The primary point of this challenge is to disrupt your automatic eating pattern, but instead of mounting a direct attack on your preferred foods, we'll enter through the back door, via your choice of beverages.
Every diet advocates drinking plenty of water, to help fill you up, to flush toxins from your system and to hydrate your cells. This week we address the fluids you consume. We replace all your beverages with just one -- water. The big three liquids that we want to avoid this week are coffee, soda and alcohol. Alcohol is the first beverage to replace with water. If you don't like the taste of alcohol and it already doesn't figure in your diet, then take aim at replacing coffee or soda.
Make It Real:
You may want to begin with replacing just one of your favorite beverages instead of all three. Start with alcohol.
It's okay to flavor the water with citrus or tea. If you go this route, omit sweeteners like sugar and honey, and thickeners like milk.
If you have a beloved ritual such as a couple sharing coffee in bed, allow yourself one cup to celebrate the morning together.
If an entire day of foregoing your favorite drink feels impossible or destined to fail, try shifting to water replacement for just half the day.
As an alternative to eliminating a specific beverage, you could simply add water in great quantity to your other fluids. Nine glasses a day is not too much to ask.
Food for Thought:
Do you associate pleasure or luxury with your favorite drink? "The meal just isn't the same without my glass of wine." Has becoming a connoisseur of certain kind of beverage made you associate your self-image with a certain drink?
Does this exercise help you recognize how little plain water you consume on average?
Could it be true that the bulk of your excess calories are not found on your plate, but in your glass?
Are you surprised by how difficult it is to limit your drinking to water for just five days and evenings?
What other elements of your life might benefit by a week of doing without?
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