This post is written as part of a journey inspired by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s My Healthy Weight Action Plan, an online tool geared towards helping you live a healthier life. Feel free to get caught up on previous posts: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12
Here are the stats to show my progress in my “Get Healthy Challenge”:
| Start Weight: 190 pounds | Starting BMI: 28.9 |
|---|---|
| End of Week 1: 185 pounds | End of Week 1 BMI: 28.1 |
| End of Week 4: 179 pounds | End of Week 4 BMI: 27.2 |
| End of Week 8: 175 pounds | End of Week 8 BMI: 26.6 |
| End of Week 13: 174 pounds | End of Week 13 BMI: 26.5 |
My goal is to reach a normal BMI which would be 24.9 (the top of what is considered a “normal” BMI) at 164 pounds and from there, I plan to reassess.
This week, I would like to share with you my water tricks! Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is highly recommended in order to keep your body healthy, especially when you are trying to lose weight.
Drinking water helps to (not a full list):
- suppress the appetite
- increase fat burning
- gives you healthier skin
- helps with digestion
- reduce water retention
Those are reasons enough to drink your full amount of recommended intake of water each day. I was reading at the Mayo Clinic that women should consider drinking 9 glasses of water each day (and men 13 glasses). I’ve also read that drinking water first thing in the morning can be beneficial to weight loss due to a kick start in metabolism.
Since January, I have been drinking water in the morning, but what I have recently learned is that I should consider changing this from warm/hot water to cold water as cold water might help to kick start your metabolism faster. I was drinking hot lemon water, but I wasn’t enjoying it too much so I stopped. Just recently, my friend Kia from Today I Ate a Rainbow shared an article about the benefits of lemon water. So, I have started my days with lemon water again in hopes that it does have some benefit to my system.
Last week, I shared with you that I had discovered a new delicious water from my friend over at Just Us Girls called Sassy Water. I have been enjoying that quite a bit lately, it really does help me WANT to drink my full amount of water each day and then some. I have also been experimenting with my own versions of Sassy Water.
More ideas for Sassy Water:
- lemon slices, lime sliced, mint leaves, cucumber slices
- frozen cherries
- strawberries pieces, lemon slices, mint leaves
Heart and Stroke “My Healthy Weight Action Plan” Update:
This week, I continued to spend some time surfing through the FREE online Heart and Stroke Foundation My Healthy Weight Action Plan Tool in the Resources section. I came across a wonderful PDF called My Weekly Planner. This is a printable that really encourages you to sit down each week and plan the week ahead of you. It discusses the importance of taking the time to plan your food, goals and exercise as well as to consider the factors that may make some of your goals challenging. One thing that I have learned while on this Getting Healthy Challenge with The Heart and Stroke Foundation is the importance of thinking. Getting healthy (and remaining healthy) is a mind set more than anything. You must focus on your goal, why you have set the goal and the importance of staying on track. Your brain is truly a powerful thing. If you put your mind to something and stay focussed, it is amazing what you can accomplish.
In the past, I used to allow myself to listen to my brain sending messages like “you really want that delicious food” or “one or two bites more won’t hurt” etc. When I broke down once and listened to those messages, they repeated themselves over and over and over again. Now, I am trying to change the way that I think and the way that I talk to myself by repeating positive and encouraging messages to myself. As well, when I start craving a certain food or trying to convince myself out of exercise, I repeat messages about WHY I am doing this; that I am worth it, I want to be healthy for my children, I CAN do this, I AM strong enough.
The My Weekly Planner that is one of the resources within the My Healthy Weight Action Plan Tool lays out your week in meals, snacks, activity, goals and more. I find that it is a resource that helps you to think about that long term plan for your health and your way of living.
This Week’s Smiles:
- I drank my water every day.
- This week, I feel more successful on the exercise front than I have since the start of this journey! YAY! I used Dance Central and Zumba on the XBox and I walked. I also did some core strengthening exercises.
This Week’s Challenges:
- I must figure out what I can change in my diet to subside my cravings. I seem to do fine in the morning and up until around 2pm at which point, I start to go stir crazy, craving food, carbs, sugars, you name it!
