How to drink more water (& enjoy it)

Everyone knows drinking water and staying hydrated is important for your health. But when it comes down to it, rarely do we reach the recommended amount of water intake a day.

So what is the recommended amount of daily water intake?

Typically, most people would say you need eight glasses or half your body weight in ounces.

According to Huffington Post the CDC and Institute of Medicine actually agree that our water intake should be based on who we are; where we live, how active we are, and how much hydration we get from other sources. So their consensus is simple..Drink when you're thirsty. Sounds silly right?

Well maybe not. One of the best things we can do for our bodies to stay healthy is to simply LISTEN TO IT. Your body will tell you when your thirsty. Your body will tell you when your dehydrated. So instead of trying to chug those eight glasses or a plastic gallon milk jug of water, simply watch the color of your pee. It should be a light color. If it's dark, you need more water. Simple as that!

So just how are you supposed to make drinking water less of a hassle or thought process? Here's some tips I've implemented in my own life to make drinking water easier.

1. Invest in a water bottle that you will actually WANT to drink from. Or find ways to decorate your water bottle (stickers from your favorite places for example) that make it more appealing and representative of your personality. It's amazing how something you find appealing can encourage you to do something more.

I chose to go with the Thermo Tank Insulated Stainless Steel water bottle I found on Amazon. You can find it here.

It keeps my water cold ALL DAY even if I leave it in my car. It has a strap so I can place it on my wrist instead of having even more things in my hands. And best of all...it was only $20!

I ended up getting two...one for water and one for coffee...just cause I loved it so much!

2. Decide on an attainable goal for how much water you want to drink each day. You can do this a couple of different ways. For example, I decided I wanted to drink at least 4 of these bottles a day. You could also decide to make your goal to consistently have light colored pee. Or you could go as simple as making a commitment to just drink water whenever you're thirsty and replace one other fluid a day with water (like a second cup of coffee or soda). It doesn't have to be a ridiculous goal or include carrying out a gallon jug.

3. Enhance the flavor of your water by adding fruit and/or herbs. Personally, I LOVE lemon water. Add a few slices of lemon to your water bottle and presto. No more boring water. Other fun combinations include lemon and mint, lemon and cucumber, blackberries and mint, blueberries and lime, lemon and lavender, blackberries and sage, and the list goes on and on!

Drinking more water does not have to be an intimidating or daunting task by any means. I'd love to hear how these tips help you or what other solutions you have found to be most encouraging. And I'm always on the look out for more delicious water mixes!

Drink up my friends:)

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