TIP 4: Don't drink your calories

at night, sometimes i get the munchies, and i have a great solution! i go to my kitchen and  get a tall glass of cold water, which i sometimes put a little squeeze of lemon or orange into. it fills my stomach enough to ward off hunger until i fall asleep. it helps me eat less calories. water is wonderful!

soda and caffeine-laced coffee, along with many of the other sugary drinks on the market are actually shown to dehydrate the body. plus, all of the above mentioned have calories! they are alright in moderation, but remember: liquid calories are scientifically proven to do NOTHING to curb your appetite.
 in addition, for those people who cling to diet soda, let it go! not only has soda been proven to dehydrate you, diet sodas in particular have also been shown to make you eat more during meals. they trick your body. you may think, "hey there's no calories, its all good!" BUT diet sodas trick your brain into believing it will be receiving calories, and it therefore prepares your stomach for calories. when you body doesn't receive these calories it's confused, and later on, you will consume (and your body will store) more calories to mend this confusion. believe me, if youre someone horribly addicted to soda/diet soda, the cycle can be broken! it will take approximately two weeks for your body to adjust to the lack of soda.

and if you must have caffeine, coffee is definitely the way to go! but remember, the sugar, creamers, syrups, milk, whatever you put into your coffee has calories too! you can wait for your taste buds to adjust to a different taste, but if the bitterness of black coffee is something you just can't stomach, theres many options to make your morning brew healthy for you: try skim milk instead of whole milk or creamers, use an all-natural sugar substitute (one made from a plant- such as Agave syrup or Stevia crystals) instead of sugar, and in the summer you can have anything iced! [more about sugar & sugar substitutes, and on-the-go adjustments to coffee in later posts]

TIP 4: don't drink your calories, AND drink plenty of water!

water is one of the best things for anyone, ever!

water keeps you hydrated, which is good to start with. hydrated cells function properly, making your body one lean mean machine!

dehydration from a lack of water can shrink cells, and slow your metabolism- which can lead to weight gain.

thirst and hunger are often confused, meaning if you are dehydrated you eat more!

all in all, water is just a healthy, natural product: no sugar, no carbs, no calories, nothing!

in addition, studies have show that drinking 1-2 glasses of water before a meal, and 1 glass before a snack, actually makes you eat less! not to mention, on the evening, when youre craving a little snack before bed, a glass of water can make that little nibble of hunger quiet, calorie free!

ICE COLD water is in general better than room temperature or hot water because it burns a minute amount of calories (your body has to adjust the temperature of the water after you drink it in order to process it).

8 glasses a day is the recommended amount the average adult should drink, but honestly, as long as youre neither dehydrating nor drowning in it, you should be fine! try to drink at least one glass with each meal, minimum.

some tips for watering your flowering body (get it? im punny, aren't I? haha):
- a little squeeze of lemon can add flavor with almost no calories, the same goes for a squeeze of an orange or grapefruit wedge.
- a few sprigs of mint, rosemary, and other spices can also add flavor without calories. and don't be afraid to try combinations, even adding lemon into the mix as well. my personal fave is the mint with lemon combo!
- prepackaged flavored waters can be almost worse than some sodas! the best is SELTZER! seltzer uses natural flavors, instead of most other sparking drinks. plus, you get that awesome fizzy sensation soda has.
- seltzer is also good for watering down alcoholic drinks, so if you must indulge you can drink the same amount of wine over longer- getting to taste more! but if that's not for you, feel free to cut your glass size in half to cut calories. and try to avoid mixed drinks, which can be made with sugary syrups and sodas, and frequently have over 500 calories per drink!
- keeping a few bottles in your car can go a long way- you not only save money by not ordering sodas on the go, but you and your kids can have the healthiest option always there! no detours! (note: in extreme heat the plastic from the bottles can leak into your water, so i recommend having a cooler ready every morning with ice, and in extreme cold the water can freeze solid, so in these cases, keep the bottles in a bag which is taken from the car every day or night)
- water bottles can be easily kept in a purse, baby bag, backpack, anywhere! they even come in super tiny sizes!
-reusable water bottles are great, and can come in very sophisticated styles for adults, and cute designs for children! you can save the earth, and yourself! :) my personal favorite are the glass or stainless steel ones, they're easier to clean, and more durable.

so drink up!

Just another whale,
MyzzLyzz :)