by Cascade Ice on February 12, 2021
It seems like such a simple thing … drinking plenty of water each day. But life gets busy, and we forget to make staying hydrated a priority. Next thing you know, you may start feeling the effects of being dehydrated. Believe it or not, hydration affects most functions inside your body, making it one of the most important things you can do to feel and look your best every day.
When you make it a habit to prioritize drinking water, you’ll notice the benefits right away. Here are some things you’ll notice!
You feel focused
Do you ever feel like you get sidetracked easily, and you can’t focus on the task at hand? Drink a big glass of water and watch what happens! Even mild dehydration can affect your ability to focus, as water is one of the most essential needs in our bodies. Since our bodies are made up mostly of water, it makes it even more important to replenish it to feed and cleanse our system.
You’re less tempted to snack
When hunger strikes, make sure you’re not experiencing thirst instead. Sometimes our body can trick us into thinking we are hungry for food when we simply aren’t getting the recommended amount of water through food and liquids. When you consume plenty of water, you’ll notice right away that your snack habit will subside. Still crave a kick? Try Cascade Ice Sparkling Water for a little something different, while still meeting your daily hydration goals.
You have a glow
Skin benefits greatly from hydration, and for some people – it can prevent aging and make the skin’s surface feel softer and get rid of blemishes. The reason why? Our skin is our largest organ, and it relies on water to produce new cells to give us the appearance of a “glow” or youthful skin. When you add more H20 to your diet, your skin will likely be one of the first parts of your body to notice!
Your mood will change
Feel like you’re always in a funk? Not drinking enough water can really mess with your mood, from shifting hormone levels to making you feel tired. To give yourself a little “treat”, try adding some flavor to your water by cutting up fresh fruit and dropping it in, or try a flavored sparkling water variety to switch things up. Bubbly water offers the same benefits as regular water, so drink up, and watch your mood improve!
With all these immediate benefits to staying hydrated, how do you know how much water you need each day? It varies per person, but experts agree that a minimum of 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of water should be your goal. However, some adults may need more or less depending on their health, medications, activity level, climate, etc. Check with your doctor to see about the perfect amount for you.
Have you noticed immediate benefits of being hydrated? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on February 3, 2021
One of the most common pitfalls in creating and maintaining a healthy diet is not being prepared. When we’re prepared with healthy food options, we’re more likely to make better, more nutritious choices and stick to our game plan. However, when we’re simply left to “wing it”, it’s easy to go with what’s convenient – bagged snacks and fast food. Instead of falling off track with your healthy goals, simply take the time to establish a weekly meal prep routine. How? Here are some quick and easy tips on how to be successful at healthy meal planning.
Plan Ahead
This is the most important part of meal prepping. But you don’t have to overthink it. Think about what dishes you feel like eating in the week ahead and ask yourself what sounds good. And, if your ideal meal is less than healthy, the Internet has a ton of ideas for ingredient swaps to make a meal better for you. Loved a meal you made? Make sure to write notes on what you loved and didn’t love so you can adapt your menu in the weeks to come.
Make a Grocery List
With a healthy eating plan, you’ll definitely be consuming lots of fruits, veggies and lean proteins. Plan a weekly grocery trip with your list in hand and try not to deviate from what you came there for. By hitting the store weekly, you’ll be getting fresh ingredients each week, and you can better stick to your plan.
Buy Convenient, Portable Containers
The best meal prep containers are glass and have separate compartments for each menu item. Plastic works as well. Make sure that the containers are easy to take with you on the road, so that you can eat on the go if needed. Simply search “meal prep containers”, and you’ll be amazed at how many options are available.
Practice Portion Control
Another reason why meal prepping can truly help people maintain and lose weight is because it helps you practice portion control without really realizing it! It’s also where the right meal prep containers can play a big part. Try to have a portion of lean protein, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates in each of your meals. If you have food allergies, you can search terms like “dairy free healthy recipes” or “gluten free healthy recipes” to get some inspiration.
Don’t Forget to Hydrate!
