Earlier this week, I called to get my latest blood work results from the doctor. Other than being anemic, (which is nothing new for me, pregnant or not) they were able to tell from my hemoglobin that I was not drinking enough water. Their goal for me is 64-80 ounces of water (Gatorade, Propel, all of those things count as well) per day. I set out to see how I could fix this problem.
The first day, I just monitored my drinking habits. Am I drinking other things instead of water and still coming up short? If so, what, and where can I substitute? Am I just not thirsty? What’s going on, exactly?
Day one results? I just don’t drink anything most of the day. I have a sip or two after a meal, maybe a couple of ounces at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, and a little something to swallow my vitamins after brushing my teeth at night. That’s about it. Some days (not that day in particular) I’ll get a drink a Sonic or Dairy Queen during happy hour, but, even then, I only drink less than half of it. I also happen to carry a water bottle (or two) around all day and maybe drink 6-10 ounces out of it total. Over a year ago, I stopped drinking Dr Pepper (no, I didn’t forget to put the period, it doesn’t have one) as my only source of liquid and bought some really nice water bottles. They stay in my refrigerator until I get ready to stick them in my purse and carry them around all day (only to come home with almost the exact same amount of water in them). At least I’ve got good gear!
Yesterday, I made a conscious effort to drink the correct amount of water. I found that when I made myself think about it, I could drink even when I’m not thirsty. I managed to drink 76 ounces of water alone yesterday–that’s completely unheard of for me. I asked Annie and Mr. Gray to be my accountability partners and ask me periodically if I’d had anything to drink. I’m also going to start a “Water Log” and keep track of it. I think seeing it in writing will help me to make sure I’m drinking enough.
