Brita Challenge (AKA Go Team MizFit!!)

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 Click me! Click me!

Ahhhh People.

There has been a severe drought in Texas this summer and Im not talking about the weather.

Im talking about my mouth.

My water-hole hath become more of a word-which-rhymes-with-BAPPLE hole.

Intellectually I knew I was doing my body a tremendous disservice, but tired, crazed, misfit on the go’ly I almost didnt care.

Almost.

Because as I saw/felt my lack of proper hydration impact pretty much every fact of my life (from workouts to wellness) I began to care quickfastandinahurry.

As a result when I was offered the chance to be a part of the Brita Challenge to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day I knew there were no accidents.

I’d love for you to join me.  I know I need to do this.

Lemmie break it down:

MYTH: MizFit has lovely light yellow urine which practically sings I’m happily hydrated as it exits her bladder.

FACT: The Tornado & I were emptying our bladders in a public place when she announced loudly: Look Mama! we both have yellow yellow peepee!  This, uh, pee pee color is  not a good indicator of overall my health and MUSCULAR hydration (!).

MYTH: MizFit has been feeling mildly mentally sluggish lately due to the untimely removal of her Tornado sidekick for government mandated kindergarten.

FACT:  When our bodies become dehydrated our attention & concentration can decrease by 13%  & short term memory by 7%.  Clicking the pitcher above and joining me in drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day (fortuitously the amount contained in said pitched!) can greatly help our mental acuity.  (**cue confetti shaped like something I caint recall but will as soon as I properly hydrate**)

MYTH: MizFit has kinda old looking skeletor hands.

FACT: Thankfully my seriously when did I get me the hands of my grandma issues might also be tied into my mouth’s water drought!  Another way to test for dehydration is to pinch the back of your hand while it is resting it on a flat surface.  When you release the pinch, your skin should snap back into place.  A slooooow return to normal can be a sign youre dehydrated.

So where do we go from here?

How do we mitigate our dehydration levels all while having fun and leaning way too heavily upon you guys and harnessing the power of community I yammer about all the time?

Im so glad you asked.

As a woman in possession of way too much chutzpah Ive challenged Roni Noone in conjunction with the Brita Challenge (click the pitcher! click the pitcher!) I can hydrate better than she.

Check us out on Twitter hashtag #britachallenge. It’s gonna git ugly be all in fun.

And, because I KNOW none of you would reveal them to the enemey Roni, below are the tricks I plan to use during our one month challenge:

  • Until I find a drinking water groove—Ive created a hydration schedule as I do with all important facets of my life.  Ive set alarm reminders and everything!
  •  I plan to match any NON-WATER beverages with same amount of water (this works well for me as I tend to eliminate non-water to reduce amount of time spent running to & fro rest room).
  • Im wearing 10 rubber bands on one wrist & switching to other after each glass consumed (YAY visual reminders. BOO I dont possess 10 lovely bangles).
  • Ive sliced lemon, lime, & cucumbers and placed them in my 10 cup purple pitcher.  Aesthetically pleasing AND tasty!
  • I also employ these at times as a secret weapon in my Brita water bottle.  With myself they’re merely frozen lemon water.  With the child they’re often diluted flavored water. #youllhavethat

Now I seek your help.

PLEASE to gimmie your best water drinking/staying hydrated tip in the comments below and I will lock the post from She whose name I will not say’s prying eyes.

And maybe,  in the name of healthy living, Ill share and help the opposing team out as well but really probably not.

 

 

FTC my Brita water bottle and pitcher were FREE. My ability or inability to stick with the challenge is all my own.

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Comments

  3. I love that rubber bands idea Mizzy!

    I’m stealing it but with funky bracelets 🙂

    My best tip is cut out the other drinks.

    Nothing but water!

    GO our Team!!

  4. Best tip? Try to drink plenty during the day, then taper off the water in the evening. Unless you like your sleep being disrupted by your bladder trying to get your attention. 😉

    I have been known to sleep-walk to the bathroom on a nightly basis. Only once have I met with disaster… Don’t ask.

  5. I love the way you write, Carla.

    And LOL’ed at the BAPPLE-hole.

    I, too, posses one of those.

    I’ll join the challenge.

    No tips though 🙂

  6. Okay, I have only one decent tip, which is that, because I eat six small meals every day, I have made it a habit to drink at least 12, and sometimes 16, ounces of water with each one. I’m chronically thirsty so that’s not as hard as it sounds. It helps me get my water in, as well as making it easier to feel full and not overeat.

