3 Simple Strategies That Will Make You Drink More Water
Every time I hear or read about those 8 glasses of water we SHOULD drink daily, I think to myself… oh again the same copy & paste approach..
But what does it even mean? What size is the glass? Is it the same for every person - male, female, pregnant? Is it the same for each season, region, climate?
Of course not! 🤷🏼♀️
And that is why I decided to do some research and break it down.
Not because I need to create that habit to drink more water (I think I´m pretty good, even if I always can do better 😜), but because I hear so many times people saying they know they should drink more water, but for some reason they just don´t.
I think the problem is that every time we want to create a new habit and change something for good, we need a good system and not just some information on how many glasses per day should it be..
First of all we need to know WHY is it so important to stay hydrated.
I believe that the best foundation for any change is the education.
So here´s the WHY to get you motivated for the change:
Water Protects Your Tissues. You´ve probably heard that water is more than 60% of the body. It regulates your body's temperature; it also keeps the tissues in your body moist which helps it retain optimum levels of moisture in these sensitive areas, as well as in the blood, bones, and the brain. In addition, water helps protect the spinal cord, and it acts as a lubricant and cushion for your joints.
Water Helps Your Body Remove Waste. The kidneys and liver use it to help flush out waste, as do your intestines. Water can also keep you from getting constipated by softening your stools and helping move the food you've eaten through your intestinal tract.
Water Aids in Digestion. Digestion starts with saliva, the basis of which is water. Digestion relies on enzymes that are found in saliva to help break down food and liquid and to dissolve minerals and other nutrients. Proper digestion makes minerals and nutrients more accessible to the body. Water is also necessary to help you digest soluble fiber.
Water helps you to lose weight. Increasing your water intake may help you achieve better results. Studies show that people who are on diets lose more weight when they also increase their water intake. In one study, people on weight loss diets who drank 500 ml of water before each of their three daily meals for 12 weeks lost 4.6 more pounds on average than people who did not drink the additional water.
In terms of skin there are different opinions, and not everyone will agree that water consumption will improve skin… but it certainly can’t hurt. Many people often report that by increasing their water intake, their skin has a more radiant glow. Those who suffer from acne have reported the same results and it makes sense if we think of all the cell functions and cleaning processes that water intake accelerates.
2. Now that we got motivated to improve the water intake let´s have a look at how much water we should drink daily.
So I´ve mentioned those 8 cups a day earlier that always trigger me, because there is NO one-size-fits-all approach here.
I´ve seen studies that suggest 2,2litres for women and 3litres for men as daily water intake, but they don't say anything about their measures, age, region, fitness level etc.
How to get it right then? 🤷🏼♀️
Let´s say it is a good idea to aim for at least 2litres of WATER per day.
We also need to know that caffeine drinks such as tea, coffee and some sodas are diuretic (make us urinate more and therefore they are dehydrating), alcohol is also dehydrating and toxic, so to double your water intake after a night out is a good idea to flush it out of the body.
It is also good to know that dehydration symptoms include headaches, dizziness and cramps, so if you suffer from any of those, make sure you drink more water.
A good rule for an additional daily 500ml might be - exercise, glass of an alcohol drink, summer months, holidays in warmer climate, headaches, cramps, brain fog, acne and other skin issues…
3. Action Plan.
Now that it is clear why it is a good idea to increase your water intake, let´s get some strategies in place.
MAKE IT OBVIOUS.
Most of people say they know they should drink more water, but they keep forgetting. Honestly, even if the technology sometimes is annoying, take advantage of it and it will help you to build the habit.
There´s an app for everything!
Some of them measure your intake and send you reminders, but it can be even easier than that. Every cell phone has reminders and alarms you can set several times per day and just label - DRINK YOUR WATER. ☝🏼
MAKE IT IRRESISTIBLE.
A bit of creativity can turn the boring water into an irresistible refresher.
I´ve prepared some of my favorite infused water ideas you can download and get inspired and I guarantee you that your whole family will increase the water intake. And it is even a gorgeous home decoration!
MAKE IT EASY - for you and for the planet.
Unfortunately in many places, tap water is not a good option. But all the plastic bottled water is a horrible solution too and especially the day you run out of water, just the idea to carry those plastic bottles around makes you drink less.
We also need to be mindful and take daily steps and lifestyle adjustments to reduce the plastic waste.
So you can invest in some nice filtering system or use simple ones such as Brita. I´m not promoting a single product here, just suggesting that there are definitely easy and cheaper ways to filter your tap water and have it accessible all the time.
After all we are very lucky that water is still available all the time and with a decent quality, we should be grateful for.
There are still millions who don´t have the luxury… 😢
Now, go ahead and have a glass of water.
P.S. Don´t forget to grab my 5 favorite infused water ideas in this FREE PDF and tell me in the comments ⬇️ which one is your favorite. 👌🏼