Is a Gallon a Day Too Much?

My goal every day is to drink a gallon of water. I'm 5 foot, about 150 pounds. I'm a 22 year old female living in south Georgia who is very active (gym at least 3 times a week, server (about 30 hours a week), and I do my observations hours for school at the hospital in town (I shoot for at least 2 hours a day M-F).)

Is a gallon of water too much in one day? People just don't seem to believe that I've made a healthy choice when they see me carrying my gallon jug around. I want to show everyone that there is research out there supporting my decision.

It is believed that in a healthy person, their kidneys can excrete a little under a liter of water per hour. Hyponatremia, which is commonly called water intoxication, means that there is less salt in your body than is needed in relevance to the amount of water. When the ratio of water to salt is not standard, certain bodily functions cannot be carried out (this can mean there is too little salt, or too much (dehydration)). For the body to be considered hyponatremic, there must be more water taken into the body than can be excreted in a certain amount of time.

I would have to drink an entire gallon in less than 4 hours to cause hyponatremia.

Mind you, I only want to drink 3.8 liters (one gallon) in 24 hours. Okay, we'll say in about 16 hours, I like to sleep (and not drink) for a few hours a day.

What factors increase your recommended water intake per day? Exercise (intensity, duration, frequency), health (pre-existing conditions, kidney failure) gender, environment (high altitude, high temp/humidity), pregnancy or breast-feeding http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256?pg=2

What is Hyponatremia? http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445

What are the benefits of drinking a gallon a day? http://www.livestrong.com/article/424740-what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day/

No, I am not a doctor, and no, I don't think it is absolutely the safest thing for someone to drink a gallon of water every day if they are not used to it. But under my circumstances, in my state, I believe it is not unsafe to have a goal of drinking a gallon of water every day. I don't do it every day, I probably only actually get the whole thing finished off 2-3 times a week.

Like I said before, I live in south Georgia - it is HOT. I'm the type of person who will take the stairs up 3 floors instead of jumping in an elevator. I workout hard and for about 45-60 minutes at least 3 days a week. Weightlifting, cardio, tabata, plyometrics, etc. And, I don't avoid salty foods.

Katie

Dead to Me

Of all 500,000 people I've met in my life I've told someone they were "dead to me" three times. Once, to an unnamed person who I believed deserved it at the time. WE have repaired that relationship, and I'm glad to say that they are one of the most important people in my life. Another, was an old roommate. I'm sure we all know who that was...and what makes this whole situation even better is that the third person I've said this about...is her best friend.

You'd think I would learn by now. Apparently though, behind my bitchy facade, I was too soft-hearted and believed this time would be different. After going through TWO other female roommates, I was convinced that I was 100% the problem. I was too controlling, too bitchy, too outspoken, too rude, too uncaring, too unkind, I could go on for days. These are the things I have been told about myself. I've been told that I am a terrible roommate and cannot live with girls. For the record, I probably can't live with girls...I am entirely too possessive.

As I've said before though, I have 101 reasons why I do the things I do. I lived with parents who were rarely happy - they were always fighting. When they finally decided to get a divorce, it was not a clean break. My father lost his business, my mom lost our house. We were homeless for a while - living with my grandparents and aunt. When we finally got a house, we had lost our car. It was one thing after another. I don't think I've ever just had a happy home. I am so possessive of my home because I'm trying to make a happy home for myself .Just because YOU grew up in a wonderful household, that doesn't mean that everyone else did. People should really not take that for granted, because quiet honestly, I've overcome and learned how to live with a lot of things that I had to grow up with. I've been through more hell than some people will ever think about going through, but did you know that? No, because I'm doing my best in life to overcome these obstacles and make the best of the time in life that I have left.

I've lived through this stage of life that this blog post's subject is going through now. You've been out of your parents' house for a total of what, 6 months? Honey, when I had been moved out for 6 months, I didn't know shit. I didn't know how to pay bills, budget my money, think about the future - but I thought I did. You've been out of high school for like, a year and a half. You don't know shit. Please, step aside and let the grown ups handle their business.

