I did not grow up drinking water. I mean, I must have had some on occasion, but it wasn't a regular thing. I had to have orange juice for breakfast and milk for dinner, which was fine, but the rest of the time I drank soda. It didn't even matter to me whether it was Coke or ginger ale or my mom's Tab, just as long as it wasn't that "tasteless" water.
I remember going jogging in college and then picking up a fountain Diet Pepsi from the student union to "rehydrate". That's how strong my disdain for water was. It wasn't until I first started experiencing hang overs in my late 20's that I actually drank water on purpose. And even then it was mainly to prevent a hangover - I would down a glass like medicine, then sip my soda (and then pass out).
It was being pregnant with Ironflower - who, coincidentally, loves water - that got me to actually like water. For some reason it was the only thing that quelled my first trimester nausea. Plus, having cut way back on the soda, I had to drink something.
So the fact that I'm writing a "Drink Water!" post on the internet is a little bit ridiculous.
But really, the fact that I'm talking about weight on the internet at all is a bit ridiculous. So I'm just going to say it:
If you want to lose (or maintain) weight, drink more water.
If you're not impressed with the scientific studies in the above link, read a "women's magazine" story about a woman losing a lot of weight and keeping it off. Nine times out of ten*, she'll talk about how much water she drinks. Or you could also look up almost any diet plan out there, from a sane one like Weight Watchers to a crazy juice fast, and you'll see a water intake recommendation.
I thought the water thing was bullshit until I tried to lose weight after having Ironflower. Weeks I was good about my water intake, I lost baby weight. Weeks I wasn't, I didn't lose any weight.
That's still true today. If I want to lose weight, I have to suck it.
I mean water.
Obviously.
I find it easier to drink more water if I am sucking it through a straw or bite valve or sports top. Possibly because I am terribly uncoordinated when I drink it out of a glass and always wind up spilling it on my shirt. But also because I think it tastes better that way.
I never claimed I made sense.
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't drink more water.
*Not an actual statistic.