We all know how important drinking enough water is to maintaining our optimum health. But it’s another one of those things that even though we know, we forget. It’s amazing how easy it is to get busy with our work, and totally forget that we haven’t had a glass of water all day. More than likely, even if you drink water, you’re not drinking enough.

We all know how important drinking enough water is to maintaining our optimum health. But it’s another one of those things that even though we know, we forget. It’s amazing how easy it is to get busy with our work, and totally forget that we haven’t had a glass of water all day. More than likely, even if you drink water, you’re not drinking enough.

In day two of our 61 day journey to better health, I talked about keeping track of what you are eating throughout the day. Today, I want to suggest you try something a little different.

First find out how much water you should be drinking. Here is a really great tool that will help you do that, it’s called a Hydration Calculator. Don’t worry; it’s very quick and easy to use.

Once you know how much water you should be drinking, write that number down on a piece of paper. Then write each number going down on a piece of paper.

1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -

As you finish one glass of water, check off number one. Once you have had your second, check off number two, and so on. Now it will be obvious whether you are drinking enough. But don’t just notice that you aren’t drinking enough, keep track for a couple of days, and get yourself in the habit of actually drinking the amount you should be.

Also See:

Are You Drinking Enough Water? How Do You Know How Much Is Enough?

Start your day with an infusion of fiber and omega-3. Just add some flax seed to your oatmeal, yogurt, or cereal.

I usually buy my flaxseed and then grind it up as I need it. But you can also buy it as “meal” at your local health food store. The most important thing to remember about flaxseed is to keep it refrigerated.

Flaxseed is very high in fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids (the good fats). The best part is, you can add it to just about anything. My personal favorite is; adding about a tablespoon to my yogurt.

My mother says…Don’t forget to salt, pepper, and flaxseed.

Do you have a favorite food that you like to add flaxseed to? Let me know in comments.

Also See:

Flax Seed Recipes

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Sugar-Free and Gluten Free Cookies with Almond and Flaxseed Meal

Make a point to read from an inspirational book every now and then. I guess they’re not for everyone, but over the years, inspirational books have gotten me through some pretty tough times.

I have always thought that a big part of better health, is better mental health. When we feel good emotionally, we usually feel better physically. For me, better mental health can be as simple as reading an inspirational quote, aspiration, or meditation.

Here is a site I like with Louise Hay’s Wisdom Cards

I also like…

The Woman’s Book of Courage

What about you? What are some of your favorite inspirational books?

Are you addicted to soda? I’m not, but I know many people who are. I know one person who can only get through work if she has a 2-liter bottle of cola on her desk. That’s a lot of empty calories.

My advice…take it slow. If you’re addicted to “x” number of sodas a day, try to reduce that number slowly. Especially, if they are caffeinated sodas. Caffeine and sugar are both addicting, and stopping cold turkey will most likely result in headaches and other unpleasant symptoms. But gradually reducing your intake, will increase your chances of success.

If you only drink soda occasionally, just stop, and say no to soda forever.

I read somewhere that a person who stops drinking soda, can lose up to ten pounds over the course of year, without dieting. If you’re a soda drinker, give it a try and let me know how you make out.

Any recipe you have can be made a bit more healthy.  Let’s use my World Famous Fettuccine Alfredo recipe as an example of how easy it can be.  If I’m not mistaken, Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the worst foods you can eat for good health…But it’s also yummy.

How do you make the most unhealthy recipe healthy?  Start by replacing a few ingredients with lower calorie and lower fat ingredients…

• Replace mozzarella cheese with part-skim mozzarella.
• Replace ricotta cheese with part-skim ricotta cheese.
• Replace cream with skim or low-fat milk.

For an even more healthy Fettuccine Alfredo, add some healthy food to it…

• Chicken
• Shrimp
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Flaxseed

So, we just made an unhealthy recipe into a healthy recipe.  Do you have a favorite recipe that you could turn into your favorite healthy recipe?

I love soup, especially in the winter. So, if there is a way I can eat soup and lose a couple of pounds too…Count me in.

