Our new week's challenge is all about staying hydrated....some of the ways drinking water can help in our efforts to lose weight are:

1) Staying hydrated can help prevent overeating. Often, feelings of thirst are actually confused and interpreted as feelings of hunger. If you feel a hunger twinge come on between meals, drink a glass of water and wait 30 minutes to see if that solves it.

2) Drinking water decreases your calorie intake compare to drinking something else that could be sugary and high caloric. By drinking water, you can save those calories to use on more nutrient dense food that keep you fuller longer and not waste them on a beverage.

3) Water temporarily boosts metabolism, so drinking 1-8 oz. glass burns about 12 calories, multiple that by several glasses a day and it adds up.

Opinions vary about the amount of water we should drink but the general rule of thumb is around 64 oz, which is 8 8-oz glasses. But few glasses are actually that small these days, so if you drink 8 glasses you are most likely getting more than 64 oz.

For our mini challenge this week try to increase your intake of water if you are currently drinking under 64 oz daily. If you already are drinking plenty of water, focus more on seeing the effects of drinking water to curb hunger twinges and making smarter lower caloric beverage choices.

Tips for increasing your water... add in your favorite squeeze of fresh citrus to keep it interesting, keep a cold pitcher of water in the refrigerator, carry a refillable water bottle with you during the day, and/or use a straw.

Post along on this thread throughout the week about your progress. And keep in mind while we are becoming better hydrated this week, last week's mini challenge & that we are still eating less, moving more and being consistent.

Let's have a great week everyone!