Water Challenge - Week 1

We have just completed week of challenging each other, my husband and I, to only drinking water. We have both been trying to do better with our caffeinated and sugary beverage drinks, but we needed to amp it up a bit. Focusing on doing it together, being accountable to each other I think is what got us through. Although, we each have had two drinks, once on Wednesday and once this weekend.

If I can limit my sweet tea addiction to once or twice a week, then I am OK with that, at least at this point. Baby steps, right? I have not always been "addicted" to sweet tea. I grew up drinking it every day, but never thought of it as being addictive. It was just a part of our life. Sweet tea was made every day and that was our beverage. I even remember taking a thermos of it as part of my packed lunch to school in elementary. I was not really into soda, until high school when we were able to use the vending machines - Mr. Pibb all the way. I did keep up that habit through college.

Never did I think that I was addicted, where I literally felt like I NEEDED to have it. Maybe it was because I never felt like it was a problem or I, for sure, back then did not realize the health detriment it was causing me. I had also never really had any side affects from drinking too much tea and I was always able to sleep. Once I graduated from college and realized I had a sugar/insulin issue, that is when I started making changes. I switched from sugar to the little blue packet (don't worry, I now realize it was swapping one evil for another - learn as you go). This was a change in sugar intake not caffeine. It was not until graduate school that I really felt the effects of too much caffeine.  The gas station down the road from our duplex made the best coffee which I would then add some nice french vanilla creamer. While finishing my thesis, my caffeine consumption probably doubled and I remember one day feeling like my heart would pop out of my chest and I could not stop shaking. I realized then, it was time to come off of the caffeine. I cut back considerably, and certainly switched to decaf coffee, but if I had tea, even then was not often, it was the real thing. At that time, we just stopped buying it so we wouldn't make it, therefore I would not drink it.

Once I got serious about getting healthy, I cut out all caffeine and almost all sugar. I do not remember it being that big of a deal to stop drinking tea though. I remember my husband would order it in a restaurant and I would be jealous, but other than that, I don't remember craving it. That would NOT be the case this time around. I realize part of it has been that it was a time away from the house, a time to just relax in a way. Of course, the kids were still with me, but they were quiet, it was peaceful and I got a jolt of energy to get me through until bedtime.

Baby Girl was about six months old and I had just started a new job with a ton of more hours. This was the beginning to the end. It always starts off harmless. Until this point, I never had caffeine since I had started my getting healthy journey. And even when I did start to drink it more, it certainly wasn't every day or even every other day. It was occasionally, when I was extra tired and I never drank it after lunch because it would for sure keep me awake. Since then, the caffeine intake has not been an issue. I started drinking a little more when I was pregnant, but not over the recommended amount, of course. Then a few months ago, my son's sleep issues combined with pumping and exhaustion, the addiction took hold! It's going to be a long road, let's hope I can keep on track.