I did it!!

I did it! I reached my Spring Challenge Weight, with a little time to spare. I’ve got to spend today thinking about what’s next. Easter? Mother’s Day? That might be too far off. I’ll have it figured out by tomorrow, though. Watch for a new ticker.

As I drop pounds, I’m noticing a few things. I’ve become enamoured with the collarbones that are starting to appear. I can’t really SEE them yet, but I can feel them, and find myself checking to make sure they really, really are there. THEY ARE!!! Eye bags are considerably decreased; extra chins are receeding like glaciers. I’ve still got the crepe-y skin thing happening and some fabu stretch marks, but since the number of people who will ever see my belly can be counted on one hand, I’m not too concerned, Nivea firming body lotion seems to help when I remember to use it.

I’m also noticing a few less pleasant side effects – a little *ahem* plumbing slowdown, some random pimples, and an itchy rash. I did a little research online and think maybe my resistance to drinking just plain old water may be a part of the problem.

Weight loss programs, without any exception I can think of, recommend water, water, water. Not one, that I’ve ever followed, really explains why. “You won’t lose weight if you don’t drink the water.” Really? I think if you restricted calories and increased exercise, you’d lose weight whether you drank 6 ounces or 60 ounces of water. Sure water fills you up (temporarily) and absolutely thirst comes disguised as hunger to the dieting appetite, but why WATER?

Well, water is calorie free. Water isn’t sweet and so doesn’t prompt an insulin response the way artificially or sugar sweetened drinks do. There’s no rebound hunger/thirst to deal with. Water re-hydrates pure and simple, purely and simply. Keeps things moving too. But water has a much more important role for the weight watcher.

Here’s the eye opening, jaw dropper. Toxins – everything from benzene and pesticides to PCBs and birth control hormones – that exceed the liver’s ability to process them are store in body fat. As your body reduces its fat stores, those stored toxins are released back into the blood stream to be processed, again, by your liver and kidneys. Water helps flush those toxins out of your bloodstream.

So join me for a glass, of water. Salut! To your health! And mine.