Tips to Drink More Water

When it comes to water, we need a lot per day. The problem is there are multiple suggestions about just how much water we need because of factors like weight, height, activity, and weather.

Luckily, there is one rule that is the most common–the 8×8 rule. The 8×8 rule says that we need to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (which translates to about half a gallon). That seems like a lot of water, but there are ways to make drinking water easier for everyone.

Can I trick myself into drinking more water?

Plain water is sometimes refreshing enough and other times just boring. Add some flavor to the water by simply adding vegetable or fruit slices into the water–this will “trick” you into drinking water. The fruit or veggies will give the water a bit of flavor and make it easier to drink.

I prefer adding strawberries or cucumbers to may water when I need a change. As long as you’re not adding sugar, artificial sweeteners, or caffeine to your water, it still counts as your daily intake.

Can I use a Water app to track my water intake?

Technology helps us in many different ways and believe it or not, there are apps to help with your water intake as well! Find a free iPhone app like Daily Water Free to help you keep track of how much water you’ve had throughout the day.

Some other fun water drinking apps are (Android) Hydro Coach, (iPhone), and (Android) Gulp. 

Keep your water close to you–all day long. 

It’s easier to remember to drink water when it’s next to you for most of the day. Get a gallon jug or a good water bottle (I love and use my Hydro Flask daily–I have a few different sizes to use depending on what I’m doing that day) and keep it near you as much as possible.

Just seeing the water bottle close to you will help remind you to drink. Like I mention above I usually use my Hydro Flask, but I also love my insulated Starbucks cups. I find that keeping two of them near my desk helps me get all of my water in for the day! 

Add it to your schedule: Drink Water.

Adhering to a schedule is something we all do and some of us even end up turning tasks into routines with a good schedule.

You can make it a routine to drink water by doing it before you eat, after a bathroom break or during a work break. By adding the act of drinking water to your routines, you can surely get enough water every day.

You might be someone who needs the water reminder literally added to their schedule–maybe once an hour. Use your smartphone calendar to add “drink water” to your calendar every hour, and create an alert to remind you. 

Can certain foods help me get water in?

Well, kind of. You can sneak extra water into your body by eating water-rich foods like cucumbers, zucchini, and watermelon. They are all great options to make sure you stay hydrated, but I wouldn’t use them to replace drinking water.

Does using a water bottle help you drink more water? 

It could! Getting a water bottle with a filter is a great way keep track of how much to drink during the day. Some people like to set up multiple 16 ounce water bottles and know they have to drink them all each day. Other people use one big bottle–maybe a gallon jug–and add marks diving up how much you should drink at certain times. 

Can watering down my drink help me to drink more water?

Next time you go to pour a glass of (unsweetened) iced tea or juice, add a little extra water to it before drinking. This goes along with the flavor adding ideas but also lets you feel like you’re drinking something other than water.

Better yet, pour a glass of water and add just a splash of juice–it’s healthier to have just a splash, but it’ll still give you some flavor!