As I am only on the third day of my water challenge I feel I am in no position to preach about the benefits of drinking water. I have, however, been the queen of excuses when it comes to water. So what were my top excuses for not drinking enough water and why were these excuses just not good enough?
1. I need a fancy water bottle.
From fancy water bottles to filter jugs, there are so many accessories which can help you to drink more water. The advertising for bottled waters make you feel (or certainly did me) that you need to drink water from a bottle.For years I felt that a glass just wasn't good enough. I had to have water in a bottle to be able to drink water at all. It wasn't until I picked up a sickness bug and could drink anything but water that I retrained myself to drink it from a glass - it's ridiculous, but true!
At the end of the day all you need is a glass and a tap to be able to drink water, it's simple. In fact I've now come to the realisation that water tastes best from a glass. All the fancy extras are just a bonus that you can take or leave.
2.Tea and Coffee are mostly water anyway.
Ok, so this one is actually a pretty legitimate excuse. It is a common misconception that drinks such as tea and coffee cause dehydration. The caffeine in these drinks can cause a diuretic effect (make you pee more), however you have to consume roughly the equivalent of four cups of coffee for it to have this effect. Even after four cups worth of coffee the diuretic effect won't cancel out all the water in that hot drink.Still, it is important to be aware that these caffeinated drinks are not equal to good old plain water. There are other reasons to avoid the caffeine too. For me, the reliance I have developed for caffeine is the main reason why I am trying to detox from tea and coffee.
3. I don't like the taste.
This one is just silly, but it was one of my excuses. Water doesn't really taste of anything, so I'm not quite sure why I made such a big deal about it. Even after only three days of exclusively drinking water I have completely changed my way of thinking. There is actually something quite nice about the lack of flavor, it makes you more alert to the fact that it is hydrating you. There is a satisfaction that comes from drinking water which you can't attribute to flavor. The coldness and the lack of flavor are actually what makes it so refreshing.4. I need something fizzy.
This an excuse which I used far too much. Even when I was pregnant and knew I should be having more water (or less coke) I would opt for carbonated water just to get my fizzy fix.I have been, in the past, one of the worst coke-a-cola addicts around. If there was coke available then I would chose it over anything else, even to the extent that I would have days where I would drink only coke. We all know that fizzy drinks are not great for you but it can be a real struggle to say no to them. Your taste buds may not agree but coke is a sugary, black poison that does you no good. I'm hoping that exclusively drinking water for a long period will help me to curb my addiction to coke once and for all.
5. Water is too expensive.
This one is the worst of them all and I know what you thinking WATER IS FREE!When you're out and about of course you often find yourself in the position where you're thirsty and have to buy a drink. Standing in a shop deciding which drink to choose has always caused the same response for me. This overwhelming feeling that you're getting more for your money when you buy the fizzy drinks. Even though the bottled water is always the cheapest thing on offer I have always fooled myself into thinking I was getting more for my money by choosing the fizzy option.
The healthiest things often turn out to be the most expensive option but when it comes to water this just isn't the case. You can't put a price o health and from now on that has to be the thought process I go through when choosing a drink for on the go.
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