    That said, I absolutely LOVE your rubber band tip! We’re leaving tomorrow on a four-day road trip, and I will probably not get my six small meals in on schedule, so this is going to be enormously helpful! I think I’ll stop at the mall today and find some cute Madonna-esque rubber bracelets to use. 🙂 (Why, yes. I AM a child of the 80s.)

    • ME TOO!!! I loved me some madonna bracelet thingies.
      Those would be better than my nasty rubber bands 🙂

  7. Girl, that happened to me with the public urinating!!

    My son asked so loudly why my “pee was dark yellow” I wanted to die 🙂

    I’m still not drinking enough water, but my tip is pee with your child and let them tell you if you need more.

    Fun post!

  10. You can be my company any ol’ time!

    I’m joining your water challenge, based solely on the color of my pee. Thanks for nudging me into doing something I’ve been thinking of doing anyway. Thinking does NOT equal doing until you actually, um, DO something. Heh.

    • ahhh yes. that was me and my “bapple” addiction this summer.

      I thought about changing a lot 🙂

      I SOOO NEED THIS CHALLENGE!

  11. I should probably change my name given the amount of water I drink.

    What is the line about best laid plans?

    I’m in.

    Let’s go get Roni!! LOL

  12. I love water but have such a hard time tracking it and making sure I get enough. The rubber band trick is a really good tip. I have also used a refillable drink bottle and put hair elastics around it then taken one off each time I refill the bottle throughout the day, it helped me for a while and then I got lazy again.

    My main goal for this next week is to increase the water intake.

  13. YES!! That is totally what Id say to my clients when I was a full time trainer as well.

    whatever the “it” was from more water to “cleaner eating” to more working out.

    Just do more than you did yesterday (water) and it’s a huge victory!

    we got this 🙂

  14. Sooooo with you. Pre baby i was a water drinking machine! Lately? Not so much. I recently started back tracking my intake and alwaysss carrying my bottle. Im doing and feeling much better

  15. True confession: I have started carrying a big cup with me all the time (with a lid) and people assume it is filled with water.

    It is filled with tea 🙂

    I’m in.

    This is really fun.

  19. This is me being sad about the coupon offers 🙁

    I bought my Brita pitcher about a month ago, and can’t take advantage of that lovely rebate: I no longer have the receipt. But I’ll tell you, it’s the best thing I’ve done. I was using bottled water because the faucet filters I bought broke (I have visible particles in my water!) and a friend turned me on to the pitchers, which I had previously thought wouldn’t work or were “gimmicky”. Turns out, they work GREAT, and I got mine in Target Red.

    The best part is how short a time it takes to filter the water, and I never let my pitcher get empty, because you just pour a little in the top (unfiltered) reservoir every time you pour a glass, and you have continuous fresh water.

    OK… I didn’t want to sound like a Brita ad… just love the product, and I can drink all the water I want without contributing to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

  20. Carla– A while back my girls got some East Indian banlges to wear with their Salwaar Kameez (is that plural or only singular) which they don’t wear. They are in sparkly aqua (fitting!) and sparkly fuchsia. (nine of each color) They don’t wear them anymore. I figure you could mix them up, then you’d have enough for your ten and some matching bangles for the Tornado! If you’d like, email me with your addy and I’ll send them out today!

  21. Now I want you to bring back the Miz bracelets!

    That might cut off my circulation though. Never mind 🙂

    I love you and Roni.

    I’m cheering for all of us!

  22. I’ve got one in green! Been using Brita filters for years now. Actually a good reminder that I need to go change the filer this weekend. We love ours use it several times a day and am happy bottles aren’t going into landfills because of it.

    Lisa

  24. In an attempt to avoid a gynecological overshare, I won’t mention how I came by this info, but… I recently discovered I’ve been drinking 5-8 QUARTS of water a day. So apparently it is possible to take all those reminders about staying hydrated a little too seriously! However, I know most people stuggle with the opposite problem.

  25. I have to say I’m honored that you visit my blog, Miz. No idea why when I’m a turtle in this race called healthy living. But seeing your comments inspires me to do well.

    Having said that, I am also working on getting in more water and staying better hydrated. GO TEAM MIZFIT!!!

  26. Oh I love love love Brita water pitchers. I do some of the same things you wrote about – cucumbers in the pitcher, visual reminders. And now that I’m teaching Zumba classes, I drink even more.

    I also learned a lesson about how dehydration can affect ones ladybits. I, uh, drink lots and lots of water now.

    Okay. I’ll be watching you all on Twitter!

  27. I love the idea of rubber bands and timers. Personally I do the “I need to finish this by this time” thing. It usually works for me, but I really should jump on this challenge too.