Here are the Blog Hops if you are interested in checking them out:
- Adventures in Miscellany
- Canadian Coupon Mom
- Kat’s Confessions
- Little Miss Kate
- My Little Review Corner
- Pampered Patty
- Sober Julie
- Whispered Inspirations
Ok, your turn. Tell me what one of your “staying healthy” challenges was this week!
Opinions expressed belong to Multi-Testing Mommy and are NOT influenced in any way. See MTM’s Disclosure for more details.
I read somewhere that a good goal for water is to drink HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY!!!!
Can you imagine? That would be an awesome way to cut your cravings because you’d be too busy drinking water and then peeing to do anything else.
I’m not the best with water either. I drink a lot when i’m working out. But, even with that 8 cups a day is a stretch for me.
As for cravings. I have a hard time. I try to keep the stuff i really need to avoid out of the house.
but there’s some stuff (bread) that you’re gonna have around.
keep trying.
or do something to distract yourself.
Way to go on losing another pound! Yay so proud of you! Today I made a fresh pitcher of cucumber and mint sassy water. It really helps.
As for the cravings, try and wait them out, and are you eating enough? Are you getting enough protein? Try to eat more often and make sure it’s protein packed. Like a glass of milk with 8 almonds.
Have quick go to snacks. I always try and have peanut butter or almond butter on hand, it helps with salty cravings and if I need a little more sweet I can add a bit of honey too.
Try not to let yourself get too hungry because that is when the gremlins come out and want you to eat everything you see! lol
And keep a notebook handy because if you have eaten, and your sure your not hungry or thirsty then write why you need to eat more.
Ask yourself are you stressed? Are you tired? Are you bored? keep track of the feelings you are feeling when you get the cravings, and write it out. Keep a notepad on the fridge to really see if it’s a craving or an emotion that is prompting you to eat.
Love ya girl you are one awesome Mama!
xoxo
Great job!!! I’m so proud of you every week. I love the idea of sassy water! I should buy a second water jug (since I right now only use a Brita jug), and make up something like that! YUM! Thanks for sharing!!
This is fantastic!! You are an inspiration. Keep going and you are going to do fabulous!
I need to try that Sassy Water. I know I don’t drink enough of it.
You are doing fantastic- great job!!
You. Are. Amazing! You are getting there! I’ve been busy with revamping my site that I missed this week but, so far so good for me. Slow and steady. Water is definitely important. I drink lots of lemon water, especially if I dine out and didn’t cook it myself. Keep up the amazing work! We will get there!
I absolutely love Cucumber water as a matter of fact I am out of cucumbers right now… and need to get more for my water… but on the same note.. I should really buy some mint leaves… that would be a great addition for me.
Wow you are doing amazing! I hadn’t heard of this great tool, I’m going to have to check it out.
I really should lose like 70lbs to get to my recommended body weight, but I’ve been so discouraged. I can’t seem to keep it up.
I’m going to go grab my water bottle and fill it here beside me today! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Great info! 🙂
Great work! Keep it up!
Good for you! You are doing awesome!
How fabulous!! The water is the big difference for me, days when I miss it I’m starving
Nice work Amanda and great post! K, so I started back on my healthy kick last night and I ate all my calories by 6pm (oops) and I had no idea how I was going to make it but I knew to be successful in this change I needed to prove to myself I could do it. I drank a lake full of water and I made it! Yay! I’m going to make some Sassy Water now! 🙂
Great work! Thanks for the water ideas as I find it difficult to drink my water daily too!
I’m so happy that you are doing well; keep it up!
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Anne Taylor
I get in about 10 cups water daily and workout 5 days weeks for at least an hour…but like you I battle the cravings. Mine hit in the evening and I want dark chocolate or S&V chips. 🙁
November 22-You are on the losing track again-good for you. My challenge this week is not to give in to food cravings. I tried the protein bars for the first time in my life and I feel that they keep me from getting hungry. I usually share one with my husband and he says tha same thing too. Since half is 100 low fat and really low sugar I do not think It will affect my weight loss.I will know at the end of the week. Keep strong. Elva Roberts