Big Carl versus Big Walt (AKA: we be super-hydrating).

by

Ahhhh, People. Im trashy.

Im fit. Im healthy (for the most part)  I freakin love my trash tv. 

It’s in that vein I UNAPOLOGETICALLY offer a diZclaimer of sorts.  If you dont watch Cougartown and are not familiar with BIG CARL you may not find this post funny.

(actually strike that as it places pressure on my misfit shoulders to have this post be funny if you DO know the Carl.  lets just say the post wont make sense.  thank you.)

Three things which are true:

Im struggling with allergies.  Im not hydrating enough.  I consume too much salt.

One thing which is true:

When it comes to exercise I choose LAUGHTER over TOILING.

If you add up the above and slather on top my misfit way of thinking your result is the post below.  I deduced (correctly) if I mixed LEVITY into my hydration I be more apt to drink water.

Enter a birthday present from a GENEROUS FRIEND.  I was grateful.  I really needed.  It made me GIGGLE to imagine guzzling *water* from a BIG CARL.

Sadly you cant see the “L” but it’s there…

 

Ren Man rolled his eyes. HARD.  “You can NOT drink something other than WINE from a Big Carl!!” He admonished.  Methinks his admonishnessment was jealousy in disguise as the next time I saw him he was toting Big Walt.

 

Yep! B-day present box behind BigWalt.

I wanted to be annoyed at his blatant appropriation of my idea.  I could not be.  I felt sad for Ren Man.  Big Walt seemed a sad impersonation of Big Carl.  An almost WEEDS-like wanna be Big Carl. (<—– the video linked there is pretty funny if youre a Weeds fan which–not shockingly–I am).

Still, though I was more sad for Ren Man and his lame ass BIG CARL wanna be new cup, I decided to mess with him.

I hatched a plan to derail his hydration (which of course had now become—to my DELIGHT— somewhat of a competition between us), and kidnap big Walt. 

I dragged poor innocent Tornado into the fray who decided (inexplicably) to blame the kidnapping on a pack of roving canines:

 

She may have a future in ransom note’ing!

Eventually we grew weary of watching Ren Man stumbling around the domicile dehydrated.

We returned Big Walt to his rightful owner.  Not before pointing out, however, how diminutive he was next to CARL:

Reunited.

Id like to say that’s where this tale ends.  That the three of us continued to banter, tease and MOTIVATE EACH OTHER TO HYDRATE (which we did).

Alas there’s one sad snippet Im compelled to share. 

The Tornado batted her sad six year old eyelashes at me and begged to take possession of Big Carl.

She carefully convinced me B.C.’s GLITTERtasticness would result in her hyper-hydration.  

I couldnt refuse. 

I handed over Big Carl (*whispers* temporarily. dont tell her. she doesnt read this.) and was rewarded with the below. 

Moniker-free.  Muscles-abounding.

 

We have big!watery!muscles!

And that’s really where our tale of happy hydration ends.

(If you long for serious tips on hydration Ive blogged about my struggles with water-drinking before.  In addition my ever smart friend Joyce got herself a fun, creative guest post all about the 5 secret benefits of drinking water.)

I’d already realized the benefits of adding PLAY to my exercise routine and as a result RARELY struggle for motivation to PLAYout.

Ive always stuggled with hydration and FINALLY realized PLAYful banter and familial competition here, too, makes all the watery-difference.

And you?

  • Do you have a BIG CARL? A go-to water bottle you *always* have with you & where HABIT helps your hydration?
  • Have you found (as I do again & again) that *laughter* is the best motivator? Or are you propelled onward by the punitive?

 

Please to hit Ren Man, The Tornado, Big Carl, Big Walt, & my moniker-free MUSCLE CUP up in the comments below…

 

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Comments

  3. Miz, I’m a big water-drinker… though it has to be cold water. Fortunately at work we have cold water fountains and at home I have a tabletop electric chilling purifier thing. Mostly I just drink out of formerly-procured water bottles.

    But you reminded me that I once kidnapped a colleague’s beloved coffee mug. I cut letters out of a newspaper and sent him a ransom note and then I took photos of the mug around town (on the bus, near a pool etc). He retaliated by posting a reward for someone to dob in the thief.

