How To Drink More Water

The health and fitness industry is full of conflicting information but one of the things that everyone seems to agree on is that keeping your body hydrated is key when reaching your health and fitness goals. I have struggled a lot with drinking the proper amount of water. I have gotten to the point where my body actually craves water at times and I know at that point you’ve probably been dehydrated for quite a while. 

Adult human bodies are made up of around 60% water give or take. Keeping your body hydrated is essential for normal body function and can also give you great benefits that you may have not considered. Drinking water promotes weight loss, can prevent headaches, can improve your skin complexion, helps keep your digestion regular, and can even help to increase your energy! The amount you need to drink on a given day varies from person to person. Some people stick to the 8 (8 oz) glasses of water but for me I try to drink half of my body weight in ounces of water everyday. This may be too much for some but it is important to listen to your body to find out how much you really need.

In an effort to increase my water intake on a consistent basis I made the small changes below in my daily routine to ensure that I am keeping myself hydrated.

1. Drink a cup full of water right when you wake up or soon after. There is something about cool water in the morning that helps wake me up more naturally.
2. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go.
3. Add fruit and herbs to make it more interesting. You can find three delicious ideas at my post here.
4. Time yourself. I try and drink one water bottle full of water every 2-3 hours while at work. That’s about 3 during work hours.
5. Track it. Every time I finish a bottle of water during the day I track it in my planner. This allows me to see what days I met my intake goals and where I struggled.

Do you have any tips for increasing water intake?