The dreaded "D" word - Diet

I have something to admit - I have gained 10lbs in the past year and almost 7lbs in the past 5 months alone! The more weight I gain, the more depressed I get and the less enthusiastic I am to work out, which means I gain even more weight!  It is a terrible cycle to be on and even harder to break.  So what do I do to lose the weight?  Well my first thought is, "What miracle diet can I try now?".  I have probably tried them all.  While driving through Omaha I saw at least 3 billboards advertising the weight loss cure.  One was laser therapy, another was a nutrition pill and the last and best (I think anyway) was to freeze the fat away!  The only problem is that every time I go on a diet I feel deprived and even more depressed.    Dr. Erik reminds me that the word "die" is in die,t so not a great word to use.  This time I have decided to commit to the old fashioned way of losing weight, healthy eating and exercise.
The first thing  I am going to do is to eliminate the word diet!  When thinking about losing weight it is easier to start by adding things and not taking things away.  The first thing I would suggest is to increase your water intake.  We all think we drink a lot of water but if we measure our consumption for a day ,how much have we really taken in?  The old rule for water was 8 - 8 ounce glasses a day.  An average adult is composed of 57-60% water.  The more overweight we are the less water we have as the takes over.  The new rule for water intake is take your body weight divide it in half and drink that amount in ounces.  For example if you weigh 160lbs you should consume 80 ounces of water a day.  This should be in its purest form so soda, coffee and tea don't count!  The best way to do that is carry a water bottle with you or keep one at your desk and make sure you are filling it every 2-3 hours depending upon the size.  This will give you a more accurate insight to how much water you are actually taking in.
The next five weeks I will discuss my progress and give you a different health tip to help you effectively lose weight or reach your realistic size!  This week - commit to increase your water.