Hello, hello!
I’m back on this lovely Wednesday to give you a week 3 update on the DietBet game I’m participating in. Just in case you missed my other weekly recaps and want to check them out:
- DietBet Week 2 Recap | Persevering When the Scale Won’t Budge
- DietBet Week 1 Recap + Letting Go of the All-or-Nothing Healthy Living Mentality
Exercise
Activity-wise, I killed it in week 3. Lots of kickboxing, HIIT, walking my pup, a few hikes, and some yoga practice thrown in there. Saturday was my rest day to relax and give my body a chance to recover, and I did some foam rolling and icing throughout the week – though I’m making a mental note to try to ice every single day.
A yoga transition I’ve been working on: tripod headstand –> Crow pose –> tripod headstand
Diet
Food-wise, week 3 started off kind of shaky. I was eating healthy, I just wasn’t nixing the extra stuff enough. The night that I met up with other health bloggers I had a few drinks, which would have been fine, but the night before I had made these cookies:
Chocolate chip peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies. Drool. I had eaten a couple of cookies that night, and then a few nights later, ate a few more.
Either indulgence would have been okay and within my balanced eating ideal, but I know that I can’t splurge multiple days in a row and lose anything at all… which would have been fine except for the fact that I’m doing a DietBet that ends soon! So, long story short, I got more serious after that during the second half of the week.
Dinner a few nights ago: Gardein mandarin crispy chick’n with brown rice + sesame seeds + sesame oil + sautéed bell pepper, onion & some sort of greens that I nabbed at a farm stand nearby
I got on the scale this morning and was 1/2 pound down from my last weigh-in. There’s a week left in this DietBet, and I’m aiming to lose 2 more pounds. I’m working hard but it might be a bit challenging this weekend because I’m going on a little getaway with my love (more on that to come!), so wish me luck!
(source)
This Week’s Healthy Living Theme
Today for my healthy living theme of the week, I’m talking about my favorite beverage: wine water.
When people tell me they don’t really like drinking water, I think I look at them like they have 3 heads. I mean come on, how can you not like something so refreshing that we can’t thrive nor even survive long without?!
The cells in our bodies are full of water. Water helps deliver oxygen all over the body, enables the process of digestion, and allows our cells to thrive and reproduce, among lots of other essential processes.
Harley loves water too!
I drink a ton of water. In fact, drinking a big glass of water is one of the first things I do when I wake up in the morning. I was recently watching a (very sad) documentary about the scarcity of clean water in India, and have been thinking about how easy it is to take having healthy water for granted. In the spirit of my love for good ole H20, I wanted to share with you 5 ways to drink more water. They’re tips that I use all the time to stay hydrated, and being hydrated can make a world of difference in how I feel. Let’s get to it!
1.) Enjoy electrolyte drinks. I often will mix a Cocogo electrolyte packet into a glass of water at nighttime. It helps to replenish any electrolytes I lost during my workouts, and gives me a little something sweet to drink.
PS – I’m a brand ambassador for Cocogo, so if you use the code FOODIELOVESFITNESS during checkout at the Cocogo store, you’ll receive 10% off your purchase. I love their grape flavor!
2.) Bring a water bottle on every car ride. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that I bring a water bottle with me every time I get in my car. If I ever forget it, I’ll notice a few minutes in when I absentmindedly go to reach for a sip. You might not feel thirsty when you’re leaving your home, but it’s a great idea to keep water close by so that you have it as soon as you want a drink. Having a water bottle there alone will probably also remind you to drink more.
Love my daily Yogi tea inspiration
3.) Drink tea. Coffee will work too, but coffee makes me zingy and headachy so I don’t go there. Tea, on the other hand, is my friend. I usually drink a mug of hot green tea every morning. Make it a habit too and you’re helping to keep your body nicely hydrated!
4.) Ice up your smoothies. I put at least a couple of handfuls of ice in my blender when I’m making smoothies. Not only does it make the smoothie have a thicker consistency, but it adds to your water intake for the day.
