There are two simple things you can do to keep your yearly natural cleanse resolutions to get healthier and lose weight, they are: cleanse smart by drinking more water and keep moving.

And I am not talking about vigorous exercise or 8 glasses of water every day.

To change our habits, we need to change our lifestyle, to change our lifestyle takes longer than we expect, that is why all diets fail. Let’s be realistic: to change something in your life and stick to it takes more than a week or two, and even more than two- three months, am I right?

If you ask me how to start drinking more water and move more the easy way, I would say: start your day with a glass of water before breakfast and get a puppy – just kidding about the puppy … or not.

Why and how to drink more water

First filter it: don’t accept the propaganda that municipal water is safe to drink.

We lose water every day by breathing, sweating, urinating, having bowel movements – this is how our body achieves a natural cleanse from its toxins.

Did you know that headaches and migraines can be caused by dehydration? Headache fatigue, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, tingling of the limbs are the symptoms of dehydration?

To drink more water is easier than you think. Let me explain how: drink a glass of water (warm and with half a lemon if you like) before breakfast and a cup of tea during or after breakfast.  It is already two glasses, and you haven’t even started your day yet! It is simple, isn’t it?

How to start moving without sweat

First, why a puppy? In addition to my 13 year old Aussie, we adopted another one year old puppy a couple of weeks ago. And guess what? With the same routine (two 40 min. walks a day) I started losing weight, because our walks are now at a faster pace. They say young kids keep us young, well, young dogs keep us healthy .

But you obviously don’t have to get a puppy to burn 102 cal. in 30 minutes by walking or 136 cal. by playing with him. There are other options for you.

Walking by itself will help you burn a lot of calories – maybe that is why European women are slimmer.

Walking and calories

• up stairs – 272 calories in 30 min
• down stairs – 102 calories in 30 min
• inside at work gathering things – 102 calories in 30 min
• for pleasure – 119 calories in 30 min
• under 2 mph (very slow, strolling) – 68 calories in 30 min

Don’t have time to walk? What about going shopping

• non-groceries – 78 calories in 30 min
• groceries, without cart – 85 calories in 30 min
• groceries, with cart – 78 calories in 30 min
• carrying – groceries – 85 calories in 30 min

It is all aboutmoving. You can burn calories even without leaving the house

• ironing – 78 calories in 30 min
• cooking – 85 calories in 30 min
• washing car – 102 calories in 30 min
• vacuuming, around home – 119 calories in 30 min
• sweeping, inside (e.g., floors) – 112 calories in 30 min
• washing dishes – 78 calories in 30 min
• mopping – 119 calories in 30 min
• multiple household tasks, light – 85 calories in 30 min
• cleaning – light (e.g., dusting) – 85 calories in 30 min

Don’t want to clean a house? Well, I can understand it. So what’s left?

Kissing and hugging.They will help you burn calories (34 cal. in 30 minutes), reduce stress and boost your immune system.

And speaking about reducing stress, sex will help you both with stress and calories: 30 to 50 calories in 30 minutes! So, more sex = less calories and less stress – please have it in mind.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to move and burn calories. Start with baby steps, keep it simple and you will be surprised with the results:

• one extra glass of water before breakfast gives you extra 365 glasses of water a year;
• moving 30 minutes a day can help you burn extra 3000 or more calories a month!

Let us be smart and take simple steps to feeling and looking fabulous.

And, as usual, don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

Click to listen to our discussion with Dr. Marlene Siersema on How to Keep the Weight Off to Feel Amazing.

Click to listen to our discussion with Wendy Ida, the Fitness Warrior on How to Get Rid of Belly Fat to Feel and Look Sexy After 50.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Relationship Expert