The #1 Diet and Beauty Trick You're NOT Using

What if you could take something that would make you sleep better at night, help you loose weight, curb cravings and help your skin to be more soft and clear than it is right now?

HA! Well you CAN and you don't have to buy it. It's even a little bit of a let down because it's so common and I think the only reason it's not more popular is because people can't patent it and make money off of it. 

Are you ready to hear what "it" is? 

Ok...it's water. 

Drinking Water

Yup. Old fashioned water. I know everyone talks about it, you can read about it in your women's magazine, but I bet you're still not drinking as much as you need. 

Especially you working cowboy-girls...we have a tendency to stick with beer and coffee for the most part. Since these are diuretics, it just means they're sucking more fluids out of your body, rather than hydrating you.

I drink an inordinate amount of tea and coffee. I had my first cup of coffee straight up, at 4 years old. Then we moved to Scotland for dad's university (he got cranky when someone told him cowboy's were stupid. He proved them wrong.) when I was 8 years old and my addiction to tea really and truly began. It wasn't anything for me to drink 11 cups of tea a day. 

I can remember waking up in the middle of the night when I was still cowboying, and running for the kitchen, where I would drink a glass or three of water as fast as I could. My body just wasn't getting enough and it was protesting! 

I knew that it was good for you, good for your skin, yada, yada, yada, but it just felt a little boring to me honestly. Plus, for some really weird reason I don't like to drink water out of a glass. Yeah, it's weird. I know. 

But a couple of months ago I made a decision to start drinking more water and made it a goal for October to drink at least two big bottles every day. Baby steps, you know. :) 

I got a Klean Kanteen bottle and that's really helped me drink more water. For some reason it tastes better to me from a bottle than it does from a glass....I know, I know, like I said before...weird. 

                                                            

Mine is an awesome turquoise, but they come in all different colors. 

My skin is way softer now that I'm drinking three or four of these bottles every day. I was in town all day last week and while I had my Kanteen with me, the town water just didn't taste good and I ended up not drinking as much water as I usually do. And I could tell a difference that night when I got home: my skin felt dry, my lips were chapped and I just felt...off. I instantly poured myself a bottle of spring water and laughed at myself...I'm one of those people now! :) 

If you drink enough water during the day you won't be as hungry and thus nip cravings in the bud! Being hydrated also aids digestion and makes your skin soft and clear. And, if you go out dancing and drinking and generally causing mayhem most weekends, if you are hydrated enough before you go out, you won't be as hung over the next day. Unless of course you're of Scot/Irish descent in which case you probably won't be hungover anyway!

Using Water

Another beauty secret that is frequently overlooked is using water topically. Is your skin kind of dull and just lacking that soft, feminine look? Want your hair to grow faster and stay shiny? At the end of your shower, turn the water on as cold as you can stand it and rinse your hair and body in cold water. It aids in circulation, making your hair grow more, and tightening the pores in your skin, causing it to look smooth and tight. My mums started me doing this as a little girl and while somedays it's a little shocking at first, I always feel amazing afterwards, full of energy and my hair feels slick and shiny.

If your face needs a deep cleaning, and it does at least once a week, boil some water, pour it in a bowl and lean over the bowl with a towel draped over your head to keep the steam trapped inside. Try to stay that way for 5 minutes. The warm steam breaks up the oil and dirt deep in your skin and when you're done your skin feels incredibly soft, like a baby's. After your skin has come back to room temperature splash with cold water to seal your pores up.

So do yourself a favor ladies, and you gents as well! Make yourself available to a completely free beauty aid that not only helps you look better, but makes you feel better too.

xo xo Liz