With the cold weather upon us, having a bowl of soup can be a real treat. But could it also help you lose weight? Apparently it can.

Health experts have discovered that adding low-calorie vegetable broth to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight.

Because you tend to feel full sooner, you eat less of your main course.

The soup regime was tested by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, led by Dr Barbara Rolls.

They found that when participants in the study ate a first course of soup before lunch they reduced their total calorie intake by 20 per cent, compared with those who did not begin the meal with soup.

I recommend you experiment with some of the new “healthier” soups. Compare labels and look for soups with lower sodium, lower fat, and fewer calories.

If you have some extra time, you might want to consider making your own healthy soup. Here is some information on healthy soup recipes…

Soup, properly made, is one of the healthiest and most enjoyable styles of cooking. While most canned soups are way too high in fats and salt, when you make it yourself, you can get the nutrition without much of the bad stuff. You can create hundreds of tasty and healthy meals using this outline of the basic steps for making healthy soups. Learn the basics and enjoy the rewards for life.

Do you have a favorite healthy soup recipe or brand? Have you tried eating soup as a way to lose weight? Let me know in comments.

Also See:

Nutritional Information of Canned Soups

Healthy Low-Fat Soup Tips

Chicken soup when you’re sick

More Health and Fitness

Diet and exercise are important for good health, but did you know laughter is too? If you want to be as healthy as you can be, than laughter needs to be part of your healthy living regimen. Is it?

Here are some of the Health Benefits of Laughter:

• Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases infection fighting antibodies. It increases our attentiveness, heart rate, and pulse.
• People who laugh heartily on a regular basis have lower standing blood pressure than the average person. When people have a good laugh, initially the blood pressure increases, but then it decreases to levels below normal. Breathing then becomes deeper which sends oxygen enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body.
• Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack, according to the study at the University of Maryland Medical Center (cited above). The study, which is the first to indicate that laughter may help prevent heart disease, found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.

Here is a Humor Survey by the University of Maryland Medical Center…

How Well Does Your Sense of Humor Protect You From Heart Disease?

Are you someone who easily finds the humor in things? What advice would you give to your super serious counterparts?

Do you find yourself rushing through life? Are you always busy? If so, this could be contributing to many health problems, including weight gain.

What can you do?

Try slowing down a bit, especially when it comes to meal time. If you’re in the habit of eating while standing or eating very quickly…You need to sit down, and slow down. Take the time to enjoy and savor your food.

Eating slower will help you feel full and more satisfied Ultimately, while eating slower, you will be eating less and losing weight.

Do yourself a favor and start slowing down. Take time to enjoy your life and your meals, you might notice that you lose a couple of pounds too.

1. Avoid buying a “self-basting” turkey, most of these are injected with fat and sodium, making them much less healthy. Instead, baste your turkey using it’s own juices or broth.

2. Prepare your stuffing outside of the turkey; stuffing cooked inside the turkey will absorb a lot of unwanted fat.

3. Forgo the brown sugar and marshmallow topping on sweet potatoes, instead use a little honey or maple syrup.

4. Use skim milk in your mashed potatoes, and try replacing the butter with chicken broth.

What tips or recipes do you recommend for a healthier Thanksgiving dinner?

Also See:

Make Your Recipes A Little More Healthy

Say No To Soda and Empty Calories

Eat Soup and Lose Weight

Do you find yourself getting less exercise during the cooler months? If so, you may also notice you gain a few extra pounds when it’s cold outside. But there is something you can do, and it’s something you don’t even need to make any extra time for.

Here’s what you do…

When you’re doing your holiday shopping this season; instead of driving around busy parking lots looking for the closest spot to park your car, park farther away and take a little walk. Think of how many extra calories you can burn shopping for your Thanksgiving groceries this year. Do the same when you go shopping on Black Friday, and every time you shop this holiday season.

If you are really feeling motivated…Take the steps instead of the elevator, and get in the habit of never wasting your time looking for the closest parking spot anymore.