For 15 days, we're exploring the topic of making our health and well-being a priority as part of the 15 Days to a Healthier You series. You can read Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here, Day 5 here, Day 6 here, Day 7 here, Day 8 here, Day 9 here, and Day 10 here.
Most of us suffer from dehydration, whether we know it or not. Many times, we think we have some physical problem in need of medical attention, but the cause could be that we just need to drink more water!
Drinking more water boosts your metabolism, fights fatigue, improves your skin, encourages better digestion, relieves headaches, and might even improve your mood! Which is why it is so important that we make getting hydrated more of a priority.
Need some encouragement to drink more water? Here are five ideas:
1. Track Your Water Intake
The average adult should drink at least 64 to 80 ounces of water per day. If you think you're currently drinking that much, track your water intake each day for two weeks. You might be surprised to realize you don't drink as much as you think you do!
There are many ways to track your water intake — apps like the Waterlogged app, printable worksheets to track water intake, or even a custom time-marked bottle with daily goals.
Lindsey emailed me and said:
“I’ve known for years and years that I need to drink more water. The problem wasn’t that I drank soda or juice instead of water….the problem was that I simply wasn’t drinking enough at all. I used to set goals for drinking more water and then I beat myself up over not achieving them. I thought I had a will-power problem, I thought I wasn’t trying hard enough, I thought there was something wrong with me, etc.
Then one thing happened that changed it all. My husband bought me this water bottle for Christmas last year — the Hydr-8 Water Bottle.
This bottle made drinking 8 glasses of water a breeze. My husband fills the cup for me before going to work and I only need to refill it once at the office! Yes! I know exactly how much water I am drinking (it’s like the water bottle version of the Dave Ramsey envelope system…it’s very easy to track how much money or water you have left).
[The only downside is that it looks a little funny to take to office meetings … so I keep a regular water bottle on hand at my desk for those.]
The big lesson that I learned is that we are too eager to beat ourselves up when we don’t achieve a goal. In my case of not drinking enough water, it wasn’t that I was a bad person or that I lacked willpower or that there was something wrong with me — the problem was that I needed a system that put water consumption on auto-pilot; I needed to put conditions in place that made success inevitable. -Lindsey
2. Find a Cup/Glass/Water Bottle You Love
I don’t really have any scientific proof to back this up, but I’ve certainly found it to be true in my own life: when I have a cup/glass/bottle that I love, I’m much more apt to drink more water. Splurge and buy yourself a cute cup or water bottle and see if this is true for you, too!
I love to drink out of Mason Jars with ice and a stainless steel straw. TJ Maxx usually has quite a great selection of cute water bottles, glass water bottles, and mason jars. You can also check your dollar store to see what they offer. If you are willing to spend a little bit more, you might check out the following bottles: Glass Water Bottle, CamelBak Water Bottle, and Contigo Water Bottle.
I've found it helpful to always have a glass of water nearby me, no matter where I am. And when it’s a glass or bottle that I love, it makes me smile and makes me reach for it more often.
3. Start Your Day With Water
Most of us do not drink anything for at least 6-8 hours overnight… which means that we wake up dehydrated every morning.
Chris Bailey from A Life of Productivity says:
One of the best things you can do after you wake up: drink at least 16oz (500mL) of water. Water fires up your metabolism, hydrates you, helps your body flush out toxins, gives your brain fuel, and may even make you eat less.
Many experts recommend starting your day with Lemon Water instead of just plain water. Here are some other beverage ideas to start your day with — most that are water based.
To be honest, the thought of drinking water right as soon as I wake up is a bit much. I usually get up, get dressed in my workout clothes, and go to the garage to workout. Within about 10-15 minutes, I make myself a glass of ice water and try to start sipping on that and get down at least 8 oz. before making coffee. I can definitely tell a difference in how I feel overall when I do this.
4. Drink Water Instead of Soda
Drinking soda pop is addictive and expensive. If you drink one pop per day and you get it on sale with a coupon, that's still close to $100 spent per year for one person. If you pay for drinks from a restaurant or vending machine and you drink one pop per day, it's going to be closer to $150 to $250 or more spent in a year for your soda pop habit.
There is almost no redeeming value in soda pop, except that maybe it tastes good and makes you feel good. {Though it does neither for me, but I also basically never drink it — because I'm weird like that! :)} The calories in non-diet drinks can wreak havoc on your weight and the chemicals in the diet drinks can wreak havoc on your health.
So, all that to say, I'd heartily encourage you to consider cutting back on the soda habit — or maybe even get brave and ditch it altogether?
One simple way to start: Order water at restaurants when you go out. Drinks are one of the most price-inflated purchases at restaurants. Order water with lemon and you'll cut calories and costs. Not to mention that water is one of the most healthful things you can drink.
5. Experiment With Flavored Waters
Don’t like the taste of plain water? Don’t despair! There are so many combinations for flavored water that can change things up. If you’re looking for Flavored Water Recipes, check out this post for lots of ideas and suggestions.
Earlier this year, Jesse came up with the idea to make Flavored Water for us on a daily basis. He went and found a jar at Kohl’s to use (Amazon has a similar jar available), and has been making new flavored water combinations for us. It makes me kind of feel like I’m staying at a high-end resort every time I get a glass of water! You can do the same idea on-the-go with an Infusion Water Bottle.
Other ideas for getting more water are to drink herbal tea (hot or iced) or one of the many, many variations of Good Girl Moonshine.
Day 11 Project
1. Track your water intake for at least 2-3 days to see if you’re getting enough water on a daily basis. This might surprise you!
2. Pick one of the ideas listed above for making getting hydrated more of a priority and think of a simple way you’re going to incorporate it into your daily life.
3. Leave a comment and tell us what you’re planning to do in order to drink more water. I can’t wait to hear your creative ideas!
Looking for some more practical help?
