"Hydrate - Newport Beach 4th of July Weekend 101" -Darby Cullen
I'm sure we can all agree that we've heard someone say, "drink more water!" Well, I'm not going to tell you to drink more water... I'm going to tell you to play the CHUG WATER CHALLENGE! Drinking more water didn't click for me until I did the following 2 things:
(1)
I became completely obsessed with my Klean Kanteen Insulated (Kyle Varga and the City of Chico get all the credit for introducing me to this amazing water and more bottle) - I carry it with me almost everywhere and feel quite naked without it. Why do I love it so much, you ask?
- It's durable, dependable and always looking sexy with its sleek design.
- Because I have the Insulated version of the Klean Kanteen, everything I put in it stays the exact same temperature as when it goes in... don't believe me? HA is all I have to say to you... I use that bad boy for smoothies (they stay the exact same consistency and frozen-ness for MANY hours - I've reached 6-7 hours at least), hot tea/coffee (I actually don't drink coffee but I know people who use theirs for coffee - same, same), ice water that stays delicious and perfectly cold even when its been sitting in your scorching hot car during the middle of summer all day, soup, and anything else my heart desires!
- They come in a variety of sizes so I can choose which one fits my needs. For instance, I have a 20 oz. one for water, only water, all the time, then I have a 16 oz. one that I use mostly for smoothies and tea depending on the season. Perfection.
- You can buy them with a combo of different tops - "loop" top for carrying anywhere and "cafe" top for sipping hot drinks easy peezy.
- The most expensive variety which would be the 20 oz. with the combo top package is about $32.00. BEST $32.00 I've ever spent in my life. Hands down, no question about it.
...Don't worry, ordering is easy and they arrive quickly...
(2)
I started playing the CHUG WATER CHALLENGE! Nicely sipping on water all day does NOT do it for me. I used to get soo annoyed when people would say to just drink water when you're hungry, because that did not work for me, at all. So, I ended up reading somewhere along the way that I should try drinking a full glass of water before my meal(s) to help give me that full feeling and avoid continuous snacking after my plate was empty. Of course, I thought it would be way cooler if I made a game out of it...
- Make your meal and right before digging in, CHUG a BIG glass of water (I use my 20 oz. Klean Kanteen, that way I've already had 60 oz. of water in a day if I play the CHUG WATER CHALLENGE before breakfast, lunch and dinner). Think of it like this... pretend you're back at some ridiculous high school house party or college fraternity party and you either finish your drink in less than 30 seconds or pay the price and be ridiculed forever.
- Play when you hit the town too and dramatically increase your chances of avoiding a hang over! As soon as you and your friend(s) finish your drink, you HAVE to CHUG before moving on to the next. This setting can be even more fun than when you play by yourself during the day, because the looks on people's faces when everyone is yelling CHUG while drinking water is prettttty classic.
Added benefit of the CHUG WATER CHALLENGE: 1-2 potty breaks after a big chug rather than 14 million when you drink gradually throughout the day!
Happy Chugging!
Get Your Glow On
No doubt about it, I am a white girl. I don't tan very easily - I burn very quickly. I'm constantly worried about skin cancer and wish that I was a natural at obtaining that bronzy goodness. It's all good though, I recently discovered "glow" lotion. The one I've heard people talk most about is the Jergens Natural Glow Moisture; the one I use is the Rite Aid brand knock-off version... mostly because it doesn't smell like sunscreen as much and it's a few dollars less. Needless to say, I was snapping pics with a girl friend this weekend and kept demanding re-takes because I thought the lighting was off... I couldn't help but smile and tell her all about my new lotion when she told me the lighting was NOT off and I was just more tan!
Breathe, Release & Set Yourself Free
I recently dove into meditation when I gave up "mental chaos" for lent (yes, I know that may sound a little silly, but I thought it was way better than something I wouldn't stick to like, chocolate, for example). After attending some Restorative Yoga classes at Mission Street Yoga (http://www.missionstreetyoga.com/), I was feeling more relaxed than ever and ready to take on the challenge of clearing my mind and letting go. I began my research and through it realized that while there are certain ways you can do it or may be suggested, its really just about clearing your mind and finding that inner peace hiding deep inside. I'm no expert... AT ALL, but I will tell you what has been working for me:
- I cannot sit while meditating because I can't stop fidgeting. Instead, I start seated with my legs crossed, then I lay back (so imagine laying down on your back but keeping your legs crossed "indian style") and extend my arms out to the sides.
- If my mind is having a harder time settling down, I pull up a good meditation video on YouTube or Hulu so I have music in the background to guide me. If my mind is more on the mellow side, I choose a mantra to repeat while I focus on my breathing. There are specific mantras that have different purposes (we say them in yoga a lot), but I personally have a really hard time remembering them - of course. Soooo, I make something up :) My favorite "Rachel Mantra of the Moment" is:
(Inhale) just let go
(Exhale) set myself free
**just focus on inhaling and exhaling while repeating this or any other mantra in your head**
- To make sure I don't drift off and stay focused, I often set an alarm to time my meditation. This was quite challenging at first because most of the alarms I set would be too loud and abrupt, essentially ruining my wonderful de-stressing session. Now, I've settled on the timer feature on my iPhone and when the timer is up, it plays a very soft and nice ascending tune.
Want to learn more?
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/meditation
&
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2516?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight
- I cannot sit while meditating because I can't stop fidgeting. Instead, I start seated with my legs crossed, then I lay back (so imagine laying down on your back but keeping your legs crossed "indian style") and extend my arms out to the sides.
- If my mind is having a harder time settling down, I pull up a good meditation video on YouTube or Hulu so I have music in the background to guide me. If my mind is more on the mellow side, I choose a mantra to repeat while I focus on my breathing. There are specific mantras that have different purposes (we say them in yoga a lot), but I personally have a really hard time remembering them - of course. Soooo, I make something up :) My favorite "Rachel Mantra of the Moment" is:
(Inhale) just let go
(Exhale) set myself free
**just focus on inhaling and exhaling while repeating this or any other mantra in your head**
- To make sure I don't drift off and stay focused, I often set an alarm to time my meditation. This was quite challenging at first because most of the alarms I set would be too loud and abrupt, essentially ruining my wonderful de-stressing session. Now, I've settled on the timer feature on my iPhone and when the timer is up, it plays a very soft and nice ascending tune.
man·tra/ˈmantrə/
| Noun: |
|
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/meditation
&
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2516?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight
Another great one! I am finally buying my Kleen Kanteen TODAY!!
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