Habit 3: Drink More Water

Well, we are already three weeks into the new year.  How are you feeling?  Have you made any strides in the sleep department? If you struggle to get 7 or 8 hours every night, then shoot for 5 nights a week of good sleep...whatever is doable right now in your lifestyle.  We aren't striving for perfection, just improvement.  Maybe pick a few nights of the week and claim them as your catch-up-on-sleep nights.  Mark it on the calendar, and then go to bed on time that night, no matter what.  Your to-do list will still be there in the morning, and likely the world will continue to spin, even if you don't wash all the dishes in the sink or read Facebook updates or iron your shirt or whatever it is that keeps you up too late at night.  Turn off the TV.  Turn off the phone if necessary.  Hopefully you will continue to improve your sleep habit until it becomes the new normal. 

How about motivation and inspiration?  Did you find some tactics last week that work for you?  I once read about a guy who wakes up every morning and during his morning routine, he stands in front of his bathroom mirror and speaks compliments to himself.  He says stuff like, "You're the man.  You can sell anything.  You are a great motivator.  You can win friends and influence people.  Plus, you're pretty handsome too..."  You get the point.  Flattering self-talk.  This guy filled himself up every morning with positive affirmations, the same way I fill up on coffee and bagels.  He was equipping himself to face the stress and hard work of the day.  Three thoughts on this:

1. If you don't receive a lot of positive feedback from the people around you, why not start giving yourself some?  Be your own biggest fan.  Become your own cheerleader.  Believe in yourself enough to go towards your goals with confidence and arm yourself with the proper mindset to get there.  You don't have to do it in front of a mirror, you can write them down and read them every morning.  You can hang posters, you can use symbols or read articles.  Whatever inspires you, just incorporate that somehow into your daily life.  Don't skip this!  I know it takes a little extra time and effort to add these elements into your routine, but they will be SO worth it.  Maybe you feel silly.  Do it anyway.  Get over the awkwardness.  Just try it for a week or two, and see if it makes a difference.  If you've given it an honest try and it doesn't change your life in any way, then you can skip it.  

2. Become the positive force in the lives of those around you.  When I read that part about the man giving himself compliments in the mirror, I felt bad for that man.  I mean, he had a wife...why wasn't she the one giving him compliments?  Yet, I'm the first one to admit, I am TERRIBLE at this.  I completely suck at giving out compliments.  I sure bark enough commands, reminders, and criticisms throughout the day, but I forget to use encouraging words.  It is completely against my nature and something I have to work very hard at remembering.  If you begin to use more positive words towards yourself and towards those around you, it will have a ripple effect on your whole life.

3. Surround yourself with inspirational and motivational people.  I have a good friend who excels at building people up.  Several times a week I get a Facebook message, text message, or phone call that is positive and uplifting.  Stuff like "when I think of you I smile" and "I'm so glad we are friends" and "thanks so much for____" or "awesome job on ____."  These small little statements mean so much to me.  They help me refill my depleted bucket and give me the extra oomph I need to keep moving forward.  We all need a few cheerleaders...people who make us feel good about who we are and what we do.  Find one, and be very good to them.  Better yet find a whole group of them.  These people become your support network and help carry you through the rough patches on the road.


Alright, on to this week.  The habit for this week is....
 

Drink More Water

Water.  It is absolutely essential for our life, yet water is another one of those things I have a love/hate relationship with.  I don't enjoy drinking it.  Never have.  Probably never will.  I'm pretty sure I exist in a perpetual state of dehydration.  Even though I know there are wonderful health benefits to staying hydrated, I just don't make it a priority.  Why not?  It doesn't take more time to drink water versus my other beverages of choice.  It's not more expensive than my go-to drinks.  It's the taste.  It either doesn't taste, or it tastes like iron, chlorine, or pond scum.  Lately, it's been tasting the way an aquarium smells, even after it's been filtered.  Not a fan.  I got myself a Brita water bottle that filters the water as you suck it up through the straw.  I like it because it's convenient.  I can take it with me and refill throughout the day.

