Fat Friday - W & W

Fat Friday is a program designed to motivate all of us lazy-bums out there (myself included) to get in shape, stay in shape, and just generally be healthy! There will be new challenges & goals every week until the last Friday of August when the winner will be announced & a prize awarded! Not sure what yet...but it'll be good! (And if you live far away - I can mail it to you, so still participate). You can earn points for meeting weekly/daily challenges and for accomplishing your personal goals. I will have a tracking chart ready for you to download & print next week - so just try to keep track of what you accomplish this week.

I decided to start with the very fundamentals for the first Fat Friday - water & walking. It doesn't get any easier or more basic than that! Keep reading...I promise you'll learn something!

Water

• Serves as a lubricant
• Forms the base for saliva
• Forms the fluid that surround the joints
• Regulates body temperature
• Alleviates constipation - great detox
• Regulates metabolism
• Helps to prevent certain diseases
• Helps you lose weight and keep it off!

It really does help you lose weight. If you're dehydrated your body sends signals to your brain that are usually misinterpreted as hunger - so dehydration leads to overeating. Water also helps to metabolize stored fat. Not to mention you're less likely to get nasty kidney stones & drinking water is a lot cheaper than buying your favorite juice or soda! So start drinking!

The general rule of thumb is 8 - 8oz glasses a day (64 oz total). This varies depending on your health, environment (hot & humid), and activity level. Also, if you're pregnant or breastfeeding you should double this (so my goal is 128 oz a day). It is possible to drink too much - but very rare, and you really would have to be drinking a ridiculous amount of water to do so.

Walking

• Reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and other killer diseases
  
• Manage blood pressure
• Weight management
• Stress management
• Depression Prevention
  
• Relieve arthritis & back pain
• Strengthen muscles, bones, and joints
• Improve sleep

...and the benefits list goes on. Walking seems like such an easy workout, but it is a really great thing to do daily for everyone at any activity level. Make sure you have comfortable shoes & if you really want to track your progress you can get a pedometer! Set goals, make it fun, go with someone, and walk in different locations. A good basic goal is to walk at a good steady pace for 30 minutes/5 times a week. To make sure you're not over-doing it - you should be able to still talk while walking. Take this QUIZ to see what walking level you should start out at.

Challenge: Drink at least 8 - 8oz glasses of water a day, every day this week (more if needed). Points can be earned for each day this is accomplished.

Goal: Figure out your walking level by taking the quiz - and start! You can earn points for every day you walk and meet your personal goal - no matter what your level!

Next week I'll let you know what point values you can earn for the above challenge and goal - haven't figured it out yet. =) Good luck!