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ventaThe 20th of January? Well, that sounds like I'm nearly two thirds of the way through. Some of you may remember that, to raise money for WaterAid, I'm drinking nothing but water throughout January. If you'd like to make a donation, there's still plenty of time to do so :) Many thanks to those of you who already have.
Just to be clear: yes, I do mean nothing but water. Whenever I've explained it to anyone, their next question has pretty much always been along the lines of "but what about coffee?"
Err, no. I'm just drinking water. Plain water.
Not even tea?
No. Really. The stuff that comes out of taps. That. I'm drinking it like it comes out of the tap.
(Actually, this is not strictly true, because I quite often heat it up in a kettle first. I don't actually like cold water all that much.)
And actually, it's not going all that badly. I have been spotted drinking pints of tapwater in pubs and at gigs, and more ladylike glasses of tapwater in restaurants. I don't actually drink a massive amount of tea or coffee on a daily basis anyway, so haven't been suffering caffeine withdrawal[*] as far as I'm aware.
The biggest challenge thus far was eating in a rather lovely pizzeria with an friend a week or two ago. I ordered some tapwater, she ordered a glass of red wine. And apparently my brain firmly believes that pizza goes with red wine, and refused to stop harping on about that for the rest of the evening.
In general, it's been less of a bother than (say) days when I'm in a pub and driving, or for some other reason am declining alcohol. Possibly because there's no deciding what I am going to drink involved, it's already pre-determined. Water :)
However, it has put something of a dent in outings. Quite often, if leaving work at similar times, ChrisC and I meet up in central London for a drink. Often if we go out for a stroll, the notional destination is a pub. And while I'm quite happy to sit in a pub and drink water, the impetus to go there is somewhat lacking. (If anyone wants to take ChrisC out for a drink, though, he might appreciate that :)
I was worried that at some point I'd absent-mindedly make myself a cup of tea - I don't think there's actually been any risk of that. Though some part of me is clearly still concerned about it, as this week I've dreamt both that I ordered and drank a latte without thinking and that someone tricked me into thinking some 7Up was water.
To those who suggested that drinking only water was a healthy lifestyle choice: it isn't. At times when I'd otherwise pop and make a cup of tea, I've taken to eating snacks instead. At the same time, I've frequently paused to wonder if the snack was "OK". In the past, I've often given up something (chocolate, snacks, other comestibles) for Lent and so there is a vague idea of restriction constantly floating around in my head which keeps trying to attach itself to all manner of unexpected foodstuffs.
[*] Actually, having said that, I have been generally sleepier and tireder than I've felt was reasonable this month. But so have a bunch of friends and colleagues, who aren't doing anything unusual in their drinking. I'd been putting it down to generalised January.
Just to be clear: yes, I do mean nothing but water. Whenever I've explained it to anyone, their next question has pretty much always been along the lines of "but what about coffee?"
Err, no. I'm just drinking water. Plain water.
Not even tea?
No. Really. The stuff that comes out of taps. That. I'm drinking it like it comes out of the tap.
(Actually, this is not strictly true, because I quite often heat it up in a kettle first. I don't actually like cold water all that much.)
And actually, it's not going all that badly. I have been spotted drinking pints of tapwater in pubs and at gigs, and more ladylike glasses of tapwater in restaurants. I don't actually drink a massive amount of tea or coffee on a daily basis anyway, so haven't been suffering caffeine withdrawal[*] as far as I'm aware.
The biggest challenge thus far was eating in a rather lovely pizzeria with an friend a week or two ago. I ordered some tapwater, she ordered a glass of red wine. And apparently my brain firmly believes that pizza goes with red wine, and refused to stop harping on about that for the rest of the evening.
In general, it's been less of a bother than (say) days when I'm in a pub and driving, or for some other reason am declining alcohol. Possibly because there's no deciding what I am going to drink involved, it's already pre-determined. Water :)
However, it has put something of a dent in outings. Quite often, if leaving work at similar times, ChrisC and I meet up in central London for a drink. Often if we go out for a stroll, the notional destination is a pub. And while I'm quite happy to sit in a pub and drink water, the impetus to go there is somewhat lacking. (If anyone wants to take ChrisC out for a drink, though, he might appreciate that :)
I was worried that at some point I'd absent-mindedly make myself a cup of tea - I don't think there's actually been any risk of that. Though some part of me is clearly still concerned about it, as this week I've dreamt both that I ordered and drank a latte without thinking and that someone tricked me into thinking some 7Up was water.
To those who suggested that drinking only water was a healthy lifestyle choice: it isn't. At times when I'd otherwise pop and make a cup of tea, I've taken to eating snacks instead. At the same time, I've frequently paused to wonder if the snack was "OK". In the past, I've often given up something (chocolate, snacks, other comestibles) for Lent and so there is a vague idea of restriction constantly floating around in my head which keeps trying to attach itself to all manner of unexpected foodstuffs.
[*] Actually, having said that, I have been generally sleepier and tireder than I've felt was reasonable this month. But so have a bunch of friends and colleagues, who aren't doing anything unusual in their drinking. I'd been putting it down to generalised January.
