attilapersonaltraining

by Linda Gabriel
Do you think of water as plain, bland, uninteresting?

That’s too bad. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Drinking water instead of high calorie beverages can be a short-cut to easy weight loss.

Did you know that if you eliminate only one soda or glass of juice per day you’ll automatically lose 10 to 15 pounds over the course of a year?

As a kid growing up in the desert I remember how we would gang up around the water fountain after recess. When I was hot and thirsty, there was nothing sweeter than the taste of cool fresh water. Yet as we grew up many of us learned to prefer sweetened sodas, juices, or fancy coffees.

Luckily it’s possible to retrain your brain to love water as your beverage of choice.

8 Ways to Love Drinking Water

1. Drink only water for a while

When you drink sweet drinks, even the no calorie version will stimulate your brain to crave sweets. Your addiction to sugar will decrease if you eat fewer sweet things. Soon you’ll be surprised how many things will taste far too sweet.

2. Always keep water nearby and keep it in sight

Keep an eco-friendly bottle of water at your desk. Place a glass of water on your nightstand so you can drink it first thing in the morning. Carry your own water with you in the car. Take a bottle of water with you to the movies.

3. Make sure your water source is as pure as possible… but not too pure

Consider installing a quality water filter.  It’s important to follow manufacturer directions and change filters frequently. While distilled water is pure, it lacks essential minerals that your body needs and which give water a pleasant taste. It’s okay once in a while, but don’t drink distilled water on a regular basis.

4. Enhance the flavor (and look) of water with no or low calorie extras

• Add a twist of lemon or lime
• Freeze berries into ice cubes and add them to a tall glass of filtered water and garnish with a sprig of mint
• Some people find the taste of room temperature water preferable to iced
• Try some of the commercially available no-calorie naturally fruit-flavored waters

5. Use a Jedi Mind Trick to associate drinking water with pleasant memories

Remember my description about how great water tasted after recess? Condition your mind to associate drinking water with anything you enjoy.  Every time you take a sip think of something or someone you love. Imagine beautiful scenes of water in nature – a waterfall, a rainbow, the sea. Think of drinking water as a shower for your insides. (You wouldn’t want to take a shower in soda would you?) Keep telling yourself how much you love the taste of water.

6. Remind yourself of the many health benefits of drinking water

• Water helps your body rid itself of toxins
• Water helps your mind function better
• Water can help reduce bloating
• Water helps increase weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate
• Water helps you keep cool and hydrated in hot weather
• Water helps prevent kidney stones
• Water helps your skin stay moist

7. Drinking water saves you money

This is especially true if you often eat at restaurants. Saving a mere $2 to $5 per day adds up to $700 to $1800 saved per year. That’s no small change!

8. Bless your water

Are you familiar with Dr. Masaru Emoto’s work with water crystals? His experiments suggest that our thoughts can influence the molecular structure of water. Appreciate the fact that you have abundant fresh water on tap when many in the world do not. Give thanks for your water. Bless the water before you drink it and imagine it carrying those blessings to every cell of your body.