Confession: I did not get 48 ounces of water in me yesterday. I managed to drink only half of that. Still, it was an improvement over many wintery days, when my water consumption is nearly zero. So, what did I learn from this? That I probably have unrealistic expectations, thinking I can go from nearly zero to 48 ounces in one day. It wasn’t failure (we hate that word) — it was a learning experience. So I’ll be more realistic and set my improved water consumption expectation to…24. That’s a bottle and a half. I can expect to get 24 ounces in every day. Is that the ultimate goal? No, of course not. The ultimate goal is still 48 ounces a day. But it’s a no-fail baby step *toward* that goal. And if I manage to drink more than that, well, bravo! But this week’s (adjusted) goal is at least 24 ounces a day. Once I’ve managed that, then maybe next week I can raise my minimum water consumption to 32 ounces a day.
I did what most people tend to do: bite off more than they can chew. It sets you up for failure, because you just can’t realistically expect to make that kind of radical change and be successful.
On a different note, I was giving some thought today to what I know about nutrition (quite a lot). And, having lost a lot of weight over the years, I have learned a lot about how to do it, so I should be good at it by now. One important thing is eating enough green stuff. Yes, the old “strive for 5” is true. I like Michael Pollan’s nutshell philosophy on good nutrition: “Eat food, not a lot, mostly plants.” That’s it. Simple, huh? But I still find myself reaching for white things and not green things when I’m hungry (and I really *like* broccoli and peas and romaine lettuce). Even though I know that green things are better for me — they fill me up better, have lots of fiber and good nutrients and those wonderful antioxidants we all need…so, what gives?
I will give myself this question to think over, just as I might with a client who had this problem: “What do you think is stopping you from eating more fruits and veggies?”
Answer tomorrow. 
PS – My mare Connie no longer needs poultice and wrapping. Whew! They could all use a good grooming session, though. Maybe tomorrow. It will fit right into my program, as it is good exercise. With the size of my horses, that’s a full-body workout for me!
