How To Increase Your Water Intake And Lose Weight
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Did you know that 60% of our human bodies are made up of water? And the average person struggles to drink the daily recommended amount of water which is at least 13 cups for men, 9 cups for women, 10 cups for pregnant women, and 12 cups for breastfeeding women.
There are many different ways to increase your daily water intake and million reasons why you should drink more water.
A few reasons that might appeal to you (like it appeals to me) is that water can help with weight loss. It can also help clear your skin, promote healthy hair, and even minimize hair growth for you postpartum women (read more about Your Hair Won’t Stop Falling Out So You Freak Out – How To Stop Postpartum Hair Loss And Promote New Growth).
But why else is hydration important to your overall well-being?
- Increased water intake helps your food moving so you avoid constipation
- It helps prevent headaches
- And you’re more likely to be focused and in a good mood if you’re hydrated
How Water And Weight Loss Are Connected
Medical News Today goes over several links between water and weight loss.
Water:
- works as a natural appetite suppressant
- is a necessity to burning stored fat and carbohydrates
- helps reduce your overall liquid calorie intakes like drinking juice, soda, or other sugary beverages
- helps remove waste from your body because built-up waste is what makes you feel big and bloated
How To Increase Your Water Intake
Believe it or not, drinking the recommended amount of water can be challenging.
Some reasons why increasing your water intake can be hard is due to accessibility, too busy to be conscious about your water intake, or just the fact that water doesn’t taste good to you.
1. Add Crystal Light to your water.
I have several favorite flavors like sweet tea, peach mango green tea, and lemonade.
It makes drinking water way more refreshing. And it doesn’t hurt that you can get a pack of Crystal Light as low as 0g of sugar and 5 calories.
2. Add fresh fruits to your water.
Cut up lemons, limes, fresh strawberries, blueberries, grapefruit, oranges, any fruit you like and put in a water bottle or a pitcher of water to give it flavor.
Sometimes that’s all you need- a hint of fresh fruit to your water to help increase your water intake. There are even water bottles that have a space in the middle for you to insert your fruits so it’s not falling apart in your water.
Adding fruit to your water can potentially help curb your sugar cravings which will ultimately help with weight loss.
3. Set an alarm on your phone.
You probably set multiple alarms for work or a reminder to take your birth control. So why not set an alarm to remind yourself to drink a glass of water.
Set it for every hour or whatever fits your schedule best.
4. Add water to your morning routine.
Do you take vitamins or medication in the morning? If so, this is the perfect time to drink a full 8oz glass of water.
5. Buy a water bottle.
I have a 50oz water bottle with a straw that helps me get in over 100oz of water a day.
I’m easily able to track this because I refill it about two or three times a day.
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6. Fill your fridge up with plastic water bottles.
If you’re not about that refilling-your-water-bottle life, then get a case of plastic water bottles to fill your fridge up with.
Or keep one or two in your purse at all times.
7. Put a note on your fridge as a reminder.
I have a dry erase board on my fridge to remind myself of everything because I have a really bad case of the mom brain.
8. Drink water before other beverages.
This is basically the same concept as the one-to-one rule where you drink one glass of water with a glass of an alcoholic drink.
If you have juice, soda, or anything else but water- you have to drink a cup of water before each cup or glass of other beverages.
9. Have an accountability partner.
Pick a friend that can keep you accountable to drink your daily water intake.
Or make it a competition on who drinks the most water each day.
10. Drink water before each meal.
Sip some water before each meal. It’ll make you more full and less likely to overeat.
11. Dilute other drinks with water.
Add water to your juice or Gatorade. It might not taste the same but it’s another way to get more water in and aid in weight loss.
12. Drink herbal tea.
Another way to increase your water intake while staying healthy is by drinking herbal tea.
13. Reward yourself weekly.
Did you meet your water intake each day? Reward yourself with your favorite Starbucks drink.
14. Invest in a marked water bottle.
Need a visual reminder? Get a water bottle that keeps you accountable.
15. End your day with water.
Make it a habit to have a glass of water before bed.
Drink Your Water
Want to know additional reasons why you should drink more water? Read Why Is Water Important? 16 Reasons to Drink Up.
If none of the tips above are going to help you increase your water intake- then get a sticky notepad. And I want you to write down “drink water” and stick it to every room you walk in and every mirror you look at.
There’s no magic drug out there that compares to water. I hope the article gave a few new ideas to help you drink more water.
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Hi, you’re awesome!
Love the tip about eating fruit! Such an easy way to sneak in more water!
Thank you! It’s such a great way to incorporate multiple healthy ways into one.