  28. I can commit to 8 glasses a day.
    Which is a vast jump from my 8 cups of coffee per day.

    This is such a fun challenge and cool way to meet a new blogger.

    I loved Roni’s site!

  29. i drink a glass of cold-ish water before anything else in the morning. it wakes me up / gets my brain working(ish)…

  30. For me, it’s all about keeping water RIGHT IN MY FACE. I always have a big water bottle of ice cold water in front of me, with a straw that basically hits me me in the face when I turn.

    I also try and get 80-100 ounces a day, if I can.

  32. I’ve always heard when you crave sweets you are dehydrated.

    True or not I follow this 😉

    Fun challenge, Mizzy.

  34. At work during the week I’m a hydrating MACHINE! Sometimes I actually drink TOO much water! It’s easy to stay hydrated at work because I’m sitting at a desk and I have my 1L water bottle right beside me at all times and I drink between 2-3L a day just in the office. On the weekend and at home, I’m not as consistent but again, I have a 1L water bottle around me as much as I can.

    I wasn’t always like this and it’s just creating good and healthy habits, like anything else. I have four 1L water bottles that I keep kicking around between the office, home and my truck. It needs to be right in my face for me to remember and doing it this way works for me.

    I aim for 3-5L of water a day.

  35. I have a well, and I lived on Diet Cokes until I got a Brita water pitcher (my niece won it in a contest and gave it to me!) so I am a huge fan.

    My tips? I pour a glass of water at the same time I am making my coffee. I don’t always drink it, but it is there ready for me. And I can’t have my one diet coke for the day until I have drunk at least one full glass (24 oz glass) Once I’ve drank that much water, I’m on my way. The rest of the day I WANT to drink water!

  36. My tip is to let water start your day. I drink two cups of water first thing. Gets you on the right track! I have no trouble staying hydrated though…I drink it all day long.

  37. And when you pinch the back of your hand and a little pup tent stays “pitched” forever? Drinking a large glass of water right now.

    Did you know -I just read- that we can 2-3 pounds of water overnight by simply breathing? Since we aren’t rehydrating for those hours, we almost always wake up dehydrated. Beginning the day with coffee instead of water just makes it worse.

    Drinking 2 large glasses as I comment… and definitely joining that challenge.

  38. I’m an odd bird, but I just went cold turkey one day!
    I got a Brita pitcher and quit everything BUT water!

  40. Here is my tip because I’ve been teaching for a looooong time and got burned out on water, yet know it’s mandatory: I tell my students to ask me if I have my water bottle with me in class. If I don’t, I have to do push-ups. If I remember to drink from it, they have to do push-ups. Everyone wins. P.S. Can I push on your tummy after you’ve had 8 oz? That always is fun.

  41. Interesting we were just talking about this last night. There is a real connection between properly hydrated and concetration. Hubbing cannot lose focus at work – bad idea. More water it is. We have two brita pitchers. One cold and one room temperature. Ya I’m picky that way…

  42. Full glass of water when you first wake up.

    Yes, i’ve been drinking 3/4 to a gallon of water a day for close to 30 years. It gets to be a habit and you don’t want anything else.

    • Me-too-ing here. I started trying to drink 8 glasses a day in college forty years ago. (I come by my grandmother’s hands legitimately, thank you!) After a year of making hashmarks on the refrigerator notepad, I stopped even thinking about it. Nowadays I keep two gallon jugs in the refrigerator and I refill one every day. Since I start my day taking several pills, I get about 16 ounces before I even start the coffee.

  44. Oh you are singing my challenge! I thought 2.5 years ago when I gave up soda the water issue would solve itself…NOT SO… I have alarms set on my phone – a myriad of non plastic water bottles to carry forth. I have tried the rubber bands, the lemon, lime, cucumber slices, oh and even mint.

    Best advice recently…no sipping. Down the 8 oz all at once. It has helped a bit but still a challenge I intend to conquer

  45. Love the rubber band idea! Not sure you’d go for this but I count decaf tea in my hydration. Of course you’d want to do the iced kind in your part of the country:) I’m enjoying some cooler temps so I can get back to my flavored hot teas.

  46. When you live in the desert, run before work and do another workout after, one tends to drink. A lot. (I go through one large Camelback bottle and a bike bottle in the 7 hours I am teaching-but sometimes you can’t always just leave the room to “go”-so we teachers tend to have big bladders I guess!)

