Water Challenge 

I am challenging you to drink more water and here are five tips to help you get started!

I am the WORST at drinking water. I am actually the worst for drinking any fluid, period. Even with my love of a certain Diet Doctor, I can’t seem to get in enough fluids to be adequate. Well that is the change I am going to make. Until it sticks, I am going to be consciously working toward getting the recommended amount of WATER in each day and I am inviting you to actively participate in this challenge with me.

So before I decided to start this challenge, I sat down with my best friend, health nut, Registered Dietitian, Julian Carpenter, to ask her a few questions for me to get started.

We began our conversation by her telling me how much water I should be drinking every day. “The recommendation is half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150 pounds (lol not even in my dreams) you should drink 75 ounces of water each day.” Julian and I discussed what counts as a water or fluid when trying to stay hydrated. She informed me it was just water or flavored water ONLY. Things like coffee and my favorite Diet Doctor that contain caffeine are a diuretic and can dehydrate you if you do not also drink water. Things like milk and juice have their health benfits but too much can add a lot of extra calories to your diet. We also discussed some of her tips for getting those ounces in.

Always have water with you. Julian’s first tip to me, many moons ago, was to keep a water source with me at all times and this continues to be her number one tip. “Whether it’s a water bottle or a cute cup, keeping water on hand throughout your day will help you to mindlessly get those ounces in.” By the way, putting it in a cute cup or bottle is also a top tip from her. Making it something you want to carry with you will help in making sure that you do.

Add sugar-free flavor packets or fruit. Giving water an extra taste can also help you to boost your water intake and can also help keep those sweet cravings at bay. Bonus, if you put fruit, like oranges or strawberries, in your drink you have a snack for later!

Set a timer. If you’re really forgetful, like me, about drinking water, Julian suggested setting timers throughout the day to remind you to drink some water. “When your timer goes off try the 5 gulp rule. Every time you take a drink take 5 big gulps to get in your water.” By the end of the work day, you should have drunk plenty of ounces of water. 

Use a straw. This is actually my tip. I have found that if I drink from a straw, I will consume more fluid faster. I found this to be true because of my countless trips I make a week to a certain hop-through fast food chain. I picked up this habit from my mother. If we were within 3 miles of one of these chains, we were going through.  I have bought a package of big straws and put one in my water cup before I leave the house. Then I just refill my water cup when I run dry. So far so good. The day I started the challenge I was almost half-way through my ounces by lunch.

Join my challenge. This is another one of my tips but I am sure Julian agrees! I am asking you to join my challenge to drink more water today. Set a goal to drink half your weight in ounces each day and strive to reach it. Even if you don’t make it every single day, at least you tried. Not only will you make more trips to the bathroom, but you will feel healthier and you will be healthier. How can you join my challenge? Simple, follow me on Facebook, subscribe to my blog, and actively participate. I will be asking frequently about your water intake and I want you to share! I will also give updates on my own progress. I will be choosing a subscriber of the month, maybe week, and you will be featured in emails or on Facebook. As one of my favorite teen movies used to say, "We are all in this together!"