Water is My Motivater!

I have actually been tracking my eating and getting regular activity in--a huge accomplishment for me.  Another thing that I'm doing differently, that I haven't done over the last nine months is--I've been drinking TONS of water!  And I'm loving it!

Every time I take a drink, I think, "Yep, I'm in this."  Every 10 minutes when I'm in the bathroom, I think, "yep, still going."  When I'm doing laundry, its, fold a basket, take a huge drink.  Go put some clothes away, maybe go to the bathroom, come back, take a huge drink.

So why is drinking water working for me?
--Focusing on drinking the water is a constant reminder for me that I am on my game.  I'm working towards my goals.  I'm living deliberately.
--It's a distraction from eating other stuff--the stuff I crave.
--It fills me up!
--And I think my body is feeling better because I'm so hydrated.

A Few Water Things that Work for Me
I know some people hate water, and I'm so glad I'm not one of them.  But sometimes I find it harder than others to get the water in.  It's summer now, so the warm weather helps.  But during the cold, long MN winter, it's not as easy for me.  Here are a few things I try to do to keep in the water game:

--Drink out of a bottle that I LOVE!  I have two "special" water bottles that I really like (it's worth the investment), and I use them both.  I LOVE shopping for water bottles.  My kids, of course, think that the water in Mom's bottles tastes better than theirs, so I sometimes share.  But I try to keep my water bottles just for me!  Buying a new water bottle would be a great reward for a scale or NSV.

--Work Out!  I always want to drink TONS of water after I've built up a sweat--especially if I push myself hard.  Now I'm not a die hard "worker outer" but I'm trying to be consistent.  Pushing myself involves doing some jogging and walking faster than I want to.

--Plan your outdoor workouts around the port-a-potties.  Nothing ruins a workout more than having that "I have to go" feeling through your entire workout.  We have lots of parks in our general neighborhood, so I know if I can just make it to the park, I will be OK.  And then I can keep on going!

--Drink it in the morning.  Sometimes just starting my day with the water helps me focus on what I really want--and staying on track.  It also helps me get the bathroom runs out of the way earlier in the day.

--Limit coffee.  During the cold months, I love to drink WAY too much coffee, but if I can limit myself to one big cup, I can hit the water right away and get on with it!  Works for me.

--Drink some milk!  Funny to say that here, but I think it's a good thing.  I'm am NOT a milk lover, but I think it's good for my body--so I also need some incentive to get the milk in.  And it's good for my kids to see me drinking milk.  So I try to drink a glass of milk with either lunch or dinner or both, or I try to make a smoothie with milk.  And since I need a little incentive for drinking milk, I count it toward my water consumption.  Works for me.

--Add citrus.  To freshen up my water, I love to squeeze in a little lemon or lime.  Sometimes a little change is enough to perk up my taste buds and help me drink and drink--delish!

So that's what I got.  And I know I'm going to have to come back and read this some time when the motivation is on the down side.

But for now, I'm going strong, I'm getting the water in, and I'm heading to the bathroom. . .

Do you have any tips for getting the water in and loving it?