Tips for Drinking More Water

I’m sure that I don’t need to tell anyone that drinking water is super important. Being hydrated has been linked to all kinds of crazy health benefits including losing weight, lowering cholesterol, improving brain function, improving memory, slowing aging, lessening allergies, combating fatigue… the list goes on and on and on. But, it’s one thing to know that you need to drink lots of water and another thing entirely to actually drink water.

Drink more water

If you do a bit of research, the figures on how much water a person should drink will vary from place to place. Some people say as many as 11 glasses per day, while others only suggest 7 or 8 glasses. In the end, it’s a little different for each person, but if you find yourself thirsty, constantly tired or your mouth is dry, you probably should have a glass!

Here are some tips for getting more water in your day:

1. Make it routine – Add a glass of water into your morning, afternoon or evening ritual
2. Use a straw – straws are easier, and you’ll drink more without realizing it. Bonus points if it’s one of those fun swirly straws!
3. Have a glass before meals – this will not only help you lose weight but also ensure you are drinking more water!
4. Eat foods with lots of water – berries, cucumbers, peppers and other similar fruits have a high water content and can help keep you hydrated
5. Stop buying other drinks – I find that if I don’t have anything else around to drink when I’m thirsty, I’m more likely to drink water.
6. Make it available – Keep a bottle or glass at your desk and you’ll be more likely to drink water throughout the day. Be sure to refill it when it’s empty!
7. Set a goal – some people will mark their bottles with a set goal of drinking X amount by a certain time. If you’re a very goal-oriented or competitive person, this might be a great option.
8. Improve the taste of your water – You’re more likely to drink water if you like how it tastes. See section below for ideas.

Learn to Love the taste

When I was a kid, we had well water which was naturally filtered and was insanely pure and refreshing. I drank water constantly and absolutely loved the taste. Whenever I visit my parents’ house I still prefer to drink water over anything else there. City water, on the other hand, always tasted pretty gross to me: like chemicals and metal and plastic and not at all how water is meant to taste. So when people say they don’t like water, believe me, I get it.

Here are some tips for learning to like water or, at the least, to make drinking it less of a chore:

1. Use a filter – It’s not the best option, but a filter will help get rid of some of that gross city-water taste.
2. Drink it cold – Cold water always tastes better, so if you can’t do anything else on this list, chilling your water might make a big difference.
3. Infuse your water – try adding fruits to your water to infuse it with not only better taste but a host of other benefits as well!
4. Only drink water – It’s hard for water to compete with sweet beverages like soda. As much as it will suck, quit cold turkey and let your tastebuds readjust to water again. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it will make.
5. Try herbal tea – some teas and coffee are dieuretics, which means that it will reduce the water in your system. However, most herbal teas are not, and they’re a great way to drink more water and be healthier in the process. You can have herbal teas hot or cold, depending on the season.
6. Carbonate your water – missing the fizzy in your soda? Try carbonated water, or carbonate your own at home.
7. Add juice – Drink a mixture of half water, half your favorite juice to slowly adjust to water. Slowly lessen the amount of juice until it’s mostly water.

You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel by drinking more water throughout your day. After all, our bodies are mostly made of water, so it only makes sense!

Do you have any suggestions for drinking more water, or making it taste better? Let me know in the comments!