Your daily water intake plays a large role in how you feel on a regular basis. It also affects many factors related to your weight, including your energy levels and metabolism. Are you drinking enough water each day? Do know know much is enough?
Drinking More Water
Not surprisingly, most people don’t drink enough water. A bottle or two a day probably won’t cut it! Your body is about 60% water, give or take. It uses a lot of your supply to make urine and sweat, so if you aren’t drinking enough, you could risk severe dehydration.
Health authorities commonly recommend you consume at least 64 oz a day, which is equivalent to eight 8-oz glasses. But if you can, definitely drink more. Water enhances your energy, brain function, metabolism, skin health, digestion and more. It can also help manage or prevent negative health conditions such as kidney stones.
However, many people don’t like the taste of water or have a hard time drinking enough of it. If that sounds like you, consider the tips below for keeping your health in check.
Tips for Meeting Your Daily Goal
Add Hourly Goals to a Gallon Jug
One clever drinking hack is to fill up a large gallon jug with water. Use a dark-colored marker to draw vertical lines on the jug that reflect your hourly goals. If you start drinking at 9 am, for example, your 10 am goal might be to drink enough to make it to the next line. Doing this hourly is a great way to make sure you are always hydrating.
Tip: you can actually do this with any size bottle, and many store-bought bottles come pre-marked. If you choose a smaller one, you will just need more refills.
Get a Bottle with a Handy Clip
Do you always lose your water bottle? Hate having to carry it around? Keep one on you at all times by buying one with a clip. Attach it to your purse, backpack, computer bag or even belt loop.
Invest in a Filter
Depending on where you live, filtered water may make your beverages taste better as opposed to drinking from the tap or a public fountain. You can buy a filtration device for your sink or, for even cheaper, store your water in a jug or pitcher with a filter built in.
Use a Tracking App
Many wellness phone apps like Plant Nanny or Aloe Bud have water-tracking capabilities that are fun and easy to use. Set-up your account with your personal water goals and customize the app to fit your interests and personality. When it’s time for your next drink, your app will alert you and track your intake. When you’ve reached your goal, it will celebrate with you!
Add Some Flavor
If you don’t like the taste of regular water, add some flair to it. One solution is to opt for sugar-free drink mixers that are sold at nearly every major grocery store. Choose a flavor you like and pour it directly into your bottle or pitcher per the directions on the package. If you don’t like drink mixers, use fresh, whole ingredients like lemon or lime wedges, orange slices, strawberry slices, blueberries, small watermelon cubes or even sliced cucumber. Yum!
Use Everyday Behaviors as Reminders
You’ll significantly increase your water intake if you associate drinking water with simple behaviors you already do. For example, swig a small glass before and after every meal or in the first two minutes after waking up. Have a couple sips after every time you use the restroom. If you carry a bottle in your car, sip on it at every red light. You’ll start to see natural habits forming.
Want more tips for drinking water? CLICK HERE for additional suggestions.