I moved in with Kaleb and another roommate exactly 2 years ago - and this was after living in a dorm on VSU's campus for a year, living with my grandparents for a short while, and moving to Washington and living there for a while with my dad. 5 months after moving back from Washington is when I moved in with Kaleb and his friend. At that point, we were the only ones living there - it was a balanced, respectful environment. As time went on, a girl started hanging out at the apartment and when looking for a new apartment for the next year's lease, we decided to have her move in. About 2 weeks before we actually moved in together, I realized it was the worst decision EVER. She was rude, controlling, disrespectful of me, my house, my property, my pet, everything. We tried to make amends, but after a huge feud, her moving out 6 months after moving in, and then a fake makeup, things never got better. We don't talk to this day.

After she left, another one of our roommate's friends moved in to her old room. He's great.

Back to mine and Kaleb's original roommate...
He ended up breaking up with his long term girlfriend and began dating other girls, a few actually moved in, but then quickly moved out. One of his ex girlfriends was someone I would never associate myself with, and when things went downhill with her, she left. Another girlfriend moved in. She is the third person I've determined to be "dead to me". So, after living with the same people for a year and a half, she comes into MY house, begins attempting to control things, move things, change rules, push me out of the way. Bitch, this is MY house. Don't think this is the part of the story where she left though, because things only got worse. Honestly, things with her were the easiest for the longest amount of time, but as soon as it got blown out of proportion, everything was over.

How would you react if someone came into your home, began moving your personal property all around the house because they didn't like where you had it? If anyone knows me, you know exactly how anal I am and how OCD I am. You would know how precise I am with my food and exercise. One day I open the fridge to get some of my food out - and everything had been rearranged.

My folded up blankets on the shelf in the living room were strewn across the couches when I woke up in the morning. Drinks all over the table. Trash on the floor. Shoes all over the foyer. (LITERALLY, EVERYWHERE, like 7 or 8 pairs of shoes in a 3x3 ft area. Nasty, restaurant non-slip, greasy shoes) My vacuum would be used and not emptied. My laundry and cleaning materials would be used and rarely replaced. My food would be eaten. And I was the only person who would get up in the morning and clean up after all 5 people living in the house.

I was sitting at home on my ONLY DAY OFF this week (because I go to school and work). I had all the lights turned off and was watching American Horror Story. As soon as [blog post's subject] walks in, she turns on two lights, and then took the dog outside. I got up, turned both lights off. She walks back in, turns on another light (this one being the lamp right next to me). I let her do what she had to do, and when she was done I got up and turned the light back off. She said "Um, can you turn the light back on?" I said, "No, I want the light off". She said, "Well, I'm going to turn it back on for a minute" (in a very rude manner). I paused my show and waited on her to turn it back off. She sat there completely in silence for about 2 minutes before she got up and walked out of the room (walking directly by the light without turning it back off). I said, "You could at least turn the light off". She ignored me.

Now, if I had done this, she would have told her boyfriend, who would have then in turn, told my boyfriend to tell me to stop being such a bitch. DRAMATIC, right? All she had to do was respect the fact that I wanted to watch tv in MY living room on my ONLY night off. (Yes, I keep emphasizing this. It's because she went from working like 4-5 days a week when she first started staying here, to working NEVER. Seriously, she paid someone $20 to work her only shift last week. LOL Like I said, you don't know shit. You seriously depend on your boyfriend to pay all your bills and for all your clothes and food. Good luck with that, because I can tell you exactly how that worked out with his last girlfriend...) So, my point is - this was probably one of the dumbest things I could have ever gotten mad about, but I just want some respect. This is my house, and I will do what I please (when it doesn't affect anyone else) without a word from you, you snotty, rude, disrespectful, unladylike bitch. You are dead to me.

Valentine's Day at the Horn

What's going on in the life of this college kid today? It's Valentine's Day 2014 and I am working tonight. Kaleb is also working tonight, so we celebrated yesterday.

While trying to get back into a routine, I skipped the gym this morning, but still managed to wake myself up early so I can continue to wake up early I guess. I did some laundry, watched some 90210, and eventually Kaleb got up and we went and got some lunch. As we're out getting lunch I realized how amazing the weather felt outside. While sitting in the car, all I could think was "If I was in school this semester, I'd be sitting outside of the student union on campus, soaking up the sunlight, sipping on some Starbucks, and studying Chemistry. Too bad I'm going to be even further behind now that I'm out of school this semester."

