Week 1 of the 52 small changes challenge - all welcome

[OddSocksHighHeels]

So the aim is to make one small change a week over a year to keep it manageable based on a book called 52 Small Changes. I'll post each week with the new challenge and people can adapt to however it suits them.

Week 1 starting tomorrow (or today I guess as it's now after midnight) is to drink more water.

The book advises this method for working out how much you should drink: take your body weight in pounds and divide by two, that number is the amount of water you should drink in ounces eg you weigh 150lb so you should drink 75oz water per day. I can't quite follow this so I'm sticking with 1.5 litres a day as an aim.

Feel free to add fruit or veg or whatever if you don't like the taste of water by itself. I currently have a jug that I've added some raspberries and mint to waiting for me to drink tomorrow.

I will check in at the end of each day to update on my progress and keep myself accountable. I hope you all find it helpful too!

Here's to a healthier year

Ooo I would like to join in too please. More water tomorrow... In preparation for drinking rather too much wine most likely.

I have been drinking about 5 glasses of water a day plus most of a bottle of wine over the festive season.

I'm going dry on Jan 1st, so will join in then and start hydrating myself with stuff other than prosecco and chardonnay

I'm in late to the party as usual but haven't drunk much water at all today - starting tomorrow!!

Just found you! I'm in too. Have spent December in an intense alcohol/caffeine cycle and feeling crappy. Water definitely a good place to start and looking forward to sleep.....

I would like to join in please, starting today. I've downloaded the book but it will be fun to do it with others, dh looked mildly interested until he heard the first one was drinking enough water.

Me too! Am BF at the mo so feeling more inclined to drink water so may as well make the most of it. Normally I live on tea.

I've been making more effort to get a few glasses in in the morning to try and avoid too much in the evening. Otherwise I as up half the night!

I'm going to take a look at the sleepbot thing. Sounds interesting.

I have a jug of water in the fridge and am getting through 2 or 3 litres a day.

I love the flavoured fizzy water, but have avoided that and now put no more than a teaspoonful of no sugar free squash into a litre bottle of water. It kind of flavours it, not much, but just enough to keep me drinking.

I am currently researching how much water is in wine

My book arrived today, I like having an actual copy to thumb through.

Have others done the sheer balance assessment?

Slow going here with the water, but still drinking more than normal.
Have def cut down at tea at the same time.
Got me bottle!! Put in lemon and limes last night and it's nice.- aiming to get thru 2 bottles a day.
Feeling really bloated today so hopefully the waTer will help!
Hoping it will be easier when back at work...

I'm slowly getting there with the water, have been at parties and stuff so a bit tricky

Where's the bottle from minny? I like the look of that one!

I've had 500ml so far. I seem to be doing all my drinking later on which is no good. I've told myself no alcohol today until water is done so that should push me into it!

Has anyone been able to do the sheer balance assessment without a Facebook account ?

What's the sheer balance assessment? Do I need to read the book better?

C'mon Oddsocks, i'm depending on you here! Pull 'em up!

Ofdsocks it's from Amazon - £10
In kitchen prepping for family coming over and keep forgetting to drink!!

I did the balance assessment. Apparently all my areas need attention I did roll my eyes slightly at the exercise one as I'm training for a half marathon, do strength training and yoga. Don't think there's much more I can do fgs.. not enough hours in the day, unless I give up my dc Pretty spot on with the other areas though.

Missed my target yesterday by a tiny 200ml, wines fault. On track for today though and I won't be drinking tonight as I like to start the New Year fresh and not hungover and grotty feeling.

Off to check this sleep app.

oddsocks it's mentioned at the beginning (page 10 in my book) and is supposed to give you a baseline and highlight areas for improvement, and then which weeks will help the improvement. I emailed them as don't have Facebook and they've just sent me the link to complete it. Like Sirona all my areas need attention....

Ah, found it. You can only do it through a desktop though and I don't have one. Never mind. Plus you need to like the page on Facebook and I can't be arsed with that

Hello, love the idea of baby steps to change. I am usually pretty good on drinking water but sleep, really not so good. I am tracking my sleep on my Fitbit to motivate me (also did a sleep Headspace mindfulness app last year which was very helpful).

Dd2 was under a sleep clinic last year - sen-related, we have a list of foods which promote sleep which I can give people.

That would be great quirky thank you

Foods that contain tryptophan (convert to serotonin>melatonin) which promote sleep

Milk and milk products: traditional warm milk, yoghurt and soya milk

Meat: chicken and Turkey

Fish: cod, tuna, mackerel, salmon

Cheese: cheddar, processed cheese, cottage cheese, tofu

Fruits: apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, avocados, pineapple, peaches, cherries

Veg: spinach, asparagus, green peas, broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumbers, potatoes

Nuts: walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, chestnuts, almonds

Seeds: ground flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower seeds

Legumes: mung, soy, kidney, Lima beans and chickpeas

Grains: wheat, brown rice, red rice, barley corn, oats

Bread:whole wheat bread

Great thread, count me in. I spend most of my life desperately dehydrated and I've been thinking about getting one of those fruit infuser jugs because normal water is just a bit blah.

Only had 1l of water today and 2 coffees. Not good. I'm on the Baileys now so that's probably me done for this year. Have a good evening everyone