Water is important to our overall health and well-being. I have yet to find a study that says otherwise. It’s not easy for everyone to meet their daily intake of water though. This is why I held a water and walking challenge last week. It was such a huge success that I’ll be hosting another one in April (keep checking back for that announcement!). Until then, I thought I would share some of my top tips for drinking more water during your day without going crazy or floating away.
First off, let me start by saying that you might spend more time going to the bathroom when you first start increasing your water intake. This happened to me and it was quite annoying. Rest assured – your body does eventually adjust!
Now that we got the temporary negative side effect out of the way (if you can even classify it that way), let’s get on to my favorite tips. Some of these I use often while others are ones that have been shared with me. I recommend starting with just one tip. However, if you’re an overachiever like me, you might decided to utilize several of the tips at once.
Tip #1
Keep your water bottle near you at ALL times.
I’m sure you’ve heard of mindless eating before. What about mindless sipping? That’s what I like to call this tip. Basically, keep your water bottle near you at all times and try to take a sip from it frequently. Eventually, you’ll find yourself mindlessly sipping on water while you work. You may even be surprised at how many times you have to take a break just to refill your water bottle.
Tip #2
Invest in a water bottle that you love.
I’m a huge advocate of saving money. I also believe that there are certain items that require you to splurge a little. Your water bottle is one of those items, especially if you’re following tip #1. If you don’t already love your water bottle, then please take a trip to the store and find one that you do love. Mine is an anchor Tervis that I absolutely love. The anchors are pink and green which matches perfectly with my blog. I rarely leave home without my water bottle and I never mind having it out because it’s too cute to hide away.
Tip #3
Add a little pizzazz to your water.
A lot of people have trouble with water because it’s “tasteless” or “has no flavor.” Water doesn’t have to be boring – there are several ways that you can add flavor and pizzazz to your water. Fruits and mint make great add-ins for a flavor boost. My favorite is cucumber, lemon, and mint mixed in together. Opt for a mineral water if you’re missing the carbonation that comes with soda. (When choosing mineral water, make sure that it is all natural – no aspartame! Also, drink it in moderation since carbonation comes with it’s own slew of side effects.)
Tip #4
Use a fancy glass.
This one may sound very superficial but I find that it helps a lot. I love putting my water in a mason jar or cocktail glass for a little fun. I’ve even been known to add a lime slice to the side of my glass to help it resemble a cocktail even more. Sipping from a pretty glass is much more fun that using a boring glass. This is also a great trick for parties – if done right, others won’t know what’s in your glass anyways!
Tip #5
Download an app.
There are lots of water tracking apps that you can download to help you meet your goals. My personal favorite is Plant Nanny since it makes the process fun. With Plant Nanny, you’re working on growing a plant within the app. Each time you drink, the plant gets water. If you’re not drinking enough, your plant will suffer. It also includes reminders that you can set up as well. Simply search for “water” in your app store and you’ll have a large variety to choose from.
These are just a few basic tips for drinking more water each day. There’s a strong chance that you’ll see a part two to this post in the future. In the mean time, what are your tips for drinking more water during the day?
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