Then I realized all the good that is coming from me taking a semester off. The stress has been reduced after going to school for 3 straight semesters. Crazily enough, that is the longest I've gone to college without a break. This semester killed my streak I guess, but I'll be back in May! When I go back this time, I'm FINISHING. I will not be quitting until I have a degree in my hands.

As I lay here in my bed blogging, drinking a huge, no-no sweet tea, and watching 90210, I just have to think about how lucky I am. I don't thank God enough for the blessings and strength He has provided for me.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, 

because when he has stood the test he will receive the 

crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 3:12)

This verse has gotten me through many many trials. It has also made me feel grateful in my happiest times. 

On another topic, I have to be at work about an hour. 3:30 until I don't know...probably at least 10:30. Wish me luck! I'm going for calm tonight. LOL

Much love, 

Katie 

How Many Are In Your Party?

Today I'm pondering the fact that I may or may not have health insurance through my company as of January 2014. A friend at work posted something about how she was going to be paying $200 a month for health insurance on JUST herself come January. (She has 2 kids as well!) So, as I'm sitting here listening to everyone complain about Obamacare, I'm just like "whatever, I have insurance...I'm good". Guess not!

The semester is coming to a close; we have 3-4 weeks left, depending on when finals are. I almost wish we weren't going on break. Its like whenever I want to have a break, there's not one anytime soon, and when I don't want one, we have a month long break.

I didn't realize before how much things can change in a split second. You think everything is going well, and you're building on everything that started at the absolute worst, then all of a sudden everything you've worked for means absolutely nothing.

Weight loss in progress. Progress will be posted as soon as some progress has been made.

My contacts are working very well. I finally figured out how to put them in AND take them out efficiently. I can see, and I don't have to wear my glasses to the gym - I can now SEE things. Oh lord, running made easy.

Work is great. I was talking to some girls from work, and they said exactly what everyone from work says when they first get a chance to talk to me, "I hated you at first, but now you're cool". Is it just me, or does anyone think their job is super important?

Imagine: You and your friend walk into a restaurant. No one is there to greet you, so you stand awkwardly for a minute or two until the host finally realizes you're there. She is rude, doesn't made eye contact and then walks you to the table and then leaves without a word. Your server greets you and gets your drink order. When the server comes back with the drinks, they ask if you're ready. You say no, so they say they'll check back in a few minutes. They walk away, and 5 minutes later you see them chatting it up by the back computer while being rude/loud/unprofessional. They then walk to the back, stay for another 5 minutes, and then come back to get your order. When your food is finally put in and you are waiting on your salads, you hear some employees cleaning up the table next to you gossiping/cussing/being unprofessional. Your food finally comes out and the food runner asks if you need anything else; you tell them you need ketchup and mustard and they say they'll grab it. 5 minutes later when your server gets back to you, they still haven't brought the ketchup or mustard, your food is cooked incorrectly, and someone walking by somehow managed to spill something on you without apologizing or offering to clean it up. Eventually, everything is situated and  you're cashing out, just ready to leave because your experience has not been the best. A manager has not been over to talk to you, and your server did not do anything to help. Before leaving,  you get up to wash your hands and use the restroom, but can't find it. Politely, you stop an employee to ask where it is; they rudely point to the back and walk away.

How would you feel? How would you react? Would you have asked for a manager? Would you have left the restaurant? Would you have noticed some of the problems in this situation? Personally, I would have probably just left. I wouldn't have wanted to raise a scene, but sometimes things like that can be very frustrating. Some of my coworkers, whether its accidental or not (including myself) do some of the things in this scenario thinking its not big deal. My problem with this is that if this happened to YOUR table, they might tell everyone they know not to come back because they had an awful experience. In turn, they will tell everyone they know, and then they will tell everyone THEY know. It gets to be a mess, and you can lose so much business because of one party's bad experience. Now imagine that not only one, but ALL the parties in the restaurant had a bad experience, do you know how many people that is? These guests that visit our restaurant keep us in business. This keeps me employed, and keeps food on MY table. Some of my coworkers get SO mad at me because I'm crazy OCD, but honestly...I wouldn't have it any other way.

I like rules. I like things to be the way they should. There are REASONS that these rules and regulations have been set the way they are, and there is a reason everyone has been told to follow them. I'm so tired of people thinking they are above the rules.

<3

A WHOLE DAY OFF?!

Life of a college kid. What do you think that means?

