Drinking clean…

Did the title of this post grab your attention? Drinking clean is super simple: DRINK water and plenty of it: approximately 2 liters (9 cups) for women and 3 liters (13 cups) for men.. Not only will this keep our bodies well hydrated, it will also cut back on the urge to eat. Water keeps the stomach full and if our bellies are full we are less likely to snack on junk. 

Don’t like water? Try this recipe for cucumber water! 

In addition, purchase in inexpensive cup that will hold the amount of liquid you need to drink each day. Add some ice cubes and water…now, you can sip all day long! 

Eat this and not that...it's really simple!

Need some examples of what to eat?
Here is a quick, yet thorough list of foods that make for good eating:

Un-processed foods:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Nuts
• Dried beans
• Organic / cage free eggs

Mildly processed foods:

• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Organic (hormone-free) dairy products
• Whole grain bread and pasta, brown rice, popcorn, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa (Unrefined grains)
• Un-processed meat; wild, however, pastured over grain-fed meats
• Wild caught seafood over farm raised
• Oils

Good advice is to choose organic foods when they are available. Olive oil is a fantastic oil to use in cooking and in salad dressings. You can bake with Extra Virgin Olive oil as well, though it makes for denser baked goods.

The key is to choose foods that are free of chemicals and hormones. 

This is a good definition of what clean eating truly is. 

Can drinking water help us lose weight? (plus, cucumber lime water recipe)

We have all heard that we should be drinking 8 glasses of water every day, right? Well, according to Virginia Tech, people who drank 16 ounces of water before each meal lost about 5 more pounds than those who did not.

The reason they lost weight? It could be because the water took up stomach space and made them feel full. So, in turn, they ate less food at each meal.

Doctors will tell you not to wait until you are thirsty to drink water. It is always good to stay hydrated and not drink too much or too little water each day.

Try this flavorful recipe:

Cucumber Lime Water

• 3 small seedless cucumbers
• 2 liters of water
• 1/2 lime, sliced into small pieces

Add all ingredients into a pitcher. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Strain water and pour into glasses. Enjoy straight from the pitcher or over ice.

Hydration during exercise...drink your water!

Staying hydrated while exercising is so important!

First of all, by drinking water and staying hydrated, you will not have as much if any: muscle cramps, gas or light headedness.

Drink water before, during and after working out.

Try not to wait until you are thirsty to drink water, sip on it as you work out.

Great ways to assure you have water handy when exercising:

Have a waist belt that will carry a water bottle.
If you are riding a bicycle, you can get a water bottle holder made for bikes.
In the event you are walking or running with a stroller, you can always stash your bottle in there. Walking with your working dog? Get him/her a vest and place your water bottle in there.

There are many places to store a water bottle when you are out exercising!