Just about half way and a little plug for H2O!

Tomorrow will mark day 15 of my 30 day goal. Okay, so I'll be honest... the 30 Day Shred hasn't happened daily, but some form of exercise has (except for my 3 day hiatis when I was sick). I'm on track, have my goal in mind and plan to blow right past it! It's amazing what even a 20-30 minute hard workout can do for my mood! LOL

Now, quickly I need to put in a plug for water. I have been AWFUL about my water intake the past few months, but beyond horrible the last month. My soda intake has increased which makes it even worse. There are a few reasons why all of this is baaaaad news for me:

1. Caffeine actually DEhydrates your body, so you need to replenish your stores even more if you drink a lot of coffee or caffeinated sodas.
2. Your body needs water to repair and rejuvinate your muscles after any kind of physical activity.
3. Lack of hydration can cause headaches, cramping,  and make you more susceptible to charlie horses, muscle pulls or just slow muscle recovery.
4. I read this one on a running site, but a loss of 2% bodyweight due to dehydration can reduce performane by 10-20%... OUCH!!  (http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/hydrationmistakes.asp)
5. But finally, speaking of hydration and weight... when I actually get my full water intake in for the day (BTW, I figure I should drink half my weight in oz. MINIMUM each day. That doesn't include what I drink after a run to replenish myself) I LOSE weight!

So, I've come to a few realizations about water this week... It has a direct correlation to weight loss for me. If I'm off on my water I lose slower, if at all. When I'm on my game and get my water in things go much smoother! If I'm religious about my water, I don't get a horrific headache when I run, but I do when I haven't drank enough. And it may be a major player in my side cramps. A friend pointed me toward checking out a correlation between electrolytes and cramps. Turns out because dehydration can be a leading cause to cramps, it also means you're lacking electrolytes necessary to avoid those darn cramps. Hmmmmmm... LOL So, another push for water and hydration!

Anyway... needless to say, water is important. It doesn't matter if you are an athlete, trying to lose weight or just happy the way you are... if you drink water regularly, your body is healthier and happier!