Water. It’s the basis of fluids for living organisms. It’s also one of the primary means of hydrating your skin, aiding in digestion, detoxifying your body and assisting with weight loss. Water, in itself, is an element that packs quite a punch when it comes to health benefits. But, here’s the catch – I struggle with maintaining a balanced and consistent hydration regimen.
Textbook guidelines suggests the average person drink (at least) 8 to 13 glasses of water a day, depending on one’s gender and weight. That’s a pretty adequate amount of H20, if you ask me! With such hectic lifestyles and the pressures of balancing work, staying hydrating can sometimes feel like a chore. In my own hydration journey, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks that have greatly contributed to increasing my daily water intake. Are you interested in learning a few?
Keep reading to indulge in 4 key pointers that have significantly improved my practice of downing agua on the day-to-day!
1. Invest in a gallon jug.
A gallon jug is a lifesaver! I purchased my sturdy option from Amazon here for only $24.99. One of the cool features, printed on the front of the jug, includes time and weight markers to monitor your consumption. I carry this baby with me while I complete visits in the field and I also lug it to my office.
There’s just something about being able to visibly track your water intake that brings on a wave of ultimate satisfaction. There are even moments where I challenge myself to drink more than the designated hour listed. A gallon jug is just a practical way to ensure that you keep yourself motivated and focused on hitting those critical daily hydration markers.
2. Eat your way to hydration.
One downfall of drinking water: the consistent trips to the restroom. There’s no worse feeling than having to quickly leave your desk, over and over, to visit the restroom (as a consequence of trying to stay hydrated).
If chugging water on a daily basis won’t be your best bet, opt towards eating your hydration. Think snacking on fruit and veggies that contain high amounts of water. A few of my personal favorites are watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach, bell peppers and blackberries.
3. Try alternatives (such as herbal teas, smoothies, etc.)
Inject a bit of personality into your H20 by adding herbal teas and/or smoothies into the mix. Although I don’t make smoothies as often, get the deets on my delicious Peanut Butter Banana Protein Smoothie here. Yet, I stan for my herbal teas; in fact, Bigelow has a dope green tea with mint that I absolutely adore! If tea and smoothies aren’t your thing, try cutting up a few fruits and veggies and infusing your water. Pinterest is the GOAT for infused water inspiration.
4. Use an app.
Downloading an app on your phone to alert you to drink water is also worth a try to increase daily hydration. In the past, I did try the Water Reminder app. You basically set a timer for how often you’d like to sip and the system sets notifications to keep you up-to-par throughout the day. If you’re always on the go and need reminders to slow down and hydrate, this may be right up your alley.
Hopefully, after reading this article, drinking water can evolve from a task into a way of life. It takes dedication, it takes practice and it takes a large amount of discipline. But, let me tell you, the results are unmatched! (Hello, clear skin!)
Sound off below in the comments: Do you struggle with drinking water daily? If so, do you have any other hydration tips to share? Are there any other health habits that you would like to see highlighted on the blog? Let me know!
*Photo Credits: The variety of fruit photograph was sourced from Good Housekeeping here. The Daily Reminder Water App photograph was sourced from Constipationpedia here. I do not own the rights to the fruit photograph included in this article. All other photographs were taken personally by Esmesha Campbell.
“Habits are not a finish line to be crossed, they are a lifestyle to be lived.“
James Clear
ESMESHA CAMPBELL - Lifestyle, Fashion Culture, and Beauty 