Tips for Getting Enough Water

JILLIAN SAYS: Water is a vital part of any diet and exercise program — not to mention life in general — because it aids every aspect of bodily function. Water is a huge component of muscle and is important for energy production, so if you want to make the most of your workout, make sure you're well hydrated.

 i like Jillian and I agree with what she says. Water is super important and many of us are making a huge mistake by neglecting it. We often pay more attention to what we eat, how much, and the amount of exercising we're doing than water intake when trying to lose weight, and the reality is that weight loss is impossible without drinking enough water. Water is also essential to simply LIVING WELL.   

At ANASAZI (a wilderness therapy program my family is very involved with) we have this tradition where water fixes pretty much everything. It's like Greek people and Windex. If you are tired, drink more water. If you have a headache, drink more water. If you're confused or can't focus, drink more water! If you break your leg, DRINK MORE WATER! If you're boyfriend dumps you, DRINK MORE WATER! Seriously, water can change everything. But sometimes it's really difficult to remember to drink enough water every day. So here's some of my tried and true tips for getting enough water:



1. Invest in a camelback or some sort of mobile water bladder. This has made the BIGGEST difference for me in getting enough water. I take it everywhere! Seriously I would guess probably 50% of my day is spent with my teeth on my camelback mouthpiece. It is so convenient and easy to get plenty of water this way. Just leave the dang thing in your mouth during class or while you're driving and pretty soon you'll be drinking subconsciously without even knowing it

2. Drink one cup of water right when you wake up and one before you go to bed. That right there knocks out two of your daily eight. Plus starting the day out with a glass of water is one of the best things you can do for your body. If you wanna get crazy with it, try drinking a glass of water before every meal too. If you eat three meals a day that means three more cups of water you don't have to worry about fitting in somewhere. Also your stomach will be more full and you wont eat as much. Its a good idea to have regular times scheduled to drink because then it will become a habit and you will be more likely to remember to do it every day.

3. Don't use a water bottle that requires taking the lid on and off. I used to take water bottles like this to the gym and almost always come home with the bottle still completely full. For one it is super hard to drink out of a bottle with a huge mouth while you're exercising or breathing hard with out spilling all over yourself (unless I'm just really clumsy). Second, it takes like two whole seconds to unscrew the lid, and although that may not seem like much, I promise its enough to keep you from drinking as often as you would if your water bottle required no "unscrewing"...which brings me to my next tip...

4. If you don't use a camelback, find a water bottle you absolutely love that has an easy-to-access mouthpiece, and then NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE without it. It may take a couple of tries to find one that really fits you. It may be colorful, boring, lightweight or heavy, have a handle or no handle, or whatever you prefer, just make sure it is perfect for you in every way. Because if there's ANYTHING you don't like about it, you will subconsciously be less motivated to take it with you and use it often. It is also very important for the mouthpiece to be super accessible. Whether its a flip-top lid or a straw or one that you squeeze or have to bite the thing for the water to come out, doesn't matter as long as its easy and you enjoy drinking from it.

5. Keep track of how much water you drink. I am too lazy to make a checklist and all that and write down the exact number of ounces I drank each time I reached for my water bottle, but I do keep a pretty good estimation count in my head. If your water bottle holds 20oz then you should probably shoot for like, 3 or 4 or a day. Every time you have to fill it just make a count in your head. My camelback holds 2 L so I fill it in the morning and then again halfway through the day, and try to finish it off by the time I go to bed. (that's a lot btw, but I exercise a lot too)

6. Refill whenever you have a chance, not just when your bottle is empty. I understand this kind of complicates my last tip, but there's no way to drink water if you don't have any! By making sure your bottle is always full, you will never run out and then forget to fill it again until four hours later when you realize you haven't been drinking water that entire time. Besides, after a while you will be so used to drinking water all the time you wont really have to keep track anymore.

7. Remember you don't have to be thirsty yet to need water.  If you're ever "thirsty" that's a pretty good indication that you're not getting enough water on a daily basis. I know that's not really a tip but for some reason it helps me personally to know that.

8. Live by the ANASAZI Rule: whatever the problem is, water will fix it. If you are feeling out of whack in any way, your first method of action should be to drink some water. This applies to all problems: emotional, mental, and physical. Especially if you are hungry or craving juice/soda/milk or whatever, try drinking water first and then re-evaluate. I have found that many times the problem really is capable of being fixed by water alone.


Welp, that's all I've got for you today! If you have any other tips that have helped YOU increase your daily water intake, please comment! I would love to hear what works for you :)