Sip Away

I hate drinking water. 

And for years I have proven that I don't really NEED 8 glasses of water a day (I have been this way for as long as I can remember).  The thought of even drinking that much makes me feel like drowning!

Now they say "glasses" refers to 8oz of fluid (approx. 1 cup).  Now when I put it like that it doesn't sound so bad.  But if you do the simple math - 8 cups of water is 2 liters...and now I'm drowning.

2 liters.  Just for daily functioning and normal health.

4-5 liters.  Often consumed by fitness buffs and the eternally parched.

Some say they crave it.  Can't live without it.  I cannot sympathize with these feelings...I feel like drowning.

But you know what?  I am healthy.  I drink other things (including too many cups of coffee) and I eat my weight in fruits and veggies weekly.  I drink more when I'm most active and less when I'm "busy".  I don't crave water - and when I do I know that means I'm getting really parched so I do something about it.  So who is to say that I am dehydrated?  I feel fine.  I have been this way for years with no debilitating side effects (that I know of).  I don't have any obvious signs of it...but I'm sure my optometrist would say otherwise.  Regardless...this is not an easy thing to change!

So I am struggling with finding a manageable approach that will fool my brain into curbing this overwhelming desire to barf when I think of anything more than my 500ml cup.  Here are a few of my strategies I'm going to try:

1)  Drink out of a 250ml (1 cup) glass...Why?  Because 1 cup at a time seems far less dangerous than a 1liter water bottle full of that clear fluid that even a small child could drown in.

2)  Drink out of that 1cup glass every hour (when at home at least)...I'm going to set my stop watch for 60minutes.  In an 8 hour day I should have this accomplished...Should have.  Better remind myself to not push the snooze button and skip an hour - only to have 2 cups to make up on the next!

3)  Put ice and 500ml of water into a child's cup with a lid and straw...sip away for an hour and then replenish!  If I do this - then I would only need to do this 4 times in the day!

4)  If I have done all of this and can finish that...Ill do an extra 8oz for good measure just before bed (and since my bladder is like a camel I won't be up mid-night anyway)

5) When I'm working - small 500ml bottles of water with a straw.  One for the morning half.  One for the afternoon half.  I'll have to make up the rest at home.

What are my fears or reservations about water?
-  2 liters is a lot to drink when you look at how much that actually is.  Let alone 4 or 5 liters.  I gag just thinking about it.
-  I hate to drink when teaching...I hate feeling like people are watching you take a drink and criticizing your swallowing technique.  Seriously.  Just ask anyone in my family...we used to nag each other about our drinking and swallowing habits. Scarred for life.
-  I cannot burp.  Not at all.  Not even if I tried.  Do you know how hard it is to feel water logged and not be able to burp?  Do you know how embarrassing it is to have people hear your "gurgle bubbles" rising up from your stomach but with no awe-inspiring belch at the end?
-  I HATE HATE HATE having to interrupt something to go to the bathroom.  Hate it.  I feel such a sense of accomplishment if I have gone 8 hours without a bathroom break...and still feel in control.  And no - I don't have any bladder issues (yet...)
-  I have not experienced the physical necessity to drink more than I already do.  It may not be considered healthy but I am not experiencing any direct negative effects of not drinking 2+liters per day...so why change now.  Doesn't this sound like an excuse a smoker would use?

I recognize that I need to drink more.  In fact, I actually am going to give this an honest effort.  If I ease into it I may actually enjoy some of the benefits I think this may have for me:
-  better skin and hair
-  less snacking and grazing on junk when I'm home
-  maybe my contacts wouldn't bother me so much mid-day

I'm going to try.  I can honestly say this may be one of my biggest challenges!  But part of my goals for this year is to set attainable goals and strive to achieve them.  Who would have thought something as simple as drinking the elixir of life would be such a daunting task!

Wish me luck!  And let me know your tips on how you get it all down without drowning.

And for those of you who think I'm a little crazy...read up on risks associated with drinking water:
-  Secondary Drowning and asphyxiation - be careful not to cough/breathe and swallow at the same time!
-  Water Intoxication - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication

Rebecca