TenInSix: 08/15/2010

Good morning, girls!
Friends don't let friends be lethargic :)
Get out & Be HaPpY! Go do something fun this weekend!
I absolutely adore how active and bubbly and awesome you ladies all are. Totally pumps me up for kicking my booty!
Have you guys ever checked out http://www.localhikes.com/? It's a website that lists TONS of hikes to do for your area, added by fellow hikers, and you can search by distance, if it's dog friendly, if it's an easy family hike, if it's a loop or an out & back route, etc.
There are even 6 hikes listed for Delaware :)
There are 3 for Iowa :)
There are 5 in Illinois :)
There are 88 in Utah :)
There are 154 in Colorado :)
Sadly Wisconsin is extremely underrepresented, but we loved hiking the bluffs at Devil's Lake in Baraboo when we lived there.

Anyone who takes a hike or walk on a trail w/ their family this weekend & emails me the pic will get entered in a drawing for a fun prize from me on Monday!!!!! Email by 8 am on Monday to sarah.a.weight@hotmail.com.

(Picture of you on the hike, of your family on the hike, of your dog on the hike, of your foot on the hike, or just of the scenery on the hike---whatever you're comfortable w/ me posting in blog world for us to all enjoy)

Good morning!
Great work on sticking with it, everyone! What a fabulous response rate to yesterday's weigh in!

So it seems a TON of us have the goal of getting in more water. That's tricky, especially to people who don't like the taste of water. So here's a little motivation to get your little dophin tail in the game:

http://www.wikihow.com/Drink-More-Water-Every-Day

Determine how much water you need.
Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you're drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips:
Learn to acquire a taste for water
Carry water with you everywhere put it in a bottle or other container.
Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you'll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you're at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you're working.
Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you'll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday.
Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth, even though it may be better for your teeth.[1] Keep in mind that fluoride, found in small quantities in tap water, is necessary for strong, healthy teeth. [2] Fortunately, no water filter removes the fluoride. You'd have to use reverse osmosis, distillation, or an expensive filter specific to removing fluoride. But don't do any of that. Fluoride in the saliva bathes the teeth and prevents dental decay!
Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour; just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water. If you do choose bottled flavored water, check the ingredients, as these are likely closer in form to lemon- or limeade than they are to water.
Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint (optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the summertime. Cranberry juice is also another option, and has a bitter taste. Patients suffering from urinary infection caused by insufficient intake of water should drink cranberry juice and eat watermelon if not plain water everyday. A tomato is 95% water. An egg is about 74% water. Always drink water before, with and after your meals; it will help you to eat slowly and prevent overeating
Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. Bear in mind that cold water takes energy for your body to regulate the temperature, and does burn some calories. Room temperature water is better if you're dehydrated. Your body can absorb the room temperature water immediately, instead of the body having to raise the temperature of the water first in order to process it.
Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness. Just as important (but often overlooked) is consuming enough fluids in cold & wet conditions. The human body works much more efficiently (including heating and cooling) when properly hydrated. Inadequate water intake affects the brain's function first, which can become very dangerous (especially in extreme conditions).
Purchase a bottle the size of your water goal. Purchase a water bottle that holds the amount of water you wish to drink each day. Try to drink the water slowly through out the day. If you don't drink it all, don't try to chug it at the end of the day. This will allow you to easily see how much water you are consuming.

And how to love the the taste of water: http://www.wikihow.com/Love-the-Taste-of-Water

Learn about the benefits of drinking water. The more you know about why water is good for you, the stronger your desire will become to drink it, and the more enjoyable it will be. Some benefits of drinking water:
Drinking an adequate amount of water will keep you from excess thirst or dry mouth.
Water can help your mind function better. If you are not drinking enough fluids, you may get lightheaded, dizzy, or have a headache.
Water increases kidney filtration rate, so you can eliminate waste products more effectively and keep the kidneys healthy.
Drinking enough water will prevent fatigue or muscle weakness resulting from dehydration.
Water increases the metabolism rate, and so it helps you lose weight. Water also helps to lose weight because "thirst" can be misinterpreted by your body as "hunger" and cause you to eat unnecessarily.
Drinking water instead of juices and sodas will help regulate your appetite and help you lose weight. Juices and sodas that contain sugar obviously will increase your calorie intake and cause you to gain weight, as these are "empty calories," meaning that these calories you take in do not contribute to satiety, as they contain no fiber and are used quickly. Even diet sodas will cause weight gain, as the artificial sweeteners give a taste of sweetness with no calories, which will then increase your appetite for things with calories.
Water helps to lower blood pressure, by increasing salt loss through the kidney.
Drinking water is the best prevention for kidney stones, as water lowers the risk of crystal precipitation and helps to wash out any small stones that do form.
Water helps with keeping your skin healthy and supple.
Water saves you money! Water is cheaper than other sources of fluid.
Learn to love the taste of water by association with pleasant things. Each time you drink water, think of something that makes you happy -- a person you love, an activity you enjoy, a food you like, a merry song, a beautiful scenery -- whatever works best for you. And try to drink water when you are enjoying good company, or when you are doing things you enjoy. This is called classical, or Pavlovian, conditioning. When something you love (the conditioned stimulus) is paired with drinking water (the unconditioned stimulus), you eventually associate the two stimuli together, and, in this case, you will learn to love the taste of water because you associate it with things you love.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily, and drink water only. The more you are exposed to something, the more you will become accustomed to it, and it will become a part of you, and naturally you will come to love it as it has become a part of you. This also works for eliminating other sources of fluids, especially sodas and juices, so that you learn to dislike them, by alienating yourself from them, so to speak.
Keep telling yourself that you love the taste of water. And tell it to others as well. The more you reinforce the idea, the deeper the idea will become rooted in your mind, and, in order to avoid cognitive dissonance, you will eventually love the taste of water when it matches your beliefs.
Associate with people that love the taste of water. Likewise, try to distance yourself from people that dislike the taste of water. We are all influenced, to various extents, by our associations and the environment. If you associate with people that love water, you will learn to love the taste of water.
Always have a glass of water near you. If you're going to be sitting somewhere for a long period of time, keep a glass of water near you, and you will reach for it and drink without even noticing.