HYDRATION

Ok. I'll be honest. Disgustingly, shockingly honest, because that's how I roll. As recently as a few weeks ago I used to drink nothing but diet Pepsi. And I would drink 2-4 LITERS a day. I would bring a 2L to work and drain that then when I got home my husband and I would split one or two additional 2Ls for dinner. And I was always thirsty. And my lips and mouth were always dry. And I can't fathom how much money we spent on pop. (yeah I'm from OK and I say pop). It was very similar to a smokers pack-a-day habit. And I was always tired, so groggy, even after my 32oz cup was emptied.

When I went Clean I switched to water. I've been drinking somewhere around 3L of water a day and I'm loving it. I don't want pop. When I drink it I feel dried out crash pretty shortly after from the caffeine. So I'm a water baby now. I bought a groovy little water bottle from Target (photo to come later), and I take it with me everywhere.

Of course, it can get a little boring to only drink water for some. Not for me, really. I really like water. Always have. I don't even know why I stopped drinking it. But when I'm craving a little variety I drink the Sobe LifeWater drinks that have no sugar in them (the ones with the white label - the ones with the darker label have both Sugar AND Erythritol/PureVia). They are really tasty. And I also buy the Simply line of fruit juices. They come loaded with sugar so I usually dilute them a bit. I do about 2/3 juice 1/3 water and stir it up really well. I'm looking into making my own infused waters. We'll see.

The upsides though, to the water vs pop debate are that my skin is insanely soft. It's a wonder to me that all these people find topical creams and potions to treat the symptoms of dehydration instead of treating from the inside out. A friend of mine touched my arm the other day and actually commented on how soft my skin was. The first of many diet-related compliments, I hope. The other upside is one I really didn't expect. When I'm groggy in the morning, I perk up MUCH faster with a glass of water than I did with pop. As the ice-cold liquid hits my stomach I get a little burst of energy. I feel rejeuvenated. And everytime I take another sip I feel crisper, cleaner, and healthier. I know I'm doing the right thing for myself.

Weigh In: 206.1 (almost 4lbs lost in 2 weeks)