Drink Up

Have you lost your get up and go and you don't know where it got up and went? Many of us have this problem. The answer, however, to why we have this problem may surprise you.

You are dehydrated. Yes, you heard me. You are not drinking enough water; note that I did not say ‘liquids,' I said ‘water.'

You know how much water you need to drink on a daily basis. Eight - 8-ounce glasses, or 64 ounces, is the recommended amount for normal height and weight. I have some tips to help you remind yourself to drink your water. Look at your 8-ounce measuring cup; note that it is really small, actually, when you stop to think about it. One lady I know uses a nice tea cup for her water. It is small and makes her feel good when she uses it. Here are some more ways to remind yourself to drink your water:

1. Put up Post-It notes to remind you; Bright red or neon. Any color that will get your attention.

2. Get 4-16 oz. bottles of water and set them out each morning. Refill each night.

3. Drink water with all your meals.

4. If you have a difficult time drinking water, use a pretty glass or favorite cup to drink it from. You can also drink from a straw. Try it. Water goes down much faster when you suck it up.

5. Keep a bottle of water in your car, by your chair, and by your bed - at all times.

6. When you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water first.

7. If you can't keep up with the number of ounces you are drinking, keep a pile of pennies for every 8 oz. glass. Move the pennies from one pile to the next, each time you drink a glass of water. I used polished rocks from my candle rock garden on my entrance table. Each time I filled up my water bottle, I moved a rock.

8. Take a pretty bottle that can hold 64 ounces. I used to have a big, round, green wine bottle that I filled with 12 oz. glasses. Each time I poured the water into the bottle, I made a mark on the side to calibrate it.  That way, anytime during the day, I could count how

many ounces I had drunk for the day.

9. My favorite glass was a 12 ounce stemmed water glass. I felt special drinking water from this glass.

10. Drink water at the top of every hour. Eventually you will not have to go potty as often. One other thing: Every time you go to the bathroom, then drink some more water.

11. If you have the flu or a respiratory infection, the water will help to break up the phlegm and wash the impurities out of your system. You will cough up this stuff. It is my best medicine for a cold, flu, or stomach virus.

12. If you still can't remember to drink your water, send yourself 8 emails per day and leave them in your inbox to remind you! Delete them as you drink!

Please keep in mind that too much of a good thing is bad. Do not drink more that 12 ounces in a 30-minute period of time. There is such a thing as water intoxication. Your kidneys can shut down. Water intoxication can lead to death, so, by all means, don't overdo it.

Baby steps will incorporate water drinking into your routines. This will be good for you and it may just give you the energy you need to get your routines done.

One other benefit from drinking water, your skin will not be as dry or wrinkled. Water is the best moisturizer you can buy!

Drinking water is one simple way to love yourself. Take the time to drink your water. If you won't take care of yourself , who will? FLYing is all about Finally Loving Yourself! Are you ready to FLY?

For more help getting rid of your CHAOS; check out Marla's website and join her free mentoring group at  HYPERLINK "http://www.flylady.net/" www.FlyLady.net or her book, Sink Reflections published by Bantam and her new book, Body Clutter. Copyright 2006 Marla Cilley Used by permission in this publication.