I just pledged my only drink.
Honestly, I think I have probably set myself up for insanity here but in a fit of "Hell, Yeah!" I put my name down for Daharja's Water Challenge.
Even for this girl who generally drinks water in most circumstances.. this little challenge is looking a quite formidable.
Yes, I am already used to most people looking at me weird when I ask them for a glass of water when offered a beverage, even so I am used to having the choice. It will be an interesting 12 months where I will get lots of practice at saying "no" to myself.
I guess we will just wait and see just how good I get at that.
The Water Challenge is simple.
For one year, starting on August 2nd, I can drink only water.
So I'm not just giving up one item from my diet, like I did with the chocolate challenge.
This time, I'll be giving up:
In other words, I'm on tap water for a year.
Medicines are excepted, of course. So if I need a medicine, and it is in liquid form, that's fine. That's also just common-sense. ** I am adding a small additional exemption here for Herbal Tea's.. I will not use them as a preventative but if I get sick and a herbal will help I will use it.
Soup is excepted. Soups are not a drink, and are not part of the Challenge.
Also, if I get really sick to the point where I am in need of vitamin C in juice form or my medical professional recommends I drink something other than water, I'll do as recommended.
Anyone feel like joining us?
Even for this girl who generally drinks water in most circumstances.. this little challenge is looking a quite formidable.
Yes, I am already used to most people looking at me weird when I ask them for a glass of water when offered a beverage, even so I am used to having the choice. It will be an interesting 12 months where I will get lots of practice at saying "no" to myself.
I guess we will just wait and see just how good I get at that.
The Water Challenge is simple.
For one year, starting on August 2nd, I can drink only water.
So I'm not just giving up one item from my diet, like I did with the chocolate challenge.
This time, I'll be giving up:
- Fizzy drinks
- Teas and coffees
- Juices
- All alcohol
- All cordials and drink flavourings
- All bottled water (except in my own, re-usable water bottle)
- All milks - except on my cereal, and then in only enough of a portion to wet the food appropriately
- Anything else not specifically included in this list that is not tap water or rain water.
In other words, I'm on tap water for a year.
Medicines are excepted, of course. So if I need a medicine, and it is in liquid form, that's fine. That's also just common-sense. ** I am adding a small additional exemption here for Herbal Tea's.. I will not use them as a preventative but if I get sick and a herbal will help I will use it.
Soup is excepted. Soups are not a drink, and are not part of the Challenge.
Also, if I get really sick to the point where I am in need of vitamin C in juice form or my medical professional recommends I drink something other than water, I'll do as recommended.
Anyone feel like joining us?
12 comments:
You know, Belinda, I'm usually up for a challenge, but in this case I find myself wondering -- WHY?? I can see giving up the alcohol, sodas, flavorings (probably synthetic), even possibly coffee, but why give up herbal tea, regular tea, milk, soy milk? Plain water was NOT good enough for our grandparents each and every day -- who started afternoon tea, anyway?
How about a 'tap-water-only, home squeezed juice, local milk, homemade soymilk, homegrown herbal tea" challenge? That makes a bunch more sense to me.
I'm not trying to be negative (tho' it may seem so), I'm just wondering what the real point of such a draconian challenge can be, other than to be challenging?
Best wishes as always,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Please feel free to express your thoughts.. it is always useful to have someone ask you to examine your motives. I do freely admit that this challenge is quite extreme.
Honestly though, I don't have access to any beverages that are particularly "local". Even water could be sort of debatable since the reservoirs I am drinking from are a very long way away.
To me home squeezed juice isn't local unless the fruit or vegetable used to create it is locally grown, something I am working on but currently don't have access to.
I don't grow sufficient tea, and being caffeine sensitive wouldn't normally drink it. My property doesn't have the space to grow sufficient soy beans so there is no point in becoming dependant on such a product. The herbals that I have available on property are mainly medicinal so should be consumed in only very small amounts, generally for specific reasons.
To me this challenge is about changing some pretty bad habits I have picked up recently that would be impossible to maintain within a localised diet.
I may make an exception later in the challenge for home grown herbals once I include less medicinally active options in my garden. Even so none should be consumed every single day which will ensure that flavoured beverages will be in their rightful place of treat rather than an every day event.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Hi Belinda - It's only a few days to go before we start the challenge, and I'm trembling. Why, why, why!
I've thought about making herbal teas okay, or local juices okay if you grow and squeeze your own (and why not?), but I really think I was right to make the challenge as tough as it is.
The whole point is to be as local as possible, and you can't get more local than tap water!
Teas *do* have a large impact - according to the water footprint website, a cup of tea uses 35 litres of water on average. So they're not an eco/soft option, even though you might think they are.
By sticking with tap water, you're doing away with all packaging and delivery costs, as much as is possible, as well.
Theoretically, I think the challenge would be okay with adding some juice squeezed from leftover lemons or similar into water, as long as the lemons were locally grown, but that's where it gets tricky. How local is local? What about organic v non-organic? I figured it is just easier to stick with tap water. Then if you drink anything else, you're cheating ;-)
Maybe the challenge is too tough, and I should have made it for a month, rather than a year. But I found with the Year Without Chocolate Challenge that it got easier the longer I went. So from that perspective it makes sense.
I think we can do it! I know we can do it! Thanks so much for joining me on this challenge! :-)
Hi Daharja,
Thanks for proposing it.
Yeah, at least to start with simple is best. The less debating and quibbling you have to do with yourself the better I find.
At the 3 month mark I think I will probably allow myself home grown herbals. Making it home grown only means there is no mental quibbling about "how local is local" and of course the advantage of there always being only a limited supply.
Good Luck and Kind Regards
Belinda
I drink mostly water, real juice, nut and rice milk and herbal tea so I think it can be done. A year might be a bit tough going. Good luck.
Welcome Gustoso,
The bit about this that is sticking with me is not the water bit.. like you I generally choose to drink that anyway but it seems I have a large amount of resistance to having my choices restricted.
Whatever happens it is going to teach me something useful.
Kind Regards
Belinda
quite frankly, i think you're nuts :) good luck!
Yeah well.. I don't think I said anything to suggest I thought what I agreed to was anything but slightly insane.
See what happens when your steadying influence isn't an integral part of my week. :-)
Kind Regards
Belinda
Hi Belinda,
nothing but water for a year - no, I don't think I could do that. I mostly drink water anyway but I do like my cup of tea. I admire your dedication but won't be joining you on this challenge.
I have nominated you for a Sisterhood award. You can pick it up at http://cockatoodreaming.blogspot.com/2009/07/sisterhood-award.html
Lynda
Thanks Crunchies Mum,
That award looks lovely. I really appreciate you thinking of me.
Ah well, seems Daharja and I will lone rangers on this one.
Kind Regards
Belinda
At least the Lone Ranger got great music!
Cheers.
Good conversation going here -- I agree that sometimes a drastic move is needed to break unhealthy patterns. My mom often goes a year without cookies/biscuits, or a year without alcohol, and while I've never gone more than a month, I think she's on a reasonable track. I used to make an awesome sleepy tea from lemon balm and sage from my backyard herbal garden (and tap water). I'd hate for you to deny yourself drinks like that, which was the point of my original comment.
More power to your choice to break bad habits, though! That's a challenge I can drink to :-)
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