9 Simple Ways To Drink More Water Today

Do you drink enough water every day? If you’re like most of us, probably not! Water is an essential nutrient that does a lot more than just quench our thirst on a hot day. Not only do our bodies need water to properly function, but staying properly hydrated can help deliver nutrients to our bodies, prevent infections and even beat headaches.  To help us make sure we are properly hydrated every day, Health Coach Beth Romanski  has 9 simple ways to make sure you drink enough, and likely more, water daily.

Our bodies are made up of about 60% water, so it’s important to maintain a healthy fluid balance for our cells and bodies to function properly.  Beyond just helping us quench our thirst, water can support digestion, metabolism, energy, and joint lubrication. And not drinking enough water can lead to headaches, feeling lethargic or being unable to focus clearly.

Making sure you drink enough water is even more important if you exercise regularly because you lose fluids during a workout. And when you’re doing a sugar detox or transitioning to a low-carb or ketogenic diet, staying hydrated can help to balance your electrolytes (potassium, sodium and magnesium). This can really help ease the common “detox flu” symptoms many people experience.  

Even if you’re not in one of these categories, everyone can benefit from being more mindful of their fluid intake, especially in the hot summer season when you’ll need to drink more water!  While the amount of water each person needs varies on the individual, it’s important to monitor your fluid intake and stay hydrated. I always recommend listening to your own body, but in general, you can aim for about 10-12 cups (3000 ml) for men or 8-10 cups (2200 ml) a day for women. To make it easy, you can start with 8 oz. x 8 times a day as an average baseline.

9 Easy Ways To Help You Drink More Water

Many of us have busy lifestyles and find it difficult to ito remember to drink enough throughout the day. Or even if we remember, sometimes we just don’t feel like drinking all that water. To make sure you are drinking enough every day, I’ve put together a few hacks on how to make sure you stay hydrated:

1. Liven it up a bit

Even as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I find it difficult and unappealing to drink plain water, whereas I look forward to hydrating with just a little flavor.  Instead of artificially sweetened beverages, you can add zest to your water with fresh herbs, a drop or two of essential oil, seltzer or you can easily make your own spa water with citrus, berries or cucumber!

2. Make it convenient

Remembering to drink water can be hard when you’re on the go and busy.  If you have a glass of water or stainless steel water bottle by your bedside so you drink it right away upon waking and at work near your desk and in your workout bag, it is much easier to stay hydrated. I like to use mason jars too!

3. Pair it with daily activities

Setting up pairing strategies when trying to remember to do something is a healthy habit hack. For example, drink 8 oz. of water and lemon tea upon waking, a glass of water after your meal (drinking too much before or during a meal can sometimes disrupt healthy digestion due to diluting needed stomach acid) and at least 16 oz. when you workout.

4. Set a reminder

Just like with anything else, we can use technology to our advantage by setting up daily reminders on our iphones or computers to remind us to drink more water.  Did you know there are apps that track how much water you drink? Technology makes it so much easier to keep track of your progress if you are the type of person that has a hard time remembering, or if you’re competitive and like to see your streaks and milestones, this might be the right strategy for you.  Not into technology? Old fashioned post-it notes work too!

5. Log it

Being mindful of how much you’re drinking is the first step to drinking more if you aren’t meeting your daily minimums.  Most fitness trackers and habits apps have a place to log your water intake because it’s so important. If you don’t already have an electronic way to track, good old pen and paper works too!

6. Buy a vibrant stainless steel or BPA-free water bottle

I like my beverages to be cold so I love my stainless steel water bottles that keep my liquids cold for up to 24 hours.  There are tons of fun designs to choose from and I even get compliments when my water bottle matches my outfit! Make it cute and fun and it becomes a fashion accessory.

7. Eat hydrating foods

There are other ways to get hydrated besides just plain water.  Add in more water-rich foods like celery, cucumber, watermelon, berries, oranges, grapefruit.  Even nutrient-rich bone broth, soups and smoothies can contribute to your overall hydration levels.

8. Expand to herbal teas

Hydration doesn’t always have to be limited to plain water.  Other beverages like herbal teas (hot or cold) count towards your daily water allowance.  When I run my 21-Day Sugar Detox Group Programs, I recommend herbal teas to curb cravings for sweets! Herbal teas can also be very helpful to relieving stress and promoting relaxation as well as cleansing or energizing depending on the herbs and tea blend…so the health benefits of teas go well beyond simple hydration.

I love adding Further Food Collagen to my teas for an extra boost of nutrition too!

9. Join a 7-Day Water Challenge

Just like doing the Further Food 7 day Sugar Detox can help you cut out sugar, you can do a 7 day Water Challenge to help you increase the amount of water you drink.  If you can commit to just 7 days of 8 glasses of water a day for a week, you might be surprised how much easier it is to keep it up in the long term!  Start small and work your way up to big goals.

FREE MyHealthyTransitions Health Coaching 7-Day Drink More Water Challenge to get started right away!

Need help following through with your intentions to eat healthfully and exercise regularly?  Request a complimentary health consultation with Beth at MyHealthyTransitions Health Coaching or listen to Beth’s  Wellness Warriors Radio Podcast for health and wellness tips.

Give your water a tasteless protein boost with Further Food Collagen Peptides!

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