Remembering to Drink Water
Don't forget to carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. Always having water on hand makes it easier to remember to drink it. Slip a reusable water bottle into your purse, gym bag, backpack, desk drawer, or car, and refill it regularly. Avoid chugging or taking big gulps from your water bottle. Instead, take small sips throughout the day. Water bottles come in all sizes, styles, and materials. You can even get water bottles with built-in water filters so the water will taste better.
Reach for a glass of water after a workout or in hot weather. It’s important to drink more water any time you’ve been sweating, such as when you’re exercising or after spending time in a hot environment. Always keep a bottle of water on hand and take sips from it often when you're hot or sweaty.
Have a glass of water before and during meals to reduce your appetite. Drinking water before your meals and while you eat can help to reduce your appetite since thirst is often confused with hunger. Replace your typical drink before and during meals with water, or at least have water to drink on the side. This will save you money when you eat out and help you cut calories. Drink a glass of water while you prepare your dinner or while you’re waiting for your meal to arrive at a restaurant. Ask for water with a lemon wedge in it when you eat out. This will help to make the water taste better.
Alternate between alcoholic drinks and water at parties, bars, or meals. Alcohol dehydrates you so it’s important to drink water along with any alcoholic beverages you consume. Try to have a glass of water after every alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated. Moderation is best when it comes to drinking alcohol. Try not to exceed 1 drink per day if you’re a woman or 2 drinks per day if you’re a man. One drink is 12 fl oz (350 mL) of beer, 5 fl oz (150 mL) of wine, or 1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of spirits.
Set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself. Try setting alarms or computer reminders that tell you to drink water once per hour, or decide on a few personal “triggers” for drinking water. Triggers to sip water can be routine activities that you do all the time, such as: Making or receiving a phone call Stretching while you're at work or school Hearing someone say your name Checking your email
Draw lines on your water bottle with corresponding times. If you have a large water bottle and don’t mind marking on it, use a permanent marker to draw a few lines around the bottle as reminders. Then, write times that correspond to the lines, such as 9:00 am 1/4 of the way down the bottle, 11:00am halfway down the bottle, and 1:00pm 3/4 of the way down the bottle. If you need to refill your water bottle more than once per day, then you could write additional times along these lines, such as 10:00 am/2:00pm at the halfway mark.
Download a water drinking app. There are apps that help you to track your water intake, such as My Water Balance, Daily Water, and Hydrate Daily. You can also track your water intake in food tracker apps, such as My Fitness Pal, Fat Secret, and YAZIO. Record your intake each time you have a bottle or a glass of water. You can also keep a journal to keep track of the water you drink. You can also purchase a water bottle that connects with an app on your phone and tells you when you’ve reached your goal for the day. These can be expensive, but it might be a good option if you seriously struggle to remember to drink water or if you’re just a fan of gadgets!
Improving the Flavor of Your Water
Infuse water with fruit, herbs, or veggies. Adding flavor to your water is a simple way to make it more palatable. Try filling up a water bottle or pitcher of water and adding a few simple fruit or veggie slices, or a sprig of fresh herbs. Then, let the water sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours while it absorbs the flavors. Some items you could add to flavor your water include: Citrus fruit slices or wedges, such as orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit Fresh berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries Cucumber slices Ginger slices Sprigs of fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, or rosemary
Try carbonated water for a fizzy alternative to flat water. This is a great option if you’re a fan of fizzy drinks, such as soda or beer. Carbonated or sparkling water provides all the same benefits as flat water. You can purchase flavored sparkling water or add your own flavor to sparkling water using lemon, lime, berries, and cucumber slices. Make sure that the carbonated water you purchase is free from added sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Add ice if you like cold water or leave it at room temperature. Drinking cold water may provide a slight benefit to your metabolism, but it’s not enough of a benefit to make drinking cold water worth it if you don’t enjoy it. Add ice to your water if you prefer the flavor of cold water, or drink your water at room temperature if you prefer it this way. If you like your water cold, you can fill a water bottle about 2/3 of the way full with water and then place it in the freezer overnight. The water will freeze and you’ll have ice cold water to enjoy the next day.
Brew a cup of unsweetened tea or coffee once or twice per day. Drinking tea and coffee will also count towards your daily fluid intake, so this is a great option if you like your water warm or hot. Try having a cup of coffee or tea with your breakfast to work towards your daily water intake goals. Avoid getting all of your fluid intake from tea and coffee, especially if it’s caffeinated. Caffeine has a diuretic effect. You can also eat your water in the form of fruits and veggies with high water content! Try having a couple of slices of watermelon or cantaloupe with breakfast, a cucumber salad with lunch, and a bowl of steamed cauliflower with dinner to get some extra fluid in your diet.
Setting Goals for Your Water Intake
Track the amount of water you drink each day. Keep a tally of the number glasses or bottles of water you drink each day. This will help you to determine how much water you’re drinking and figure out if you might need to increase your intake. It's a myth that you need to drink eight 8 fl oz (240 mL) of water each day. There’s no “right” amount of water for everyone to drink. The amount of water you need depends on your weight, sex, activity level, environment, and other factors.
Set a goal for how much water you want to drink each day. This goal is up to you since there’s no right amount of water that you need to drink each day. Consider how much of your daily fluid intake is water and identify how much of it you’d like to be water. For example, if you drink 48 fl oz (1,400 mL) of water each day and you’d like to increase your intake to 70 fl oz (2,100 mL), then make this your goal.
Increase your water intake slowly to avoid unpleasant side effects. Increasing your water intake too quickly may mean you’ll have to pee more often than usual, which can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. Only drink an additional 8 fl oz (240 mL) per week as you work towards your goal. For example, if your goal is to drink 70 fl oz (2,100 mL) per week and you’re currently drinking 48 fl oz (1,400 mL) per week, start by upping your intake to 56 fl oz (1,700 mL) per week, then 64 fl oz (1,900 mL) per week the week after that, and then 70 fl oz (2,100 mL) per week on the third week.
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