FITMOM Ottawa's Motivated Mondays - Challenge 1

This week I invite you to participate in our first challenge.  In the coming weeks, I hope to share simple but effective ways in which we can live better, have more energy, increased vitality and feel good about ourselves in our skin. 

This week's challenge is to drink more water!

Did you know that increasing the amount of water you drink every day is one of the easiest and most effective ways to impact your maintenance or weight loss plan?

Often times our body mistakes hunger for thirst.  If you find yourself wanting snacks or meals at odd times of the day, reach for a glass of water first.  If you still feel hungry after you drink the water (wait about 5-10 minutes), then have a snack of fresh fruit or vegetables. However, you may be surprised to find that drinking that 8oz glass of water has curbed your 'appetite' and saved you from eating more than you need.  

Drinking Water Can Boost your Metabolism

Drinking 1-2 glasses of water first thing in the morning is a great way to boost your metabolism and get your engines going.   Dehydration will actually cause your body to slow down its metabolism to conserve energy.  But drinking water has been proven to contribute to your body's ability to burn more calories!  Without adequate water intake, especially when you are exercising, your body won't be able to perform and function the way it is supposed to.

Other Benefits from drinking more water:

• Flushes toxins from your system
• Aids in keeping your joints lubricated (this is very helpful in preventing injury during exercise)
• Improves the look of your skin (when we're all suffering from sleep deprivation, this is a great way to rejuvenate our appearance)
• Fills you up, which may help to curb unnecessary snacking caused by boredom!

CHALLENGE #1

Every day this week start your day with 1-2 glasses of water as soon as you wake up.  This will replenish the fluids you lost overnight, kick start your engines right out of the gate and flush your system of any undigested food consumed the night before.  While this is obviously not a miracle cure, it is a simple and effective way to boost your metabolism, is integral to normal bodily functions, and  is an essential part of weight loss efforts.

Bottoms Up!