I’m sure we’ve all heard the classic, “drink 8 cups of water a day in order to stay hydrated”. Well, believe it or not, this number is actually just a minimum. There are so many factors that contribute to additional dehydration that most people don’t take into account. For example, being extremely active, living in a hotter climate, etc. all contribute to a need for more water. And yet, even with this information, most of us still hardly reach that number.
Here are some of the essential strategies that I use that keep me reaching that 8 glass minimum everyday:
1. The first strategy I use to drink more water is to carry a water bottle with me where ever I go.
Every once in awhile I’ll remind myself to take a sip from my water bottle. By always reminding myself I need to carry my water bottle with me, this reminds me to also drink water. Not to mention, it’s more convenient when the water is right there beside you and in arms reach.
2. If you already have a water bottle but don’t carry it with you, then tryout getting a new water bottle.
Yup that’s right, increasing your water intake can be as simple as buying yourself a new water bottle. There are so many different water bottle options to choose from whether it be different colors, metal or plastic, with or without a straw etc. Find a water bottle that is fancy to you and makes you want to use it more often.
3. The third strategy I use to drink more water is to add flavor to my water.
Some stores sell water flavoring droplets, but I prefer to flavor my water naturally. I like to add lemon, ginger, honey, or a blend of fruits. Really any fruit you can think of can be added to your water; anything from strawberries, to watermelon, to blueberries, to limes, etc. This gets rid of the bland, boring flavor of water and especially helps if you’re someone who usually enjoys drinking soda.
4. The final strategy I use to drink more water is to drink less caffeine and sugary drinks.
To begin, caffeine dehydrates but somehow also quenches your thirst. So essentially it tricks you into thinking you’re hydrated without you knowing it’s doing the opposite. Similarly goes for sugary drinks, they’ll quench your thirst without actually hydrating you. And, once our thirst is quenched there’s no way we’ll want to drink water if we didn’t drink it in the first place. You can easily fix this by just limited your consumption of these types of drinks.
Water is an extremely essential part of our health and well-being, yet getting the proper intake is so uncommon. I hope you use these strategies that I use to ensure I am my best self by being hydrated and healthy all throughout the day.