Step Habits - 1 - Water Support

muth3rluvx2
muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
edited September 22 in Motivation and Support
So this is the support group to take on the healthy lifestyle change one piece at a time. At this point in time, since it takes approximately 6 weeks to develop a new habit, that's how long each step will be. Here's the general guidelines:

6 week sessions to develop new healthy habits one at a time, starting with water. It will be decided what's next close to the end of this first six weeks.
Daily check in's are welcome but weekly is a must in order to keep ourselves and each other accountable.
In order to accomodate those that are at the lowest end of the intake spectrum (me!), each week will add a glass of water to the day, starting with 2 a day.

Week 1: 2-8 oz glasses a day for a total of 14 glasses by the end of the week.
Week 2: 3, 21 glasses
Week 3: 4, 28
Week 4: 5, 36
Week 5: 6, 42
Week 6: 7+, 49+

For those that are ahead of that but maybe just aren't that consistent, then I'd say keep up your good work and just make sure it's daily or push yourself to increase your intake by a glass a week and use your strength to help motivate the rest of us!

Zero cal. flavorings are fine, 100% fruit juices with no added sugars count as 1/2 glass and alcohol, coffee & tea are not counted and in fact, technically should serve to negate the water intake, but I'm not going to make it that complicated - it is worth noting for future reference though.

Report days are (obviously) going to be Wednesdays (we're starting tomorrow).

The next things to be considered (jsut so it's floating around everyone's head) are: daily exercise (any length or type - just developing the *habit* of doing it!), sleep, logging food (honestly!), calorie counting - am I missing anything? Let's get this ball rockin'!!!

Replies

  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    I have/had the same problem but here's an easy fix at least it's working for me. Buy a 1L water bottle and drink 2+ a day for your daily intake, use some kind of marker, elastics/paperclips/whatever to mark off how many you've had for the day. I have 4 paperclips on the lid and take one off each time I finish a bottle. I found that doing the glasses thing didn't work for me. 8 glasses just seemed so hard, but a 1L bottle 2-3 times a day surprisingly isn't.
  • beethedreamer
    beethedreamer Posts: 465 Member
    i think that's a great idea for people who have trouble getting all their water in. i think people accomplish more when they challenge themselves in some way.

    ps. i totally thought that each week was actually a day, and by the end you were supposed to drink 49+ cups of water a day :p that is what finals and stress does to my brain.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    BoresEasily: Whatever method works for people - great suggestion! I don't like water so I'll be getting another box of those individual lemonade packets (0 cal) and possibly a reusable water bottle. I don't want to contribute to the plastic waste problems any more than necessary.

    Brittany: me too.. believe me, I get it! Have my final tomorrow night! Not really ready and hoping this sudden migraine is gone by morning so I can cram. :-p
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    :) Now THIS is the challenge I need! I hardly drink anything at all (but when I do drink, I drink water!). Oh... I remember when I went to the hospital for gallbladder surgery a month ago, and they got all on my case about being so dehydrated. Lol. Pff, I'm working on it!

    I'm in!
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    BoresEasily: Whatever method works for people - great suggestion! I don't like water so I'll be getting another box of those individual lemonade packets (0 cal) and possibly a reusable water bottle. I don't want to contribute to the plastic waste problems any more than necessary.

    Yeah I'm referring to a stainless steel water bottle. Since I've started doing so I have done at least 2.5 a day. Which is 80floz. Yesterday I drank 112floz that's 14 glasses!!!! I never thought I'd ever do that. Up until then I was lucky if I could get 3 or 4 glasses in me a day and that's bad because water was the only thing I was drinking.

    The benefits of drinking enough are great: no or less water retention(cause of water weight and poor weight loss), flushing the sodium out of you and keeps your skin healthy looking.

    I wish all of you the best on your journey.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    BoresEasily: Whatever method works for people - great suggestion! I don't like water so I'll be getting another box of those individual lemonade packets (0 cal) and possibly a reusable water bottle. I don't want to contribute to the plastic waste problems any more than necessary.

    Yeah I'm referring to a stainless steel water bottle. Since I've started doing so I have done at least 2.5 a day. Which is 80floz. Yesterday I drank 112floz that's 14 glasses!!!! I never thought I'd ever do that. Up until then I was lucky if I could get 3 or 4 glasses in me a day and that's bad because water was the only thing I was drinking.

    The benefits of drinking enough are great: no or less water retention(cause of water weight and poor weight loss), flushing the sodium out of you and keeps your skin healthy looking.