• Stress
• Broke
• Busy

Yeh, well I can attest to all of the above. I haven't written on my blog in almost a year. For a while I just didn't write because I had time. Then I started to write, but never finished because I just didn't have the time. Then I finally had some time and I felt like it didn't matter if I wrote or not. Well, its time. Sometimes you just have things you NEED to say, but no one to vent to. I mean sure, I could vent to a lot of people, but it gets really annoying sometimes. So now, I'll just vent on my blog again to give them the choice whether or not they want to hear it. 

Let's just start off with school. After this semester, I will have 69 hours. I will be done with my 5th semester, and I will OFFICIALLY be a junior. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but no one in my family has graduated college as a traditional college student. Now, I did take a year off during what was supposed to be my sophomore year. So I guess I'm not technically a traditional college student, but I still consider myself one on the '5 year plan'. I should be graduating in Spring 2015, which would be exactly 5 years since I graduated high school. If I can pull this off, I will be SO proud of myself, because I will technically have graduated in 4 years (of coursework) even after changing my major TWICE. 

Right now I am taking Anatomy & Physiology II with lab, Speech Communication, and Introduction to Rehabilitation Sciences. I took Pilates and Weightlifting during the first part of the semester as well. So, at 10 hours, this has been my slowest semester yet. I am signed up for 16 hours next semester, and then 6 over the summer. (Last summer I dropped all my courses to work full time and save up money. That didn't work out very well, so I am 100% taking summer courses this year.) After this summer, I will have 91 credits, and be a SENIOR. 

In my Intro to Rehab class, my teacher basically explains to us what our major is...what we can do with our degree once we graduate, and tells us about the different professions and grad school. Now that I am in my junior year and graduation is creeping up on me, my adviser has begun to talk about it. Knowing that I completely screwed up my freshmen year, I am terrified that I won't be accepted to ANY PT schools. If I do, I am well aware that it probably won't be in or around Savannah. I will probably have to move to another state, so its very stressful to think about. 

Next, I'm going to talk about work. (This subject shouldn't be as long ;))

Although I'm only taking 10 hours at school, which technically is not full-time, I still spend at least 30-40 hours a week on school with out of class studying and class times. I love my major, so I REALLY love most of my course work. What's stressful is knowing that not only do I have to spend that much time on school, but I also work full-time. My hours have been cut recently due to other restaurants opening in the area (all the servers' hours have been cut at my store), but I usually dedicate my entire weekend to work, and my entire week to school. Work is stressful. Since I live with my boyfriend, we are in charge of putting all the food on the table, keeping the lights on, and making sure we have clothes to wear. I hear people forever talking about how they still live with their parents at the age of 25. That's cool and all, like they don't really have to pay for much...but I'll take the extra responsibility for all of my own freedom. 

I have some really awesome friends. Seriously. I KNOW I am always running, and I literally forget to talk to people sometimes because I have so much on my plate. Even when I haven't talked to certain people in week or even months, they still come back into my life like there was no gap in between. 

Keely, you went and got married and we still managed to workout together and go on Savannah shopping trips ALL the time. When I got into my major though, I know I started to suck at QT with you. Thanks for still being there for me. 

Hannah, we probably haven't talked in like 5 months due to our work schedules being completely opposite. We've been through so much since 1st grade. Hating each other, loving each other, not talking to each other, working together. You will always be my best friend. I love you! 

Taylor, you moved 11,000 miles away, and you wake up at 7 am to talk to me sometimes. I mean, I do the same, but hey. :) Even though we've been friends since 9th grade, I feel like we got so much closer SO quickly over the past couple months. I love you and I canNOT wait for you to get back from Australia! 

Morgan, you're my freaking sister. You know that I am here for you 24/7 whether we talk daily or weekly. You 4 are so important in my life. Each one of  you is in my life for a different reason, and I don't know what I would do if I was without any of you. 

I have other friends who are just as important, but I don't have time to sit here and name you all. One day, maybe I'll just write a blog on every single one of my friends. Oh man, that'd be great. 

So, I haven't curled my hair in like 9 months, and I'm in the process of it now. I will go finish that, and then probably study. Then I'm waking up at 6:30 to go to the gym with Princess Pratt. Then I have class tomorrow. I HAVE FRIDAY OFFFFFFFF. Like, no school, no work. I don't know what to do with myself. I may freak the f*ck out. I might go stir crazy sitting at my house. Maybe I'll just take a nap. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH A DAY OFF. 

