Gallon a Day Water Challenge Results

So I did it. I drank a gallon of water a day everyday for the month of June. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I experience some health changes? Would I notice a big difference? Here are some of the things I’d read drinking a gallon of water a day could do for your health:

1. increased energy
2. improved skin clarity
3. metabolism boost
4. weight loss
5. improvement of skin conditions
6. lightening of dark circles under eyes
7. prevents overeating
8. decrease in headaches
9. regular bowel movements
10. less bloating

Are you ready to hear what happened when I drank a gallon of water a day for a month?  Here it is:

Nothing.

Seriously. I didn’t notice anything different. Except perhaps I had to use the bathroom a bit more than usual. I was hoping for increased energy. Maybe I’d drop a few pounds. Have glowing skin. Nope, nope, and nope. That’s probably why I didn’t give you any updates throughout the month. I was waiting to notice something, but nothing happened.

I think the fact is that if you’re already healthy, increasing your water isn’t going to make a noticeable difference. It’s not like I wasn’t drinking a lot of water before the challenge. I love water and drink it all day long. I didn’t measure my intake before the challenge, but I’m guessing it wasn’t that much under a gallon a day.

The challenge helped me the most on especially busy days. Those are the days I know I probably wasn’t getting as much water as I should, and this challenge reminded me to be aware of how much I am drinking.

Enough about me, I want to hear about YOU! I’ve already gotten two emails from readers about their experience with the Gallon a Day Water Challenge. Remember, if you share your experience, you are automatically entered to win a glass LifeFactory water bottle, my favorite! All you have to do is send me an email at thehappyhealthymama {at} gmail {dot} com and tell me how you did with the challenge. Even if, like me, you noticed no difference, tell me about it!

July Challenge Announcement

When I decided to do the Happy Healthy Mama Healthy Year Challenge, I planned out almost every month’s challenge, but I left a few blank. I knew that as the year progressed, I’d want some open months to create a challenge that was pertinent to what I was experiencing. I didn’t know what my year would bring or what kind of things I’d need to focus on based on what was going on. July was one of the unplanned months. I thought a lot about what area of my life needs the most focus, health related, right now.  The more I thought about it, the clearer it became.

This month, I’m focusing less on my body and more on my mind. There’s a reason I called this blog Happy Healthy Mama. I believe that the health of our minds is as important as the health of our bodies. I’ve noticed that lately I have so much going on in my mind, so many hats I’m trying to wear at the same time, I am not always fully aware of what’s important. I want to slow down and change that.

What is mindfulness?

According to Christine Carter, Ph.D, mindfulness can be described like this:

Like gratitude, altruism, and strong social ties, mindfulness is definitely a part of the happiness Holy Grail. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the scientist who first “translated” Buddhist practices of mindfulness into a secular program, defines mindfulness as the “awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experiences moment by moment.”

I have been learning a lot about mindfulness and how to practice it, and I can’t wait to share my findings with you. I hope you’ll come along on this journey and take the Mindfulness Challenge. Practicing mindfulness can help us in all of our relationships, including parenting, help us reduce stress, and overall be more positive people. Let’s do this together! Are you in?