Tips On Drinking More Water

Did you know that you need a specific amount of water for your own unique body type and lifestyle?

To be properly hydrated, you should at least be drinking ½ your body weight in ounces. (ex: if you're 120 lbs, aim for 60 oz.) This isn’t including your activity levels and caffeine intake though.

Did you know that caffeine actually dehydrates you? Yep, sorry sweet tea drinkers and coffee lovers.. this doesn’t count as your hydration for the day. I LOVE coffee too, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t count that as my daily water intake goal. I actually recommend trying to “balance out” your caffeine by drinking the same amount of water so you can be back to “normal” again and not dehydrated. I hope that makes sense! More in-depth personal example: I aim to drink 60 ounces of water a day. However, If I have a cup of coffee or matcha, then I will drink 8-16 ounces more of water. So a day that I drink a normal cup of coffee, I will probably have around 80 ounces of water that day so my body will still be hydrated.

Remember: caffeine dehydrates you.

Your body also needs more water depending on your activity levels. If you are doing an intense workout and sweating a lot, you will need more water that day. If you don’t really move from your couch all day, though, then your body won’t need as much.

So, you might be thinking that there’s no way you can drink that much matter in a day, so here are some tips/tricks to help you get closer to your goal!

1. Drink as Soon as You Wake Up

Drinking as much water as possible first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day and improve your water intake! The night before, try to have a big glass filled with water so that it’s ready to go in the morning. Maybe lay it on your nightstand, in your bathroom, or wherever you go as soon as you wake up so that you won’t forget. While getting ready for the day, try to aim to drink 16-30 ounces of water before anything else! This is also great for waking your organs up and getting a boost of energy. It may also be inclined to have you eat less breakfast because a lot of times, we think we’re hungry when we’re really just dehydrated.

2. Drink a Cup Before Coffee

Kind of following up on the first tip, drinking a glass or two of water before your morning cup of coffee is a great habit to incorporate into your morning routine. When we wake up, we are super dehydrated and if the first thing you consume is caffeine, you will dehydrate your body even more. Also, this makes it great for getting your water intake out of the way to “cancel out” the dehydrating effects of caffeine.

3. Use a Straw

I don’t know about you, but drinking through a straw makes me drink SO much more. It’s easier for me to gulp down a lot at once, and easier to sip on throughout the day. I love using reusable straws like these in my cups and also water bottles with build in straws like this one. Try this out and see if it helps you like it did me!

4. Use a Glass Cup

Sometimes drinking out of plastic or metal can make your water taste a little weird. Using a big glass mason jar or a glass reusable water bottle has been my favorite way to drink my water.

5. Add Fruit

Adding some lemons, cucumbers, blueberries, or any kind of fruit will enhance the flavor and can help you get those ounces in. The way I used to drink my water when I was trying hard to transition to drinking more of it was with a ½ of fresh lemon slices. Cucumber and mint are also good together! This will help you think you’re drinking something more fancy than just plain water and will help your taste buds get used to it!

6. Find Your Temp

I am one of those crazy people who cant drink ice cold water. I prefer my water room temperature and it was a game changer once I realized that! Not only is room temperature water easier to digest, but I can also drink a LOT more of it at once than if it was cold. I know it may be weird, but try finding your preference of how you like to drink your water!

7. Bring a Water Bottle with you Everywhere

Everywhere I go, I will carry around my big water bottles with me so I know I will always have access to it. It also helps you mindlessly drink more if you’re carrying it around. Sometimes when we’re on-the-go for several hours, it can be easy to forget to drink anything, or to run through a drive through. This will help you save a few dollars plus ensure that you will be hydrating even when you’re busy! One of my favorite BIG water bottles to have with me all day is this one.

Try implementing these tips in your daily lifestyle and see how they work! Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions!

Do you have any tips that has helped you that you want to add? Let me know in the comments! :)