Water and I have NOT always been friends. I used to have such a hard time drinking even one glass of water a day, even though I could drink 3 cups of coffee or iced tea or soda like nothing. I always knew how bad it was for me to not be drinking enough water. There was just never the right motivation to get me to actually do it.
And then I went to the ER twice in less than 2 weeks. Both times, I was severely dehydrated. I should start off by saying that the dehydration was due to all the issues I was having with my stomach. I couldn’t even hold down a sip of water without it coming right back up again. (TMI!!) It was horrible. The nurses hooked me up to those IV bags in the hospital. They were shocked when my body drank up all the fluids like a sponge! Those nurses swore I’d be peeing like crazy after 3 bags of fluids. But when you’re severely dehydrated, that’s not the case.
So something had to change.
I made the decision to start a month-long water challenge, even if no one was doing it with me. That meant half my body weight in water, every day for the month of May. I was pleasantly surprised to see that other people were determined to get their daily water intake just like me. So I marked the date in my calendar, and I started on my water journey with the support of my fellow crazies.
Week One
The first few days were pretty easy. I was retraining my body to follow a new routine, one that included more water a day than I was used to. It was daunting at first, but I had set a new goal for myself, and I had no plans of messing it up. I will say, more water does mean more bathroom breaks and more times filling up the Brita pitcher. That was definitely a change I needed to get used to.
The most surprising thing about this first week was how drinking enough water effected my energy level. It seems silly to say it now, but it had never occurred to me before that not getting enough water a day was making me groggy and tired. By starting my day with a glass of water, I felt twice as energized and awake. Some days, I didn’t even need my morning cup of coffee!
Week Two
By the second week of my water challenge, drinking my daily amount got a little bit more difficult. The initial excitement of starting the challenge had worn off, and I wasn’t working as hard to get in my 8 glasses. I was still feeling the great effects of drinking water, like energy and not snacking as much during the day, but I was still having trouble spreading out my water consumption throughout the day. This usually led to me pounding two water bottles back to back about an hour before bedtime.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS!!!
Not only was I making it harder on myself to get in my daily amount of water, but I ended up waking up every hour because I had to pee! Sorry if that’s too graphic for some of y’all, but seriously, you do not want to do this to yourself!
We’re Halfway There!!
For the past two weeks, I have been retraining my body to drink as much water as I should be drinking a day. It took some time to get the hang of it, but I have stayed on top of my water intake so far. For the next two weeks, I’ll continue to kick back water shots. In the meantime, here are some quick tips I’ve picked up thus far.
- Have your 1st glass of water as soon as you wake up. It will energize you, and make you feel great that the day just started and you already have 8 oz. under your belt.
- Use a Water Tracker to keep up with your progress. I’ve been using Daily Water Tracker and it has been a lifesaver!
- Come up with some sort of water schedule for yourself. This will help to space out your drinking, so you’re not trying to chug your last 2 water bottles right before the end of the day. (Trust me on this one.)
- Have a friend join in on the challenge with you. It’s a lot easier to stick to something when you have someone else there to hold you accountable.
I hope you’re all getting in your daily water intake, and if you missed a day or two, keep trying! No quitting! This will only make you feel better, both physically and mentally. Best of luck!!