    I wish all of you the best on your journey.

    Wow!!!! Hey, why not hang and be a water coach? LOL.. you've obviously got it down. :-)
  • fanofsummer
    fanofsummer Posts: 22 Member
    Hi. First group I've ever joined on line. I just noted on my daily log that I need to focus in on the water. I like water, it shouldn't be so difficult - yet I find myself short every day.

    I'll join the challenge. I plan on buying a jug. If my water is measured out I will know exactly where I stand each day.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Week 1, Day 1 - 2 glasses of water down. Wish it were a cure for migraines.
  • thepyro395
    thepyro395 Posts: 14 Member
    Yeah! First day of week 1 and I'm down for 32oz. I'm really not looking for to the vaccine headache. Trying to cut that out completely.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Yeah! First day of week 1 and I'm down for 32oz. I'm really not looking for to the vaccine headache. Trying to cut that out completely.

    Caffeine or vaccine? lol... Welcome Pyro! Glad to see you joined! :-)

    You're far braver than I. I'm a total coffee addict.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Week 1, Day 2: 2C down.
  • thepyro395
    thepyro395 Posts: 14 Member
    Day2 of the first week and I'm still 32 oz in. Still had crazy amounts of
    Caffine today.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Day2 of the first week and I'm still 32 oz in. Still had crazy amounts of
    Caffine today.

    If you really want to push yourself, Pyro - instead of cutting out the caffeine, just add the same amount of water on TOP of your 32 oz. Technically, if you're a caffeine or alcohol consumer on a regular basis, you should do this anyway. Both negate hydration. So, let's say you have 4 12-oz cans of soda... before or after each on, have 12 oz of water. You can always do the same as we're doing here and start with 1 water addition per drink/per week. That would quickly put you at 44 oz of water a day! Impressive, huh? :-)
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    missed day 3.
    Week 1, day 4 - 2C

    How is everyone else doing?
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Love to join you all:flowerforyou:

    Although I'm just now jumping in the thread and I do enjoy water I'm looking forward to making sure I get it all in each day on a consistent basis. So that's what I'll be working on.

    Great thread idea, thank you!:drinker:
  • fanofsummer
    fanofsummer Posts: 22 Member
    Focusing on the challenge, so far I've been averaging 7 cups a day. I lost 1.8 pounds this week. I'll check back in on Wednesday.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Love to join you all:flowerforyou:

    Although I'm just now jumping in the thread and I do enjoy water I'm looking forward to making sure I get it all in each day on a consistent basis. So that's what I'll be working on.

    Great thread idea, thank you!:drinker:
    I'll check back in with you all on Wednesday but so far so good, increasing it everyday back to where I like to be. For awhile I was really slacking which was odd for me as water isn't something I used to struggle to get in. I think the colder weather has made all the difference as I much prefer cold water from the fridge. Although I'm now drinking hot tea to stay warm, I'm keeping my water intake up as well.

    Thanks again for the support thread:drinker:
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Missed Sunday (day 5), got in 2C Mon & Tues (Days 6 & 7).

    Today is the start of Week 2 - so 3 glasses. Still not a habit but this is forcing me to be more mindful of intake.
  • fanofsummer
    fanofsummer Posts: 22 Member
    Week 1: Accountability is good! I averaged 7.8 glasses of water each day. Also lost weight this week.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Week 1: I think I did well I added more each day and somedays far more than others but got at least 6 on the lowest of days and there were only a couple low days.

    Great reminder to drink drink drink our water!:drinker: :wink:
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    I didn't get in my 3 yesterday. In fact, I think I was just under 2. :-( I've been drinking at dinner and after and that's probably part of the problem. But that's really all I've been eating since this cold hit. Hmmm.....
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Got in my 3 glasses today! Yay.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Got a lot of water in today but can't seem to get enough! So I keep grabbing another bottle, I must have taken in more sodium than I realized?
  • fanofsummer
    fanofsummer Posts: 22 Member
    First time back on the site since the holidays! I'm back to tracking water and focusing on meeting my daily goals.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Yeah, we've gotten a little off track with the holidays.

    I'm up to 3-4 daily all of a sudden. Not sure what's that's about but I'll take it! So, I know we left off at week 3 - so let's just assume this is week 4, starting today (Monday, 1/3/11). So we're at 4 glasses a day (min).

    Hope everyone's had a wonderful new year!
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