Good night. 

Scratch On My Cornea

I woke up this morning with my eye feeling really funky. After about 3 minutes of walking around doing my thing, I realize it actually just hurts. I went to the bathroom, examined it, and concluded that I had pink eye.

I decided to go to the gym with Keely anyways.

While driving to the gym, it really started bothering me, and once I got there it interfered with my workout, so I decided to go to the eye doctor. Come to find out, I have a 'scratch' on my eye that he described as having a "chunk" taken out of my cornea. Uh, ew. So he put lots of eye drops in...one that numbed my eye - that was really cool, and then he put in this 'bandage' contact. It was basically so that every time I blink, my eyelid doesn't scrape the open nerve endings in my eyeball.

And, I have to put in an eye drop every 15 minutes. And then a stinging antibiotic one 4 times a day. Needless to say, I can only half see out of my left eye and things are getting really frustrating.

First thing I thought: "How the heck did this even happen?"

Yeh, I have no clue. I was at work yesterday when it really started bothering me for the first time, so I'm clueless.

Now, tonight is my 4 year anniversary with Kaleb and I have to sit at home all alone. I was scheduled to work all day, but they had too many people scheduled for dinner shift, so they sent me home. Kaleb has to work. This sucks.

I guess I'll just watch some Vampire Diaries with Ziggy. <3




- Katie

One Year

Well, I have a completely sane reason for not posting anything in like a month. There is this girl at work who just dislikes me for absolutely no reason at all. Like, literally...we were friends one day and the next she refused to talk to me. It was so weird. Might I add, she's like 25. You might think she would be a little more mature than that. Guess not. Anyways, point being - I haven't posted anything in a while because I found out she went on my Facebook and found the link to my blog. She went through it and was making so much fun of me, so I didn't really want to put myself back out there for her to keep making fun of it. Whatever, eff it.

A couple months ago I was driving down the road and thought of an awesome blog post: "Where do you think you will be in a year?"

A year ago, I definitely did not think I would be here. [At the time I thought about the topic] I was still living in Washington a year ago. I worked at H&M in Tacoma. It was hard, we only had one car to share between  3 adults (plus Kaleb when he got there), a 3 bedroom house to share between  6 people, and a cat to take care of. I thought it was such a great decision moving out there and didn't want to come back for a couple years. Thank goodness I did. Thinks have turned out SO much differently than I thought they would. Now, I'm living back in Georgia, working at Longhorn, still living with my sweet boy, and we have another little furchild. :) Marley was amazing. I miss her, but Ziggy is just as cool in a different way. Haha.

I can't believe I'm living with 2 other roommates. I thought after college that would be all. I figured Jordan would be my only roommate ever. Seriously, what was I thinking? Rent is expensive. Yes, Kaleb and I are having out 4 year anniversary in 17 days, but I am okay with us not being married right now. We just have so much on our plate with me in school and both of us working to keep food on the table. I thought you were supposed to have it all figured out by our age, but that is definitely not the case. :P

Where will I be in one year? Who knows...I hope to be about 1 class shy of a college senior, have a better paying job, and a house of my own. (or apartment...) I wonder what I can get done in 12 months.

One thought I had the other day while at work, was that I miss the freedom of expression at H&M so badly. Not just because I could wear whatever I wanted, but because it was actually encouraged. No one made fun of your off-the-wall outfits, and I could flaunt whatever piercings or tattoos I wanted. That was one of the principles there though. When I came back to Georgia and started working at Cato again, I realized how much I missed it, but working at Longhorn makes me miss it SO much more. At H&M I could show up in basically leggings and a tunic or even jeans and a nice tee, but a dress was always acceptable. :) You didn't have to really wear any special shoes, whereas at Cato we had to wear business casual with nice shoes. Longhorn just makes us wear all black and restaurant shoes. Oh so much different.

1. Our Christmas tree. :D

2. Ziggy under the Christmas tree, haha.

3. Ziggy on my bed.

4. Kirsten and I at El Real. We were gonna take a really great picture until our server just ignored us...and then as soon as we were about to take the picture, he walked up and decided to actually help us, so this is all I got and we forgot to take another. <3

- Katie