Ways to Help Ensure I Drink Enough Water?

mahoganysun

I love water! However, I wasn't always a water drinker. I loved apple juice and Kool-Aid (which is the worst type of sugar water lol!) Anyway, I tried to drink water with at least one or two of my meals a day. I also started to add lemon juice to my water to help with the taste. I love bitter lemonade and I know lemon juice is VERY bitter but I liked the taste. The more water you drink, you will feel a difference in your body. You will feel your body replenish itself as you drink more water. Your taste buds will change and you won't crave other drinks like you use to. I still like apple juice and other drinks but in order for my food to really digest, water is the way to go. I think that starting out with adding fruit to your water REALLY helps.

mahoganysun

I agree with the other posts about carrying a water bottle. I carry my water bottle everywhere I go. It really helps.

Karamel_Kay_

oooooooo pretty colors. haha thanks!!

MrsFowler1069

Just don't surpass 2 cups at a time and take your time, it can be dangerous if you drink too much!

This is "mostly" untrue. The kidneys of a healthy adult can process 15 liters per day, which is over 63 cups. It CAN be dangerous if you try to drink an enormous amount all at once, if you have a "very" low sodium/electrolyte diet (or are an endurance athlete who is taking in only large amounts of water and no electrolytes), if you have renal trouble, etc, but drinking way more than the average person does is not dangerous. Almost every case of deadly water intoxication has been associated with pranks, dares, hazing, and stunts.

For a person who is having trouble getting down a recommended minimum, I doubt that this is likely to be a problem.


Edit for getting off track and forgetting to answer the question.....

I'm sure it isn't true for everyone, but I think a lot of people become more fond of water as they become healthier. When I'm thirsty, there are times when only water will do the trick (not because I'm healthy, although I hope to be someday, but because I just like it lol). And we, especially in the US I think, have an overdeveloped taste for things salty or sweet or fatty....as we begin to make other choices and develop new preferences, simpler things like water and veggies can become more appealing.

I think the berries or frozen berries sounds really good - I've never thought of that. I do like lemon or lime (fresh) sometimes. For me, during times when I'm just not drinking enough, I just make a point to always have it handy and to make myself drink some before I have something else, like others have said. Too, in the morning when I take my meds, I drink a full glass instead of just a couple of swallows to wash them down.

In addition to drinking water, you can get 20-25% of your water (recommended, I should say) from food sources. Here are a couple of links for some suggestions:

http://beta.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Stay-Hydrated-With-High-Water-Content-Foods

http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/diet-and-nutrition/diet-basics/food-that-counts-as-fluid-on-the-kidney-diet/e/6965

http://health.heraldtribune.com/2012/04/10/dr-oz-some-daily-water-intake-can-come-from-food/

Joehenny

I always lol when I hear this. You just got to do it. I don't know how the heck anyone expects to live a fitness based lifestyle and not drink a fair amount of aqua. lul

Karamel_Kay_

thanks! a previous comment suggested strawberries and blueberries in my water. lemon juice might work for me, i just wouldnt like it too bitter haha.

Pitena

I have a meeting request in my dairy that pops up every morning and I then have it pop up again every hour, it reads 'Drink some bloody water...NOW'. Really works

MrsFowler1069

If you want fruit with it, infuse it with strawberries and blue/blackberries! It is sooo good! Icy cold water that tastes like berries...yummy!

This does sound good! I actually like water, but something different occasionally would be nice too, especially since my whole beverage lists is typically water, coffee, and whiskey. lol

WenHurley

I use Mio, Dasani, or the Walmart brand of water flavorings. I checked with my dr about it when I 1st tried them. He said they were better than soda. I like that you can control the amount of flavor. Somedays I want a little more, others I want less. It helps because I really didn't like water. Now, I drink plain water too - it does have to be really cold though.

It's been 4 years since I gave up soda. Now, I can't drink it anymore. It upsets my stomach too much.

Karamel_Kay_

I always lol when I hear this. You just got to do it. I don't know how the heck anyone expects to live a fitness based lifestyle and not drink a fair amount of aqua. lul

for one, i never said i was living a "fitness based lifestyle"... i just asked for ways to make water more appealing to me. im 110% positive i didnt ask for personal opinions on whats funny and not funny to you though.

Karamel_Kay_

If you want fruit with it, infuse it with strawberries and blue/blackberries! It is sooo good! Icy cold water that tastes like berries...yummy!

This does sound good! I actually like water, but something different occasionally would be nice too, especially since my whole beverage lists is typically water, coffee, and whiskey. lol

yum. whiskey.

MrsFowler1069

If you want fruit with it, infuse it with strawberries and blue/blackberries! It is sooo good! Icy cold water that tastes like berries...yummy!

This does sound good! I actually like water, but something different occasionally would be nice too, especially since my whole beverage lists is typically water, coffee, and whiskey. lol

yum. whiskey.

: ) My thoughts exactly.

SurfyFriend

As soon as you wake up just chug a LITRE. If your pee is yellow, your not drinking enough. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

pamelak5

So just try to find a water bottle brand that you really like the taste of. I know arrowhead tastes like faucet water which is not good at all. Put the bottles in the fridge or somewhere you will come across them and take 2 or three bottles with you to work.

But bottled water is SO expensive and those empty bottles take up so much space. A filter is cheap (you can install one on your faucet or fridge).

At $1 each, 4-5 times a day...that's $150/mo. I have a camel bak eddy I use that cost me about $15 and I've been using it for a few months. Even my obnoxiously expensive fridge filter is $40 and lasts for six months.

Six months - one bottle plus filter - $55.

Six months of bottled water at $1/ea - $900. Let's say your favorite brand is insanely cheap at 50 cents - $450 - still a lot of money wasted.

pita7317

Water. MUST be COLD, or forget it.
I started drinking 72ozs a day , six weeks ago and it has now become a habit.
Huge difference . Hair, skin and nails all look much better now.
Because of that, it's easy.

TeaBea

So just try to find a water bottle brand that you really like the taste of. I know arrowhead tastes like faucet water which is not good at all. Put the bottles in the fridge or somewhere you will come across them and take 2 or three bottles with you to work.

But bottled water is SO expensive and those empty bottles take up so much space. A filter is cheap (you can install one on your faucet or fridge).

At $1 each, 4-5 times a day...that's $150/mo. I have a camel bak eddy I use that cost me about $15 and I've been using it for a few months. Even my obnoxiously expensive fridge filter is $40 and lasts for six months.

Six months - one bottle plus filter - $55.

Six months of bottled water at $1/ea - $900. Let's say your favorite brand is insanely cheap at 50 cents - $450 - still a lot of money wasted.

Yes! Instead of bottled water I use a Brita Water bottle (built in filter) .... it holds 20 ounces. The water at work it just nasty (a different city).

At home I keep a pitcher of water in the fridge .....it really helps to have it cold.

ashleyShades

Someone suggested the contigo water bottle and a friend of mine uses those but I love camelbak water bottles. I tend to drink a lot more water when I keep one full of cold water at my desk and at the gym. I don't know. Maybe I'm just lazy and unscrewing a cap or presing a button is too much work for me for water haha also I like lemon or cucumber in my water