It's just water...What's the big deal?

Water. It's essential for most things to function, including my body. So, why can't I make myself drink it? There is no "taste" to speak of; I can't use that excuse. There is no "texture" so I can't really fall back on that one. I just can't seem to make myself drink the necessary 64 ounces a day...or more than about 8-10 ounces for that matter. When I express my frustrations to my husband, he says, "Well...that seems like it would be the easy part of running." Yeah, it does.

I know I need to: I feel better. My skin's clearer. I run better. I weigh less. Those are all good things, right? According to an article from WebMD.com, drinking water before a meal can actually help you lose weight. Uh. Hello? This is a win-win; there are no cons in this pro-con analysis (For a more scientific approach to the benefits of water, see this Mayo Clinic article).

Ok. There's one. Anyone who's been around me for any amount of time can attest to the fact that I have a serious caffeine addiction in the form of Dr. Pepper. Its 23 flavors are simply magical for me. I need it to start my day and as my students would probably tell you, my thoughts are incoherent until I've had it. My husband and children would probably tell you I need it to get through and finish the day, too. It's one of the last few "bad habits" I need to kick, but I can't seem to take that step. I start the process and then battle the withdrawal headache until I give in and drink one...or two...or three. But, hey! At that point, who's counting? **Note: Before you suggest I try Diet Dr. Pepper, please know that I have and I can't make that switch. The aftertaste is horrendous.

Here's the deal. I've been reading a lot of different fitness/health challenges to help everyone kick off the new year. So, here's mine and I'm putting it out there for all to read (and hold me accountable):

1. I'm going to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day until February 1.
2. I'm not going to drink any Dr. Pepper (yes, you read that correctly!) after 2 p.m. each day.

This is NOT going to be easy for me, people. I'm a working mom of two small children; caffeine at night = survival. But, I'm committing to it. I may be shooting Dr. Pepper at 1:45 p.m. each day and staying up late to drink all the water, but I'm doing it. I hope that by February 1, the new challenge will be one Dr. Pepper per day and then March will be...well, you get the picture. It's a process, folks. A process.

If you want in on the challenge, let me know and we'll be accountability partners. It's just water, right? What's the big deal?

So...are you in?