  47. I saw you tweet about all the sugar in soda the other day.
    That was enough for me.

    I can’t even remember the number either LOL

  48. I have a PUR filter on my water faucet & use that to make everything with water in it & fill all my water bottles! I actually found Crystal Light at Costco – lemonade flavor – and put a little in a water bottle for measuring & then pour into ice cube trays & keep a full ice cube container full of them. I learned from experience that I have to use LESS vs. more with this product. I was making them a bit stronger & “eating” a lot of them. I got super bloated. Once I cut back on how many & diluted it more, I was OK. It is a nice little add to the water bottle or just put some cubes in a cup as you are doing computer work or TV.. if they melt, you have a little flavored water!

    GOOD LUCK! I don’t Twitter so…..

  49. My best tips:

    – I fill up a pitcher of water in the fridge and make sure it’s empty by the end of the day. Or I fill up enough water bottles in the fridge to equal my daily goal and grab and go!

    – I carry a refillable water bottle EVERYWHERE I go.

    That’s all I got.

    You go girls!!

  50. Is wine hydrating? If so, then I’m sure I’m getting enough. If not, then I need to reconsider my choice of beverage.

  51. I live in the desert. Drinking water on a constant basis is a must. In the past, pre-desert living, I’ve used a schedule for drinking water.

  52. I drink 3L. its pretty easy…my secret, loooong straws in your containers. Btw, i have found that kids under 2 find my dinged up $5usd Old Navy water container a new & exciting toy as they roll it across the floor. No clue why kids enjoy this simple item a great toy but there it is 🙂

  55. This is one area in which I have excelled for years…it comes automatically to me! I have water with me at all times, even at night…I sort of fear dehydration because it makes me feel icky!

    And while I enjoy lemon or other flavors once in a while, I really love it plain and cold. Our fridge has one of the automatic water/ice thingys and so it comes out filtered and perfectly cool. I have a nice, pretty glass that holds ~20 oz and I drink at least six glasses per day, usually more. I will drink from plastic, but I prefer glass. I found some wonderful portable glass bottles (with silicone sleeves) here: http://www.lifefactory.com/

  57. Create a habit around water. For me it’s driving in the car. I have to have two full water bottles. I’ve conditioned my brain to need water for a drive. Without it I have a hard time focusing even for a short trip to the store.

    Also I carry it with me WHEREVER I go. I keep a water bottles everywhere…so having ones from Brita and Fitstudio and others help me always have one. No excuse I can’t find one.

    Also don’t forget things like strawberries, mint, cucumbers, peaches, etc are great in water…not just citrus.

  58. Before last august, when I started my own weight loss and healthy eating challenge, I would have bet you a million dollars that I couldn’t drink 4 glasses of water a day, much less 8. And now I’m up to 12-14. I have a big 27 ounce stainless bottle that I drink on my way to work and home. So that’s 54 ounces right there. Then at work I make sure my 64 ounce water bottle with a straw is right there on my desk and after every call I take a drink. (I work at a call centre. 🙂 Definitely I find it easier when I make sure there are no other drinks available and I take my bottle to lunch and have a glass with dinner. I don’t track it like I used to. It’s just habit now.

    BTW, I signed up for the challenge. Is there a way for us to be a part of the mizfit group specifically?

  59. I signed up!!

    I think, Amanda, the team thing is just for fun between Roni and Mizzy.

    Is that right?

  61. the whole team thing isn’t in jest (as I am soooo gonna whip Roni’s booty!) but not official on the Brita site.

    Maybe next year!! 😉

    So glad you joined me Amanda and sooooo I’ll have a give away (foreshadowing ;-)) to help you all out with the challenge!

  63. I drink 16oz of water with every meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Protein Bar and Dinner! I’ve always had a big thirst so filling it with water is one of the best things I can do! 😀

  64. Okay I’m late but I’m still laughing imagining the Tornado outing you in a public restroom for your pee color!! Awesome. And I lovelovelove your myth/facts. Especially the one about concentration – great point! My tip for getting enough water? Putting water bottles randomly around my house because heaven forbid I have to walk to the kitchen every time I get thirsty. Good thing I don’t mind tepid water;)

  65. I’m quite good at remembering to drink water following some treatment that gave me hot flushes – working in an office I had to resort to gulping down cups of ice cold water. The habit stuck… the more water you drink, the more you seem to need it. Always carry a water bottle around with you or have a glass of water on your desk! Eventually you will start to wonder where it is if its not there.

  67. I recently started working full time after graduation, and before I really got in the groove of being in one place for 8 hours I was parched, crabby and overall disgusting. Then I realized that the only liquid I was getting during the day was coffee. Gross. Now I keep a water bottle on my desk, fill it up in the morning, and whenever it’s empty I just walk outside to the fountain and fill ‘er up. glug glug glug.

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