I kicked off today with the last of our Great Harvest cinnamon swirl bread. I really think this stuff is pretty good for you since it’s whole grain. The sugar is the unhealthiest part.
MS “sausage” for protein. Carbs + Protein + Fat = Good Breakfast
Coffee = Happy Me
Fresh Market Spring Blend Coffee = Extra Happy Me 
I had a lot of stuff to take with me to work today: lunch, snacks, granola bars for my zumba friends (Kat, I gave Stacy yours – go to her class this week lady), WATER (hello Project Hydrate!), and I put a couple tea bags of my new Yerba Mate in a plastic baggie to keep at work.
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I typically don’t do so hot drinking water in the morning. I seem to consume most of it after lunch but before 4pm. If I have hot tea in the morning, I do a lot better, but I could use some more H2O. So, this morning, I reminded myself to get started on my first bottle of water. I had twice as much water to drink than normal and I really wanted to spread my water consumption over the course of the day. I started with my new pink Gaiam water bottle.
The result of my AM water-guzzling? I downsized my Starbucks Monday. Instead of a grande, I got a tall vanilla soy latte. I was feeling pretty full from the water, so I figured a tall would be just enough. Saved myself some money and calories! (Not that I’m counting, but why consume something if you’re not trying to nourish yourself or at least satisfy an indulgence of sorts).
I was so full from the water and caffeinated from the Sbucks that I wasn’t feeling tea, even though I really wanted to try my new Yerba Mate. Now I have something to look forward to tomorrow, though!
By 11am I was halfway done with the first bottle of water.
Lunch was a pretty sweet spread…
Fontina mac and cheese leftovers from last night’s dinner.
Toasted Great Harvest honey whole wheat roll.
I was SO GLAD I prepped food yesterday! I eat so much better (healthier, cheaper, and all around better) when I prep ahead. Lunch was a little light on the protein, but I had a snack to make up for it.
In the afternoon, I had a Chocolate Oikos with some homemade granola (from my oops granola bar crumbles). So tasty…so so good!
By around 3:30pm I had finished off my first bottle of water. Hooray! The bad part was that I typically don’t consume many liquids after 4pm. I seem to wake up in the middle of the night needing a bio break if I drink much after 4. Is it just me?
Zumba workout fuel = a homemade granola bar with dried cherries, dates, and currants plus Kashi crackers.
Double header zumba class! 2 sweet hours. And my hubby came to class tonight! He said he had fun and might come back. I hope he does. 
I worked on my second bottle of water during class, but only managed to finish about half the bottle.
Post workout sushi with a big glass of water. Even with this water, taking my workout into account, I don’t think I quite made my quota, but I did pretty good for Day #1.
Miso soup and salad
Mini cucumber salad
Tempura zucchini
California roll with masago
No problem finishing my cup of water after 2 hours of zumba. Phew! Dinner hit the spot, plus I got to catch up with a girlfriend.
Dessert – banana and a couple small pieces of dark chocolate. Mmm
Project Hydrate Day #1 Comments
I knew Day #1 of Project Hydrate would be pretty hard for me. Sadly, I barely consume the water in this 3 cup water bottle. Now, I usually do have a mug of coffee in the AM, plus a cup or two or hot tea during the day, plus a little water at dinner (but not too much – see above), so I know I haven’t been getting enough liquids.
To illustrate, I’m attempting to go from drinking this…
…to drinking this.
I think the key will be reminding myself to spread my liquid consumption over the entire day instead of trying to chug it all in one sitting (which is simply not healthy – do not try this at home people!).
Consumed:
- Pink bottle – finished off around 3pm
- Turquoise bottle – finished half of bottle around 8:30pm
- 1 large (probably 2 cups) of water consumed at dinner
- No tea consumed
- 2 cups coffee consumed but I did not count them towards the total
I don’t anticipate noticing many changes on Day #1, but I’d like to post some comments every day.
Comments:
- Drinking all the liquids I planned for was difficult, considering how little I was drinking before. I think I need to get started on liquid consumption earlier in the day.
- Consuming more water than normal in the morning helped curb my Starbucks habit.
- Looks like if I can drink my two mugs of tea and half a water bottle more, I’ll be meeting my planned intake.
How did you do today with Project Hydrate today for Day#1?
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I really appreciate the people who tweet about drinking enough water! The reminder always gets me drinking water
I have been so bad with keeping up with my water intake, so thanks!