How Much Water Should I Drink?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the old rule of eight 8-ounce glasses is not necessarily accurate.  It depends on many factors, like your individual health, your level of physical activity, or even where you live.  In an article on their website, it says "The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. "  Those numbers are based on the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.  I was a little bummed that they didn't go into more detail.  

My mom used to drink several pots of coffee throughout the day, right up until bedtime.  We've tried, unsuccessfully, to convince her that drinking coffee does not replace water.  She maintains that coffee is liquid, so that has to count for something.   Researchers are still debating whether coffee hydrates us or dehydrates us, but it's 1 am and I'm too tired to get caught up in that research right now (and darn it, I'm breaking habit #1 again).  

What about eating foods that are high in water content, like iceberg lettuce and celery, or broth-based soups and vegetable juice?  Do these count?  The answer is, any fluid you take in will count towards the total fluid needed in a day, so long as you are not consuming diuretics or laxatives that deplete those levels.  Also, if you exercise or live in a hot climate where you sweat a lot, you need to drink more water.  There are medications and foods that dehydrate you, so you just have to figure out your own proper balance.  Basically, if you feel thirsty, that means you are already dehydrated. 

Why Should We Drink More Water?
The simple answer is because our bodies require it.  The human body is made up mostly of water.  Many of our body's systems require water to function.  Dehydration leads to a bunch of unpleasant things...headaches, irritability, weight gain, dry skin, poor digestion, premature signs of aging, high blood pressure, and heart problems, to name a few.  There are lots of long lists out there with all the benefits to drinking adequate water.  I'm not going to talk about all of those here.  I'd rather focus on a few that mean the most to me.  

The Top 5 Reasons for Drinking More Water

(Starting with number 5 first, because countdowns are just more fun).

#5. Healthy Skin
Winter is here.  I know this because my skin looks like a reptile.  I hate lotion.  It feels slimy, or leaves an oily residue, or smells funny, or irritates my skin, and so on.  I prefer moisturizing body washes, although sometimes it feels like they are not getting me clean, just filling all more pores with gunk.  And they are short lived.  By lunchtime I am scaly again.  We have a humidifier going in our living room, which helps, but not as much as simply staying hydrated.  I always know I am dehydrated when my pee is dark yellow, but the next sign is my skin and chapped lips.  Not only does my skin get dry and itchy, but when I look in the mirror I look OLD.  When I don't drink enough water, my wrinkles are more noticeable, my eyes look sunken with dark circles, my skin tone and color is dull and pale.  It's not attractive, no matter how much make-up I throw on top.  Staying hydrated makes my skin look and feel more youthful.  Frankly, until the real fountain of youth is found, I will take whatever water I can get.

#4. Flush Out Toxins
Water helps eliminate toxins and waste from your body.  Toxins can build up in your system and too many can cause a deluge of health problems, including cancer.  You don't need any fancy pills or herbal supplements to get rid of the toxins.  Just drink more water!

#3. More Energy
I had no idea that a lack of water can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, and dizziness.  I have these symptoms from time to time.  I usually blame my petri-dish children for bringing home another strange illness.  Whoops!  Next time I'm gonna try good old-fashioned H2O.

#2. Less Headaches
I get a lot of headaches.  Headaches make me unproductive and cranky.  It would be wonderful to have less of them.  I usually end up going through a lot of Tylenol and Advil because I assume my headaches are from eye strain, muscle tension, stress, or hormones.  I rarely attribute them to thirst.  Apparently, lack of hydration is one of the most common sources of headaches.  If you experience headaches, try drinking more water before taking medications.

And...drum-roll please....my number one reason for drinking more water is...

