Let's play a drinking game … drink more water

One day on the shuttle bus on the way to work I said to one of my co-workers/friends, Let’s play a drinking game. Every time I drink water you drink water. For some time now I have been encouraging him to drink more water.
I mentioned this story to another co-worker. She said she wanted to play the drinking game, too. She doesn’t take the shuttle bus to work. So I gave her another hint: Drink water while driving to and from work. She told me the other day she has been doing that and has been drinking more water. YEA!
I have written about water in the past. But I feel like this is an important subject, which can be written and talked about over and over.
Another co-worker sent me a forwarded e-mail called Water vs. Coke. I am sure many of you have seen this in the past.
According to a Livestrong article, some of the water stats are proven below. I can’t find anything that proves or disproves this whole list. But from my experience and all the research I have done over the years I believe most of them. According to Snopes.com, we don’t necessarily need eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day. I know I need that. And if I don’t have that much I feel thirsty and dehydrated.

WATER 

#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
(Likely applies to half the world population)

#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak
that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as 3%.

#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs
for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of
Washington study.

#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.

#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water
you should drink every day?

According to Truth or Fiction some of these Coke allegations have been proven and some have not (yet?). The Truths! come from Truth or Fiction.

COKE

#1. In many states the highway patrol carries
two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from
the highway after a car accident. Truth!  According to Truth or Fiction reader.

#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke
and it will be gone in two days.

#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the ‘real thing’ sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous china. Truth!  According to the popular household hint guru Mary Ellen.

#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. Truth!  According to Joey Greene.

#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour
a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.  Truth!  This is true of a lot of carbonated beverages.

#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola
to the rusted bolt for several minutes. Truth!  According to Mary Ellen.

#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into
the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix
with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

#8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke
into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen
grease stains It will also clean road haze from your
windshield. Truth!  According to Mary Ellen.

And don’t think you are doing yourself any favors by drinking diet soda. According to Mayo Clinic, switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking more than one soda a day — regular or diet — increases your risk of obesity and related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes.

According to this Livestrong article, Drinking diet soda may trick your body into thinking you can eat more because of the low caloric content of diet sodas, thereby, causing weight gain and increasing your risk of obesity.

I am not a huge fan of the taste of diet soda. So when Coke Zero and Vanilla Coke Zero came out I became addicted. I like it because there are no calories and it tastes like regular Coke. Eventually I was drinking too much. I weaned myself off and just stopped buying it. And once in a while I have a soda. It is more like a treat and not a daily need.

Find ways to get your water in. Try to drink 16 ounces on the way to work and another 16 ounces on the way home. (You may have time this right if you have a long commute. You don’t want to be stuck in traffic and have “to go.”

Maybe play a game with yourself. I can have that piece of candy … cake … dessert … second cup of coffee … Fiber One bar … or whatever … AFTER I have 8 ounces of water. After your water you may be full and not want the treat anyway … or maybe you still do. And that’s OK, too.

I still struggle to get my water in at times. What works best for me is my Camelbak adult sippy cup and my cup with straw at work. I have found using some sort of straw seems to help me get my water in. Also when not having a meal I prefer my water at room temperature. (If it’s too cold I just won’t drink it.)

Find what works for you and go for it. Any why don’t you share it with GFG! and her readers. We could all benefit from other’s ideas.
No prizes or drawing today. But do you really need that motivation to share your great ideas and/or secrets.