I love your shirt!
I love the idea behind Project Hydration – I try to drink a lot of water and tea on a daily basis but there are plenty of days that I don’t get enough. Thanks for the reminder to strive to get my 8 in!
You’re welcome and thanks!
THANKS for getting me totally ADDICTED to that Oikos yogurt. OMG. . .it AMAZING! I know some blogs I have read people don’t like the heavier yogurt with that little ‘bite’ it gives at the back of your tongue. . .but I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!! Plus it is totally amazing to me that I can eat a cup of that with some granola for breakfast and be good all the way to lunch. BUT if I eat a crappy breakfast like this morning when I grabbed a sausage roll at the donut shop with my son, I am STARVING by 9:14. Ugh. So uncool.
I am headed back to Whole Foods tonight to get more yogurt. Yum-o!
When I first started eating Greek yogurt, I thought it tasted “weird”, too, but now that I eat Greek yogurt all the time the regular yogurt tastes kind of weird! haha
So true that eating a good breakfast will keep you fuller than the bad ones!
Hi!
Quick question, how do you maintain your weight? Do you count calories or just keep your portions small? You seem to have a good balance of food, even the not so great stuff and still maintain your weight. How many days a wk do you exercise? Thanks!!
I love this question! I could answer it here, but I’d really like to do a separate blog post so I can answer you better.
Elle! I still owe you a blog post on this!
It seems as though I should really get my booty over to Fresh Market and try the Spring Blend. I am a sucker for good coffee.
That entire day’s spread looks so delish! What exactly is the masago on the sushi?
It’s caviar! http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/caviar/caviar-details-5944.asp
Great job on your hydration goals!
Also, I can’t wait to read your kale recipe – I love kale and the pictures you post of it make it look even more delicious!
Thanks sweetie! I can’t wait to post it! I’ve had stuff to do every night this week, but once I get some time I plan to write it up.
I forgot to say earlier. . .when I have tried to “up” my water consumption, I make little deals with myself. . .like “I have to finish 1/2 or all of this bottle of water on my commute to work or no coffee when I get there.” Also it sounds silly by I am kind of check things off a list girl, so it might be sort of 3rd grade but I put stars in my calendar when I drink all my water for the day.
Great ideas!
Getting started earlier really helps me plus, I only drink water and herbal tea so as soon as I wake up in the morning, I just grab my water bottle. Then, I aim for 16 oz on my commute (50mins) and that really helps, too.
I should drink water on my commute too…though my trip is relatively short, which makes it kind of hard. lol
I love that Zumba top. So cute and fun!
OK, I hate to post this, but I feel I must warn everyone, lol. Gaiam water bottles are not BPA-free. The liner contains BPA. It was discovered last year that Gaiam and Sigg water bottles had BPA in the liner. Sigg recallled and redesigned their bottles (which can be bought at Target). Gaiam refused stating the amount of BPA is at FDA approved levels. Here’s a good link that can explain more: http://www.zrecommends.com/detail/gaiam-admits-aluminum-bottles-leach-bpa-at-nearly-20-times-siggs-levels
Anyway, I just thought you should know. I feel bad telling you this. It’s such a cute bottle!
ACK! Thanks for posting this. I feel like I need to return my water bottle now.
I totally forgot to answer the qater question. I drink a large Venti coffee every morning and sometimes in the evening. I love my coffee! In between those two Ventis I get at least a liter of water and sometimes tea, but the tea is extra. I don’t really drink anything else during the day except water although sometimes I drink Pellegrino instead of plain. I pretty much gave up soda when I joined Weight Watchers years ago. Usually I either carry around a water bottle or keep a BIG pitcher of water in the fridge when I’m home. I think giving up other drinks during the day has helped my water consumption. I mean, I really don’t have anything else to drink so I HAVE to drink it.
I failed yesterday…but I’m working on it today.
The real problem is I hate having to pee every 30 minutes…
Aww, don’t worry about it!
The 30 min thing is annoying, but worth it. I like to think of it as a leg-stretch break.
I have a hard time drinking water, too. I just don’t think about it I guess. I’ve tried to make more of an effort to carry my camelbak with me all the time and that has helped!
Great job on increasing your H2O. What I have found is that you have to be thinking about drinking water all day and keep water with you at all times.
Thanks Stacey!
Please share the marinated Kale recipe?
You got it! http://thechiclife.com/2010/07/marinated-kale-recipe.html