorted to running down to the vending machine to grab a small treat or a drink? I found a delicious solution that will help keep your blood sugar a little bit more stable so you don't feel that afternoon after burn.

Picture and recipe from: http://www.healthy-liv.com/no-bake-4-ingredient-peanut-butter-energy-bites/

Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Bites:
Ingredients:
1 3/4 C. old-fashioned oats
3/4 C. peanut butter (or any other nut butter)*
1/3 C. honey
1/3 C. dark chocolate chips
Optional: 1/4 C. wheat bran, flax seeds, chia seeds (I've used flax seeds and chia seeds and can never really tell they're in there. The seeds give the bites a nice crunch)

1. In a mixing bowl, dump all of the ingredients in and stir together
2. Depending on the consistency, add a bit more oats or honey to help things bind together
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the little bites and place them on a lined cookie sheet (so you don't have to wash the cookie sheet!!)
4. Refrigerate for about an hour and store in a zip baggy or a storage container.

Tips:

• I like to grind up the seeds before adding them in the bowl.
• I also like to chop up the chocolate chips so they're more evenly dispersed. 

This recipe should make about 24 bites and you can refrigerate them for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. I love this recipe because: no baking in this summer heat, eating one or two is a healthy snack, it's only 4 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to make, and they last for three weeks! Move over Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, hello healthy substitute!

Nutrition info per power ball:
Calories: 94
Fat: 4.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbs: 10.75 g

• Sugar: 5.3 g
• Fiber: 1.3 g

Make this recipe healthier by adding the chia and flax seeds!

Recipe adapted from www.healthy-liv.com

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Hydration FAQs

Q: Why do we need so much water?

A: Water is required for survival. All of your body systems need water to function. Water is used to regulate temperature, remove waste, lubricate your joints, nourishes and protects your brain, and so much more. Our bodies are about 70% water and we lose about 2.5 quarts of water from just normal activities.

Q: How much water am I really supposed to drink?
A; For sedentary individuals (those who exercise less than 2.5 hours/week) you need to drink about 30-35 ml/kg.
Here are general amounts for men and women:
Men: 3.7 L/day
Women: 2.7 L/day

This includes water from drinking, eating, and water produced by your body during metabolism

Q: Does juice, soda, coffee, etc. count towards my hydration goals?
A: The real answer is yes. All drinks (except alcohol) can count towards your daily water requirement. BUT! juices and sodas contain a lot of sugar so make sure to read your drink labels. The average amount of sugar in 1 cup of juice is 23 g of sugar!

I realize that not everyone likes drinking water but you can add fruit to your water to spice things up a bit. If you click on the Pinterest board on the right, I've pinned some ideas on how to flavor your water.

Q: What's an easy way to tell if I'm hydrated?
A: There are two easy ways to tell if you're properly hydrated: Thirst and urine color. If you're thirsty, drink! You also want to monitor your urine color. The ideal color looks like lemonade.

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