#1. Weight Loss
My first job out of college was working at an accounting firm.  I wasn't a huge coffee drinker at the time.  My beverage of choice was Coca-Cola.  The vending machine downstairs sold it in 20-ounce bottles, and it wasn't unusual for me to have 5 of those glorious beverages a day.  I was a little surprised at first when my clothes started to get snug, because my eating habits hadn't changed all that much.  If anything, I was eating less.  I often skipped lunch altogether.  Still, I had gained 10 lbs.  One day, I looked at the nutritional info on the side of a bottle of soda.  A 20-oz Coke contains 220 calories.  A healthy calorie goal for my height is approximately 1500 calories per day, and I was consuming 1100 calories on soda alone.  DUH!  That shoulda been a no-brainer.  It is easy to consume a lot of extra calories in a quick hurry by drinking beverages other than water.  

Want a diet tip that actually works?  Stop drinking soda, coffee with cream & sugar, energy drinks, and other beverages that are relatively high in calories and sugar, but low in nutritional value.  Even fruit juice isn't that good for you.  It contains way more sugar than we are supposed to have.  If you want the vitamins and minerals of fruit, eat fruit.  For your beverages stick to water...plain water, water with a squirt of lemon, or unsweetened green tea.  Make it your beverage of choice and over time, some pounds should come off.  Another way that water contributes to weight loss is our bodies often mistake being thirsty for being hungry.  It's really hard to tell the difference sometimes.  If you feel snacky, especially if you crave something salty, try drinking a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. Another easy trick to getting enough water is to have a glass 30 minutes before a meal, plus you'll eat less during your meal that way too. 

Some of you may argue that diet sodas and sugar-free energy drinks are okay substitutes, since they have fewer calories or none at all.  Unfortunately, a University of Minnesota study found that even one diet soda a day was linked to a 34% higher risk of metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, and increased risk of heart disease.  Diet sodas have been linked to kidney problems, reproductive issues, dental issues, obesity (yes DIET soda causes obesity.  Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake, leading us to consume more calories later), and even cell damage.  Read the full article here: http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/diet-soda-bad-you/

Still need more convincing to kick your diet soda habit?
http://pharmacytechniciancertification.net/10-seriously-disturbing-facts-about-soda/
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/health/jampolis-dangers-drinking-soda/index.html

Just Do It!
Okay, so now you know why you should do it, and how much you should do it, now you just have to go do it.  If you currently don't drink plain water, even 12 to 16 oz per day would be an improvement.  If you drink one bottle of water a day, try drinking two.  Don't attempt to make the switch from drinking no water to drinking 13 cups in a day.  Start small and increase your water consumption slowly over time.  Set goals for yourself and track your progress.  Share your goal with a friend and encourage each other this week.  Remove all the not-so-good-for-you beverages from your fridge and from your cabinets.  Stop buying them.  Get yourself a good quality water filter on your faucet or the pitcher kind for your fridge (see below for some options).  Or buy water by the jug or bottle.  No excuses.  If water is the only thing available to you, you will eventually drink it.  Get some herbal teas or lemon juice if you have to flavor it, or use a fruit infuser.  Do NOT use those fake-sugar flavored packets (for the same reasons you shouldn't drink soda or diet soda--too much artificial junk that causes problems).  I'm going to put a dry-erase board on my fridge and draw an empty glass on it divided into 9 segments.  Whenever I drink one cup, or consume an equivalent, I'm going to color in one segment and hope it will be full by the end of the day.  If not, I'll wipe it clean and start fresh the next morning.  There are apps for tracking water consumption as well.  Whatever works!  

Here are a few products that may help you drink more water:**

I want to hear from you!
Do you get enough water?  How does that affect your daily life and physical health?
Do you have any tricks that help you stay hydrated?  What works for you?
Feel free to comment below.

Further Resources:
Want more info on the health benefits of drinking water?
20 Benefits of Drinking Enough Water: http://www.age-well.org/drinking-enough-water.html

Here's a blog with more ideas for starting the habit of drinking more water:
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/07/9-great-reasons-to-drink-water-and-how.html

Bottoms up!  :)