An often overlooked part of a healthy diet, but one of the most important…make sure you are well-hydrated! And thirst can often be mistaken for hunger. Not to mention, there are recent studies that suggest that people who drink water before meals eat an average of 75 fewer calories at each meal. Is regular water too boring? Reach for a Cascade Ice Sparkling Water to spark things up!
Do you meal prep? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on January 8, 2021
What exactly does it mean to live a balanced life? For different people, “balanced” might mean different things. Life is a balancing act between fulfilling our desires and obligations to our family, friends, career and health. And if one area of our life gets more attention, it tends to throw off the other areas. So how do you achieve a balanced, healthy lifestyle?
A great place to start is by writing down where you think your life is now, and where you’d like to see yourself improve. Are you chronically tired? Are you wanting to be in better shape? Do you long for closer relationships with your family and friends? Define what a healthy balance means to you and start there.
Another important thing to remember is that while having goals is a great way to motivate, make sure that you approach them realistically by making small, daily improvements to your relationships, your physical body, your spiritual needs, your mental health, career and finances. Here on our Flavorful Life blog, we talk a lot about how making small changes can have a big impact on your health for years to come. Check out some of our past blog posts!
Lastly, be flexible! Lifestyle balance cannot be made overnight and expect to change your course at least a few times. It’s quite normal to reassess how you feel about things, and decisions are definitely not etched in stone. If you feel something isn’t working, switch it up! Make time for yourself each day to “check in” and see which areas of your life need some rebalancing. We are all a work in progress!
How do you strive for a balanced life? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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by Cascade Ice on December 30, 2020
Making New Year’s resolutions has become a tradition, and a vast majority of people tend to make resolutions to be healthier. But whether it’s to lose weight or exercise more, many healthy resolutions fizzle out just a few weeks into the year. So instead of setting ourselves up for failure, what can we do instead?
Attaining goals is all about making small changes daily that add up over time and end up becoming long term lifestyle changes. As humans, if we set our ambitions too high and don’t make our goals, we tend to self-sabotage or even feel guilty. Rather than start 2021 out on the wrong foot, try making these small, daily changes to your life!
Hydrate
A recent study found that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated, which leads to issues like fatigue, hunger, headaches, weakness, high blood pressure and even chronic joint pain. Keep water in various places in your home and car where it’s easily accessible so you can sip throughout the day. You can even set daily goals for yourself (they even sell large water bottles that have markings on the side showing where you should be at different times of day!). Regular water feels boring? Cascade Ice Sparkling Water offers plenty of different flavors and product lines to suit your needs and keep things interesting.
Get Some ZZZ’s
With the rise in electronic usage, we have also become sleep deprived. Try setting realistic limits for yourself to turn off your phone, tablet or TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime each night and try to establish a regular sleep routine. Aim for 8 hours of sleep per night, and make sure your room is dark and quiet. Sleep plays into our overall health, affecting everything from your ability to maintain a healthy weight to fending off depression and anxiety.
Interact with Others
In a global pandemic, it’s definitely tough for everyone to resume fun activities like parties and vacations, but it’s now more important than ever to make sure you’re not “over-isolated.” Try making a regular Zoom call with your family or even schedule a socially distanced outdoor picnic with a friend. The benefits of seeing those you love (even if it’s not in-person) are tremendous – talking with friends can boost the serotonin levels in your brain, leaving you feeling happier and more content. Get creative with ways you can interact with others on a daily basis and you’ll notice that your physical and mental health will get a boost!
Move Your Body
You don’t have to set your sights on establishing a strenuous new fitness routine. This daily goal can be as simple as taking the dog for a long walk twice a day (which benefits you AND your pup!), or even stretching and meditating at home. There are thousands of resources online to suit your preferences, but all that matters is that you move your body for 30 minutes out of your 24-hour day. You’ll be surprised how these small physical fitness goals can transform into an entire healthy lifestyle change, keeping you moving by becoming a habit.What healthy do you have for the new year? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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