5.) Dress it up with citrus. Another one of my favorite ways to keep myself hydrated when I feel like something with flavor is to add slices of citrus to my glass. One of my go-to summertime drinks is a skinny lemonade: Juice 1/2 lemon in a glass, fill it with water and ice, and sprinkle in some stevia to taste. It’s very refreshing!
Tell me… Do you think you drink enough water? What tips do you have to stay hydrated?
I don’t drink nearly enough water, but keeping a water bottle on the table and in the car is helping a ton!!!
Glad to hear that you’re figuring out how to drink enough. Having it around reminds you to drink it more!
Great tips, Nicole! It is a struggle for me to drink water because I’m really not a fan of the flavor of plain water…I know…weird. I add Mio to mine, which probably isn’t the best thing to do!
Ha! Have you tried putting some citrus in there – some sliced orange and lemon or other fruit to jazz it up?
I keep reading that you drink a big glass of water right away in the morning but for some reason I have such a hard time getting in the habit of it. I also really like the idea of bringing water every time you get in the car, that is a great tip and I should start implementing it in to my life. My most favorite water addition lately has been water and Chia seeds or True Lemon Raspberry Lemonade packets, if I am feeling hungry at work and it isn’t a meal time I will put some Chia seeds in with it to put some more substance in my tummy.
Here’s an idea: How about placing a glass of water next to your bed or in your bathroom before you go to sleep, then when you wake up, it’s one of the first things you see and you hopefully are reminded to just drink it. Once you get in the habit of doing it, it feels weird NOT to do it!
I love water as much Harley does too! haha. That water fountain shot is awesome! Those are great tips and I try to follow most of them. I drink tea for lunch but the rest of the day is all water.
I’m excited to hear more about your getaway! I have a feeling I’m going to be living vicariously if it’s where I think it is. 😉 I usually let myself go when I’m on vacation so more power to you if you can resist indulging!
Ha! Nahhh, Mexico will be sometime this summer though! 😉
I love that picture too! She got in the habit of jumping up on the water fountain for a drink at this park we used to frequent in our last town. 🙂
Nicole! Great work on your DietBet mission so far, keep it up! And I love to hear you’ve been foam rolling and icing and taking a rest day. Always necessary. Water? Oh gosh, I drink it and drink it, and can’t get by without it. I like to add cucumbers sometimes to fancy it up! Happy Wednesday to you!!
I love fancying my water up too! Thanks Ashley!
First of all, your capris in your tweet from Fabletics are super super cute! Second, that yoga sequence is insane! Third, I NEED to drink more water. I have to buy bottled water and it is such a pain so I drink less than I might normally.
THANKS! I’m loving the couple of new pairs of capris I got from Fabletics!
Oh jeez, I can relate to the annoyance of buying water. When we lived in an apartment without a fridge that produced water, I used to have to buy bottled water… and oh my gosh, I would buy like 2 cases per week! It was craziness.
Water is one thing that I am always on point with. I MUST have at least 100oz a day or I feel all kinds of off. Staying away from cookies on the other hand…constant work in progress. 😉
You and me both my friend! 😉
One, I’m excited to hear about your upcoming getaway!! And two, I don’t get when people say they don’t like water either! I just started bringing my jug with me in the car everywhere (like for errands, I always brought it for trips!) largely because I’m always thirsty but man. It’s really upped my water intake without me even trying!
NICE, good for you! My water bottle is always nearby 🙂
I’m impressed with your yoga skills and am rooting for you to hit your diet bet goal!
I’m a HUGE water drinker. I fill up a big 32 oz mason jar at work (I am to fill it up 3 times a day), and pour it into a smaller cup so it doesn’t seem so daunting. Now that I’m used to drinking that much water, I’m always craving it. Is there such a thing as a water addiction? haha
Thanks, Nicole! I feel like I’m always thirsty, so if there is such a thing, I think I have it! Ha.