    All very childish but it entertained us for a week or two!

    Deb

  5. I also loved the serious tips at the bottom.
    It has been a hot hot summer here and I needed them.
    I am making a big carl today!!

  6. Loving Big Carl and Big Walt! Whatever it takes and it’s all good when it comes with a dose of humor.

    I actually love water and don’t have a problem gobbling it down round the clock. Now if I could figure out how to get my kids to drink more, that would be a win. They just don’t drink much. I try to relax about it and figure they are kids and intuitive and that they will drink when needed. Thoughts?

  8. I am copying this today with (not so) Healthy Dada.

    We love Courtney Cox and this could work.

  10. Love Cougartown, love Weeds, ADORE Courtney Cox and Big Carl!!! Too dang funny that y’all are naming your water bottles – I agree, whatever makes it fun!

    I always have a Camelbak water bottle with me – I sometimes feel like a toddler, with it tucked under my arm as I move from room to room, but yes, it’s always with me. Nameless, the poor thing. Big Monica? HAH!

  12. Love your big Carl! I run around with either a Nathan hydration bottle or other 22 oz cup around the house. I love water and other than 1/2 a pot of coffee each morning, it’s about all I drink. Well, except for wine….but my wine drinking is A LOT less than what they do on Cougar Town. 😉

  15. I love the ransom note! I was stunned to see how much more water I drink when I use a straw (and typing this I can’t help but picture your beer-straw before pic!). I have an aluminum (?) sports bottle with a built in straw that is my constant companion. Never thought of naming it …

  16. Hehe this is awesome. 🙂 I have a big Baxter water bottle that literally looks like a spaceship, so naturally, it keeps me intrigued and wanting to guzzle the water, especially when my salt tooth gets a bit out of hand… 😉

  17. I like Big Walt and are those Havianas behind him?!
    Which ones did you get?
    Happy belated birthday, Miz.

  18. I love your fun, motivating way to keep hydrated. Your family cracks me up!!! I have a collection of Nalgene and Camelbak water bottles that I keep filling up and I always have a filled waterbottle by my side.

  19. Um, yeah, I’d be a tad concerned about Young MsT’s ransom-making ability. On the other hand, it could be a form of passive income for you. 🙂

    The good thing about standing in front of a fancy pants soda dispenser all day is that I can (and do) keep my water cup replenished at all times.

  20. My Big Carl is a large, clear glass with a blue rim. I will post a photo for you on FB 🙂

    I know I have said this before, but hydration has never been an issue for me. In fact, it borders on obsession. I get a little panicky if I am in a situation where I am not sure there will be enough water.

  21. I don’t have a Big Carl but my friend did leave something at my house that resembles a Big Walt. I might ‘borrow’ it. I’ll make her believe ‘roving canines’ took it from my house! 😉

    I know I need to drink more water!

  22. Glad y’all are having fun with this! I don’t know much about hydration. Yeah, I’ve read the eight glasses a day stuff, but never bought it as I felt it seemed too much. Yeah, I’ve gone on long runs where I had to get a drink from some strange garden hose before I tanked! All in all, I drink when I’m thirsty, and that’s that.

  25. OK – I watch trash but not that show – hubby did though! I think I get the gist of Big Carl – anything to do with a similar “thing” to the rower guy that had an oar in his shorts when they took a pic of him & his teammates with their gold medal!!! 😉

    Loved this post & hey, anything that works for you crazy ones – I wish I was a misfit as the 3 of you! 🙂 You know me – just like exercise & all else – I have just made it part of life although I do buy the no calorie flavored water & drink at night for a treat!

  28. I drink several of those bottles a day-plus whatever is in my bike bottle/camelback when I am on the bike. The problem comes when I am teaching little ones and putting out “fires”-tending to others makes me forget about myself. I get up to pee several times in the nite so I guess I am hydrated. Too much h2o can lead to hyponatremia and health problems, so yes you can over-hydrate and hurt your kidneys. careful!

  29. Big Walt sounds like a rapper’s name, and “We Be Supah Hydrating” is the top selling rap album on the billboard charts, of course. I expect a rap-video outta you, Miz.

