Drinking Water is a Challenge for Me

When I was growing up, you drank when you were thirsty. From the sink, from the hose, from a glass of water your Mom gave you to put next to your bed, or from the bubbler (drinking fountain) at school. Now water is everywhere. In fact, beverages are everywhere. You can't go to the grocery store without sipping on something. Even the carts have cup holders in them. At the jobs I've held in the past, they give you a cup when you start so you can always have something to drink at your desk during the day.

This is a problem with me. I tend to get busy at work and forget to drink my large cup of water. Or I'm doing something during the day or cooking or whatever and I don't carry a bottle with me everywhere. I find that I am able to make it through grocery shopping without coffee, or water, or gatorade. I find that I can travel short distances without having a drink in my car.

As I've gotten older I've developed some problems with kidney stones and needed surgery twice to remove them. Part of that comes from not drinking enough water. My urologist says that my goal, is to have constantly clear pee. So I'm trying. I have bottles of water that I refill from the tap and drink and if I feel a little tinge of pain in my flanks, I down a gallon of water. But I still don't drink enough. The stubborn in me says I shouldn't do what they say, I'm an adult, I can handle it. Don't tell me what to do. But in order to be healthier and to help lose weight, I'm supposed to drink water...ALL THE TIME.

I hardly drink alcohol, so drinking water shouldn't be that big of a deal. I've even tried getting into "sparkling water" so I don't miss soda so much, but I don't like that either. I've added citrus slices to my water to try and make it fancy or more interesting. Nope. I drink it, but it's not a big deal. I don't have a glass of water next to my bed at night. I don't get up in the morning and down a bottle of water or two, although I suppose I should.

So, as part of my fitness challenge I am challenging myself to drink more water. For me, it's almost harder than exercise.