If you remember anything, drink water!

I am so glad that I am on break now so I can regroup.  The last 1-2 months have been completely insane in my life between working a very full-time, stressful job that I happen to love, going to school almost full-time, an injured arm that is not getting better, a cancer scare, etc. etc. etc.  Oh, let's not forget about losing weight on Optifast, too!  I just have not been doing well with getting in all of my shakes in a timely fashion and definitely not drinking near enough water or other fluids on a consistent basis.

And what was the result of all of that?  Not to get into gory details, but constipation reared it's oh-so-ugly head several times coupled with the feeling like I was going to pass out if I would get up from a sitting position.  The latter would happen practically every day at work.  I'd get up from my desk to go to the copy machine or help a student, start walking and then have to stop because it felt like I was going to pass out and hit the ground any second.  We had graduation for our seniors at the high school where I work and I purposely chose not to walk in the ceremony because I was afraid of the dizziness I have been feeling coupled with the sun in a black robe that makes everyone hot as it is.  I was just fearful that I would be the talk of the graduation when I passed out in my seat, lying flat on the grass below us, captured on YouTube to remember forever.  That's a great, lasting impression for our 600 seniors!  I love walking in graduation, getting to hug the kids after their names are called. 

I honestly did not really realize I wasn't drinking enough fluids.  I am a big proponent of drinking the water and advising other people that are doing Optifast to do the same.  While I wasn't measuring what I was drinking, I was trying hard to get everything in that I needed to and also trying to remember to have my shakes as often as I'm supposed to.  Then the other day I looked in my kitchen cupboard and realized I have too many boxes of product left before my next class.  Usually, I get down to the wire on the boxes but not this time.  No excuses, but I just would get too busy. So, I'm making me a priority.  I have got to drink everything I am supposed to drink, not because it is something I am told I need to do in the Optifast program, but because it is a healthy thing to do that is simple and will make me feel a whole lot better.  Healthy people drink water for really good reasons:

1. It helps with weight loss.
2. It helps skin look fresh and healthy.
3. It flushes out toxins.
4. It gives you more energy.
5. It keeps constipation away.
6. It will help keep those headaches and dizziness away.

As a diabetic, I am supposed to have a shake every 3 to 3 1/2 hours and I found myself sometimes going 5-6 hours before the next one.  I know ... tsk, tsk.  It wasn't on purpose.  I just got too busy and kept pushing it off to the next half hour and then the one after that.  I definitely felt bad as a result and me doing this program is not about feeling bad, not at all.  This is about feeling good and feeling healthy.

So, I am vowing right here and right now that I will get all of my water and other liquids in, as well as make sure that no more than 3 1/2 hours pass between shakes.  If you have my cell phone number, you have permission to call me on it or send me a friendly text, "Are you drinking your water?" or "When's the last time you have had a shake?"  This is not to say I have not been doing well, just that I can improve to feel even better than I do now. 

When I compare where I have come from to where I am at now, it is like night and day.  I was out on a 3 mile walk today and I remembered that feeling of barely being able to walk two blocks that were straight on my street.  There were times where I would walk a little and then turn around because I was starting to sweat profusely and was convincing myself that I just couldn't do it.  Sometimes the mind is a terrible thing, making us feel like we're not worthy of even taking care of ourselves.  Today, I was walking up and down hills because I wanted to challenge myself.  I looked forward to those inclines.  So when I say that I need to drink more water and have my shakes more often, it is just about tweaking something that is already going great and much improved from where I used to be.  This week I will likely hit the lowest weight I have ever been as an adult.  That is incredibly exciting, yet I know I am not going to stop there.  This is a thrilling journey for me with a lot of miracles along the way and I'm a very grateful person today.