STRONG Idea: Nutrition - A Positive Approach - Part 1 of 5
By Emily Stapleton on April 15, 2013 from Strong Ideas via Connect-Bridgeport.com
This is the first post in a 5-week series on nutrition. Let me start by saying that I am not a nutrition expert and these posts will not be written from an expert’s perspective. Instead, think of this information as written by a regular person for the regular people…so, it should be pretty easy to follow.
Typically, when we read about or hear about nutrition or weight loss, we hear about eating less or eliminating certain foods from our diet. Well, not anymore. This series is all about what we can add to our diets. That’s right, this is a positive approach to nutrition. So read on, and stay tuned over the next five weeks to discover some simple steps to better nutrition.
Week 1: Drink Water
We’re going to start with water. This is simple. Your goal for week 1 is to drink more water. It’s one of the best things you can do to improve your health. Notice that I’m not asking you to eliminate any other beverages; however, you might find that when you’re properly hydrated you won’t want as much of the other stuff.
How much water? Drinking water is really more of an art than a science. We are all a little different in our water needs. Pick one of these two recommendations and follow it this week:
- Drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water throughout the day. This one’s been around a long time. Basically, drink 64 oz. of water, but make sure you spread it throughout the day.
- Take your body weight in pounds and divide it in half. Drink that number of ounces of water throughout the day. For example, if you weight 200 pounds you should drink 100 ounces of water per day. Again, be sure to spread this amount throughout the day. This one follows the theory that larger people need more water. Make sense to me.
Write it down. I’m not asking you to record the water you drink for the rest of your life, but I am asking you to record your water consumption for one week. Keep this very simple. I like to keep a post it note in my kitchen and put a hash mark every time I drink 8 ounces. You can also record it in your car or at your desk. I’m sure there is an app for this if you want to record it on your phone. Just don’t make it complicated. Start drinking water now and record it.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to get the water in during the day:
- Drink a full glass of water (8 – 16 oz.) when you brush your teeth in the morning and evening.
- Drink water in between non-water beverages. Want a second cup of coffee? Earn it by drinking some water first.
- Drink water in the car while commuting or carpooling.
- Drink water with meals.
- Drink water while exercising.
If you do all of the above, you’ll get your recommended ounces in.
Tune in again next week. I’ll be talking about adding fruits and vegetables to your diet. Again, it’s pretty simple.
Have some friends who crave a simple, positive approach to nutrition? Share this post on Facebook or Twitter.
Until next week,
Emily Stapleton