  30. I know nothing about Cougartown but I do love me some Weeds and I liked the retelling of the water bottle drama anyway :). I find that I tend to drink more out of a bottle than a glass, also that I’ll drink it if it’s in front of me but I lag to actually go fill it if it’s empty.

    I usually tote around one of the various bike bottles they give out after triathlons. I make it a habit to have filled it 3 times each day so I know I have had more than the recommended 64 oz (not counting workouts).

  32. Thank you Thank you Thank you Carla! So very kind of you!

    Oh you know we do share the love of the trashtastic tv shows. And I need me a Big Carl. Mine is more a “oh is that it?” kinda Carl. Need to upgrade.

    Hilarious post. You know how to start a Monday right! 🙂

  33. I love me some Cougartown. No BIg Carl here. Definitely need to drink more water. I am going to get a glass now!

  35. I have a variety of water bottles – some I love, some I merely tolerate (why do the steel bottles not have a drink-though cap? Do they know how inconvenient it is to unscrew the top for every sip?) About half of them reside in my car at any one point in time.

    The only “go to” water carrier is the one I keep in my gym bag. Outside of that hour a day, I drink from whatever has some liquid in it. Before I leave to drive somewhere, though, I always make sure there is fresh water in the car.

  40. ahh big carl, i love it. I remember that from Cougar Town. ALthough i would drink wine from it, lol.

    Not a good idea though.

    We just ordered an Ozarka hydration system. I’m gonna name it Big Bertha.

  41. That’s hilarious 🙂
    I am not a huge water fan either. I’ve gotten OK at having a few 16 oz bottles while at the gym in the morning, but I’m resorting to lemon wedges and lime juice to get more water in me. It’s just so…bland. I was drinking crystal light to try and get more liquids and replace the coffee I drink way too much of, but I figured lots of aspartame is not what I needed…so I just have a 16 oz water bottle at my desk which I drink at least one of each day. at work and take it from there. I work in a lab where you cannot eat or drink so it’s not easy staying hydrated…but I’m trying.

  42. Everyone who drinks from it just about drowns
    It stands 16 inches, weighs eleventyseven pounds.
    It’ll yank down your britches if you clip it to your hip
    But plenty of hydration when you put your lip to Big Carl.

    Big Carl
    Big Carl
    Big Wet Carl
    Big Carl

  43. Your poor husband does not stand a chance with you and the Tornado allied. You sure can make hydration entertaining! And thanks for the link to Joyce’s blog and my sister’s guest post. Quit making me laugh so hard that I spew my water!

  45. I have never seen Cougartown (or Weeds) but the Tornado’s ransom note totally had me cracking up! As far as hydration, I’ve found that for me, the simpler the better. Any type of elaborate monitoring system inevitably fails. Humor though, is ALWAYS the best motivator:)I think my fave part is that your friend puffy-painted Big Carl. I need more puffy paint in my life.

  51. I’d have to check with you here. Which is not something I usually do! I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!

  52. I’m still laughing at your post! You even make staying hydrated fun, wish I had you guys around all the time, will have to keep reading 🙂

  59. Hi Mitz,

    I must say that I haven’t watched Cougar Town in a long while, but this was hilarious. I don’t have a Big Carl or Walt myself, but I do try to say hydrated, although I do tend to forget it sometimes.

    Mariella

  60. We’ve got an ongoing war between my husband and my daughter over his huge coffee cup (he got in NYC from Starbucks, and since we really don’t have any around here, he loves drinking even water out of it and pretending.) So far, he’s losing. 🙂

  61. Immediately knew what you were talking about with Big Carl but he’s not for water but for wine, lots of it 🙂

    That having sad, I don’t have a big Carl for wine (yet 🙂 ) but I do have a bottle filled with water in my kitchen at home and at my desk at work. I also always take a bottle of water with me in the car. Because if i get in traffic jam, I might need something to stay hydrated.

  62. You are too funny! And yes, I make it a point to drink water for as many times as I can. It helps level off my body’s behavior, and it also helps with teeth care. (Bracescostinfo.Com)

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