Author of Be Ready for Anything and Build a Better Pantry on a Budget online course
My goal with this challenge is to create habits that we can build on each day. So some of the things that I recommend may seem kind of boring and like they’re not really helpful. However, it’s much easier to make small habit changes and stick with it than it is to overhaul your whole entire life all at once.
I’m planning to alternate fitness and nutrition challenges every other day.
Today’s challenge is about water.
We don’t always pay enough attention to how much water we’re drinking. Some of us drink gallons of other stuff – coffee, soda pop, juice, etc.
I’m not here to tell you to stop drinking the other stuff you drink. Today’s challenge is merely about drinking water.
If you drink other beverages, make yourself a little rule.
Drink one glass of water before each one.
- So before you have that morning coffee? Drink a glass of water. Warm, cold, room temperature – however you like it.
- If you’re going to have a soda pop, a Red Bull, or a coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up? Drink a glass of water first.
- Before you have that wine with dinner? Have a glass of water.
This is a really small change that can have some very real benefits.
- First, you may find you drink less non-nutritive beverages without even trying to slow down.
- It can promote weight loss by making you feel fuller and enhancing your metabolism.
- Water can prevent headaches, improve digestion, and reduce bloating.
- Water can help decrease joint pain by keeping your joints lubricated and preventing gout attacks.
- Water can improve your physical performance. The effects of dehydration can be noticeable when you lose as little as 2% of your water content. “This can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, increased fatigue and make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally.”
- Here are some more of the benefits of drinking water daily
So today, I’m not asking you to break any negative habits or suddenly try to chug a gallon of water a day. Just add a glass before you drink other things. And keep up this habit throughout the month.
If you don’t like plain water, try adding some sliced fruit to infuse it with flavor.
How much water do you normally drink?
I drink a fair bit of water because I don’t often drink other beverages. I generally start the day with a 2-liter bottle on the table beside me and refill it once during the day.
What about you? How much water do you drink? Will this challenge be easy or difficult for you?
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, globe-trotting blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Great idea.
I drink about 7 cups of plain water a day. Not big on colas but I’m giving them up entirely for a year. I’m also giving up flavored soda water. they don’t satisfy the same and I actually drink less regular water those days.
Also setting up my Berkey today because I definitely drink more water when it’s purified. The Berkey has been in a box since summer—-I know, it’s terrible, but life was in the way.
So, here’s to more, cleaner water and keeping it up long term.
I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning and then I drink water. Occasionally, I’ll drink a cup of hot tea in the afternoon. I started drinking 3-4 glasses (pint jars) of water several years ago. At first I used lemons and cucumber in the water. Now it’s plain water. It’s my favorite drink.
I forgot to add that we have a great water filter on our cold kitchen water. It has its own faucet.
I try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. I have up drinking pop six months ago and never drink coffee.
Hi Daisy,
I’ve just discovered your site and am pleased with what you are doing. I’m an 81 year old RN who is still practicing part time.
I have one (sometimes 2) cup of coffee each morning, just to get my motor revving. Then I drink water all day long. I actually carry a 20 oz. insulated jug around with me and never leave the house with it filled to the brim. I probably drink close to 60 oz. of water each day.
As an RN, I have to tell all, that staying hydrated with water is very important.
Keep up your good work.
Year round I drink between 32-64oz a water a day. There was a time I would not touch the stuff period. But started adding real lemon juice, orange and those kinds of things. Now I drink it straight.
Started drinking a gallon of filtered water a day 15 years ago and have not stopped. I really notice when I don’t get enough or the times get away from me. I drink a quart on rising. Another quart at 11am, another at 2pm and the last one half an hour before dinner. Then nothing until morning. Maybe a sip before bed. Makes me sleep soundly at night and has eliminated some sensitivities such as aggravating mosquito bites.
It doesn’t always work out to keep control of this schedule but the habit is still there even if I’m off an hour. If I happen to miss a quart, it isn’t the end of the world. Having water hot with some lemon helps it go down better in colder weather. Other kinds of drinks lose their appeal. A cup of tea in the morning is just about the only extra beverage. Nothing else appeals.
This is a good starting point for fitness, Daisy. If we go into SHTF mode already fully hydrated, our chances for maintaining a healthy position are much better.
I drink 3 cups of coffee each morning. (If I drink water on an empty stomach first thing, I get sick). I then drink water the rest of the day. I may have one soda/day, at least while I’m at work. I don’t drink enough water on the days I work. I think this is a great way for anyone to add more water to their routine.
Water is the choice of drink for my family and I. People think it’s “funny” when the kids are at a party with lots of choices for drinks, but always ask for water. It’s rare I’ll see then drink anything else. All they see me drink is one cup of coffee in the morning, or maybe a cup of tea, it depends on the day. And one more cup in the early afternoon.
It’s been a challenge lately to make sure my daughter is drinking water. We have those added flavours and that has helped her.
Good challenge Daisy, and yes it sounds silly on the surface but it’s very important.
My biggest issue is I’m a bus driver, so I’m very conscious of my water intake. No washrooms on a bus eh.
Take care.
Josh.
I really need to do better about this. I fell off the water wagon about 6 weeks ago with the holidays – I needed the caffeine from cokes. But, I’m definitely going to drink more water moving forward this year. You can really notice the difference if you pay attention. Plus cokes are expensive!