Everyone tells you to drink more water– and it’s life threatening if you don’t get enough.
But what if you really hate to drink water?
First of all, I get it. Some people really don’t like drinking water. It’s normally not because they “hate” the taste of water. It’s usually because water doesn’t have any taste at all. Simply put, water by itself can be boring!
However, not only is it important to stay hydrated for health reasons, being properly hydrated also helps you lose weight.
Let me explain.
Water does help you lose weight! Here’s how:
- Two glasses of water prior to a meal helped middle aged and older adults feel full longer, research studies found.
- Water cuts out a ton of calories when you replace your regular beverage with water!
- Guess what? A hydrated body looks leaner. Why? Because when you’re dehydrated, you retain water. Yikes!
- I bet the magazine rack has at least one headline screaming “Rev up your metabolism with this one trick!” Well, here’s a good one. Just drink enough and your body will be able to metabolize properly. When you’re dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. We all know what that means for weight loss!
So how much water should you be drinking?
It depends. The suggested guidelines for water consumption used to be sixty-four ounces per day. While it is still a good amount of water for some, others may need more. Here are some guidelines to help you decide:
Drink more fluids when you are in situations where your body loses water:
- in warmer climates,
- during more intense exercise,
- at high altitudes.
Try to be more aware of your water intake:
- if you’re the type of person who usually doesn’t notice thirst; or
- when you are very busy and likely to forget to drink.
- If you talk for a living. Water is lost though saliva.
Five tips to increase your fluid intake:
1) Try naturally flavored waters. Flavored water and various other “hydrating” drinks usually have some type of sugar in them, pay attention to the calories on the label.
An alternative to buying flavored waters would be making your own. The possibilities are endless. Cucumber, mint, ginger, lemon, lime, strawberries, and raspberries are all examples of natural foods and herbs you can flavor your water with.
2) Eat food that’s mostly water. Choose foods high in water like oranges, watermelon, yoghurt, grapefruit, pineapples, and broth-based soups.
(3) Replace still water with sparkling water. If you discover sparkling water works for you, consider getting an in home soda machine. They take up very little counter space. You also save money and there are less bottles to recycle. This helped my husband Matthew go from not liking water to drinking plenty of it!
4) Coffe and tea can help. Coffee and tea count as fluids, but the caffeine is a diuretic which can leave you dehydrated if you don’t follow up with other non-caffeinated beverages. Choosing naturally caffeine free herbal teas and decaf coffees will help you get the fluids without losing as much water.
5) Have a hydrating beverage with every meal. Tacking a new goal on to an established habit is usually less daunting than trying to develop a new habit on it’s own. For example setting a goal of drinking a glass of sparkling water at dinner seems more manageable than a goal to drink 64 oz. of water every day.
How do you know when you’re getting enough water?
- The best way to tell if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is ideal. Yellow to dark yellow means you need water, and if it looks like tea or beer you are dehydrated! Supplements can also cause urine to be dark yellow. So keep that in consideration.
- Avoid allowing yourself to get “thirsty”. If you are getting a thirst signal then the body is already too low on water!
At first it may seem like you have to go to the bathroom a lot. This is normal when you up your water consumption. It is not uncommon to have to use the restroom every hour.
If you sit at a desk, this will encourage you to get up and move every hour. It also allows you to monitor your progress!
Here is a fun recipe for Raspberry water courtesy of Face Magic in Albany, CA.
Raspberry Water
- 1 Pitcher of Water
- 1 bag of Frozen Organic Raspberries
- Place the raspberries in the water and allow it to turn the water a pinkish red color. Pour in nice glasses and enjoy!
Have a question or a comment? Leave a note for me below. I love to hear from you!
Blessings!
Jennifer Ledford