10 PRACTICAL TIPS TO HELP YOU DRINK MORE WATER

Drinking water has always been a struggle for me but let’s just say I’m even more motivated after my breast cancer diagnosis to move towards a healthier lifestyle. I would roll my eyes whenever I saw an article or blog post that was all about helping people drink more water. Who knew I would be writing one? Look at God. I’m not here to offer you promises but I do have some tips that worked for me, a previous lost cause. If you don’t naturally like water, it can take some work in the beginning to stay at it. Commit to a month of doing these (even begrudgingly) and you’ll actually start to form a habit. Let’s not waste anytime getting into it.

1. Drink water first thing in the morning

I know this seems simple enough but this was a game changer. As soon as you wake up, head over to the fridge and drink at least 12 oz. I have Mattie James to thank for this little tip. If I can cut into my goal first thing, I feel so accomplished and the rest seems so much more attainable. It’s a great way to program your mind to keep going and I’m always here for any actions that keep you moving in the right direction. You can even go so far as to change your alarm from “Wake up” to “Morning sunshine. Go hydrate”.

2. Host an at home competition

This is for my fellow competitive folks who hate to lose. Create a one month challenge in your home with a prize you and the family would actually fight for. It could be a family trip if everyone meets their goal or if your household is an “every man for himself” tribe, then individual custom prizes might be best. Keep your tally by the fridge so you can easily track each person’s progress. This exercise should include trash talking for maximum effect. I mean, are we trying to meet these goals or what?

3. Buy a cute water bottle

This one may seem a bit strange but hear me out. Aesthetics matter. If that wasn’t the case, billions of dollars wouldn’t be spent on marketing each and every single year. Why not use that to your advantage and encase the idea of drinking more water into a beautiful package? Don’t be shy here. This design needs to be so darn cute you want to show it off. It needs to scream “look at me crushing my water goals in style”. Last, but certainly not least, if that water bottle doesn’t fit in your car cup holder, don’t even purchase it. Easy access is a deal breaker and we dare not risk lives searching for dropped bottles to stay hydrated.

4. Add fruit or carbonation to your drinking water

An oldie but a goodie. This is how I weaned myself off soda even though I hated the taste of sparkling waters. There was something about those bubbles that satisfied me long enough to get the sugar out of my system. My brain needed the crisp bite of the carbonation to keep my taste buds interested. Adding fruit can also work well so play around with jazzing up your water to make it feel less boring. This leads us right into the next tip.

5. Cheat with boundaries

I’m only saying this because I care about you. If (or when) you cheat with water, please don’t do it with soda. Don’t ask me how I know, but that soda you WERE staying away from for weeks will taste better than it ever has in your life. Think it’ll be easy to get back on the water train after that? You may be stronger than me but I have chosen to not place extra obstacles in my way this year. I recommend lighter options like coconut water or honest kids juices to give you that little bit of pizzaz you’re searching for without completely derailing your efforts.

6. Try different brands of water

I won’t name the brands of water I dislike as not to offend anyone but there is definitely a difference. If you have an aversion to water, maybe try another brand. Your taste buds might be a bit more bougie and refined than you’re giving them credit for. I ended up really liking Voss water. Maybe it was the packaging or it was all in my mind, but it tasted smoother than other brands I tried previously. You might hate Voss and that’s okay but don’t give up until you’ve explored the various options.

7. Check your urine after you drink more water

This one is a bit gross but we are going there. You can lie to yourself all you want about how much water you need. But you can count on urine to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I use this as a guide with the kiddos and now they scream from the bathroom “Mom, my pee is clear” (#proudmama). I love tangible measurements of success and it doesn’t get any clearer than that. See what I did there?

8. Experiment with different temperatures

This tip made all the difference to me in the beginning of my journey. I could only drink water when it was ice cold. I think the numbing sensation it gave my throat added some level of excitement to an oh so boring drink. I have graduated now to room temperature water which wasn’t possible early on. My mom drinks hot water with lemon every morning. I’m not there yet but personal preferences are everything in this water game!

9. Exercise for at least 30 minutes

I love mind games and this one is like reverse psychology hydration. So you don’t like drinking water, you say? Okay. Try doing some physical activity for at least 30 minutes and I bet you’ll be begging for water. There’s no rocket science to this one. Just a backwards way of getting you to hit those water goals by the end of the day. Pat yourself on the back if you try this one as you’re hitting two targets in one. Go you!!!

10. Filter your own drinking water

I may be coming out of left field with this one but I just got introduced to the Berkey water filtration system. I recently bought one second hand and am so happy I did. There are so many details I can share about the Berkey but I’m just going to put a link to a youtube video here. I totally took a chance and it paid off. The water tastes amazing and I have much more confidence about what I’m putting in my body. You don’t have to get a Berkey but maybe getting your own water filter will not only give you peace of mind but save you money in the long run. I think that’s what we call a two-fer!

I really hope these tips help you drink more water. Since I made the switch, I feel more energized, focused and motivated. I’m not saying I love water now but I do love how it makes me feel. If you’re struggling to drink more water, please know I was right there with you and I am cheering you on. There will be challenges and missteps but as always, give yourself grace and start again tomorrow.

What tips are you most excited to try?