H to the 0 (H20) 30 x 5

Excuse me while I crack open a tall, cold bottle of Sam's Purified drinking water. (Ahhh. Nothing but the good stuff for me.)

A quick twist, and pop goes the plastic ring which annoys me by staying on the bottle like a bracelet. Then I take that cap for a counter-clockwise do-si-do, lift it off and chug the H20, Baby. That's what I've been doing this last week, and I hope you've embraced this facet of the 30 x 5, as well.

Hey. Where did you go? Oh, to the bathroom.

Good. Maybe we can continue this conversation from inside the stalls because I'm right behind you. Apparently, according to the pic, we're going to the restroom for women with one arm.

Some enlightenments and developments have occurred as I began this water guzzling journey:

• I am the fastest go-er to the bathroom in town. I've been so often in the last week that I've streamlined the process to near art-form. I shall spare you the details. You're welcome.
• I know where many, many public restrooms are, including places you might not think of right away. Starbucks? That's for spoiled sissies. Try this on for size: Hotel lobbies. Bowling alleys. The cheap haircut place. (I know; I'm sharing way too much information.)
  
• I am more thirsty. Yes, you read that right. I was aiming for 8 x 8 (64 ozs), but because my water bottles hold 20 ozs each, I've been drinking 80 oz. And guess what. It's making me cotton-mouthed and thirsty.

Apparently, this is a pretty common phenomenon, according the Internet. There are several theories about this, but one theory is that I have awakened my thirst sensors which were dormant before.

Well. You don't say.

I've learned that when we eat a lot and don't drink water, we get used to getting hydration through food instead of liquid. So we actually feel hunger (real pangs!) when what we really need is water.

All of my life, I have never really enjoyed drinking, except for a great cup of coffee in the morning. Now that I truly enjoy. But I never enjoyed beverages with my meals or got all excited about new flavors of sodas, etc. And when I went out to eat with others, they would have their glasses refilled many times while I sat there with the initial glass of water barely touched.

And I rarely felt thirsty. You see where this is going.

I ate my water. With some extra calories thrown in just for kicks, and menopause loves extra calories like Paula Abdul loves Adam Lambert. Not good news for weight management.

So I fully expected this endeavor to be really difficult, but it turns out, SHAZAM! I like water! I crave it! And no, I'm sure I'm not diabetic. My hydration switch has been flipped, that's all.

Now, it is possible to drink too much water, but even at 100 ozs, I'm not near that limit yet, so no worries.

I just can't get over it. I think I've had more water in this one week than I've had in my entire life. Maybe that's why I'm so thirsty. Maybe my hydration level is only as current as 1975, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!

How about you this week; did you drink more? (Water, you cad. Or cad-ette.) How did you feel?

I do not follow nor advocate the Adkins Diet, but I did enjoy this Adkins article which delineates all of the benefits and interesting factoids about water.

One last tip: crushed strawberries in water. Wonderful.

OK--onto week two of 30 x 5 Phase 3--keep sipping that water! We finish May 26!