You know you need to drink more water, but it just isn’t happening. You get to the end of the day and wrack your brain trying to think if you even made it to 5 glasses of water let alone the 8 everyone says you need.
When it comes to balancing everything in my life (e.g. kids, a home, and a job) the fact is that it’s incredibly easy to forget to drink enough water. Even as an obsessive water drinker.
And what happens when I don’t drink enough? I feel like absolute garbage. Sluggish, bloated, and my skin starts to get blotchy and break out. It’s like my body is screaming at me to drink me.
On the other hand, drinking tons of water injects me with energy. Plus, my skin looks and feels fabulous.
While the benefits are endless, drinking more water doesn’t have to mean a major life change. These 5 strategies will give you simple ways to start drinking more water and start feeling better.
1) Get a water bottle you absolutely love
While it may seem silly, having a water bottle that you love and that meets your unique needs will make all the difference when it comes to getting enough water.
If you don’t like your water bottle or it’s inconvenient to use, you’re not going to use it. It’s that simple. You won’t carry it around, you won’t throw it in your purse, and you won’t drink from it.
On the other hand, fining a water bottle that makes you happy is going to make it much more likely that you will actually use it. Before you pick your water bottle, decided what’s important to you.
Questions to consider:
- What size do you need? Too big, you won’t carry it around. Too small, you’ll constantly be refilling.
- Do you want it to keep water cold?
- Do you want a straw or a wide-mouth lid?
- Easy to drink on the go?
- Where will you be storing the water bottle wile on the go?
There is no one size fits all for everyone. Now, I love giant water bottles. But there are plenty who would never carry around a 32 oz water bottle. It’s too bulky and inconvenient.
For me, finding a water bottle was like dating. I had to go through a lot over the years before I found the one I really wanted to settle down with. I’ve had various Nalgene and Camelback bottles (which were great), but last year I found my water bottle soulmate in the ever-trendy Hydroflask.
There’s a reason everyone’s got one: spill proof, keeps water cold FOREVER, easy to drink on the go, no condensation on the outside, gigantic. It was everything I ever wanted in a water bottle. Downside: gets dinged up easily.
2) Drink a full bottle before each meal.
Since I struggle with any kind of tracking method (e.g. calorie counting) I need simple cut and dry rules to follow. This one really works for me.
I have my 32 oz Hydroflask and I make sure to fill it up all the way and empty it in the space before each meal. That means I’m getting a least a whopping 96 oz a day.
If you want to make it even easier to track, get 3-4 separate bottles (of whatever size works for you) and fill them and put them in your fridge. This way you can actually see and track progress without having to write anything down. As you go through the day, just make sure you empty them all out.
3) Mix it up with flavored water
If you are a big soda drinker, you’re probably going to need a bit of flavor to make drinking more water doable. Plus, it’s just nice to mix it up. Options like La Croix and Spindrift (my personal favorite found at my Costco) are perfect flavored options. Since we don’t drink soda or juice at our house, my kids think it’s a huge treat to drink Spindrift.
4) Drink a glass right after you wake up
This is a part of my daily morning ritual. Not only will drinking a glass of water upon waking give you and immediate energy boost, it’s also going to sneak in an extra glass every day without even trying.
5) Track it
There are a variety of ways that you can track your water consumption. If you keep a paper planner, you can track it there.
Or you can use an app like Daily Water Tracker or Plant Nanny (a more whimsical option).
What works for you?
Drinking more water doesn’t have to upend your whole life. You can do it simply and easily. It’ll make all the difference in how you feel and how much energy you have.
Find a water bottle you love and pick the method(s) that will work best for you. Drinking more water will immediately make your body feel better.
You’ve got this!
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