1. Know Your Baseline Hydration Level Before Adjusting Your Water Intake
You might be surprised at just how much water you’re really drinking. Challenge yourself to keep track of water intake for just a few days to get an idea of what your normal intake is like. That will give you a baseline (even if that reality check is: I never refilled my bottle!) and help you calculate what you need to add.
2. Hydrate When You Wake Up and Before Meals
If you put a water bottle in front of you, it’s easy to get lost in the day’s tasks and forget to take sips, but prioritising hydration morning, day, and night is important. Try to have about two glasses of water first thing in the morning and then one glass of water before every meal and snack. There’s a double benefit to pairing food and water: “Drinking H2O also helps you slow down during meal time. If you start a meal with a very empty tummy, it’s easy to eat much faster and forget to thoroughly chew, which impacts how well food is digested.
3. Eat Your Water by Following a Produce-Heavy Diet
Fruits and vegetables have high water content that will help you meet your daily quota. Fruits like strawberry, watermelon and vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and spinach contain about 90 percent water. Dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese, are also great sources of water.
4. Experiment With How You Drink Water to Maximize Enjoyment
If you’re the type of person who thinks plain water is, well, too plain, experiment with different temperatures and tastes. Try water with ice, without ice, at room temperature, and flavoured with slices of fruit. Try out different flavors by adding fresh fruit, vegetables (cucumber slices), or herbs (fresh basil or ginger).
5. Keep Track of Hydration With a Smartphone App
Make your water bottle your smartphone’s new companion. Just like you keep your phone right next to you at all times, you should keep a BPA-free water bottle [within reach]. Make your phone work for you by using a well-rated, popular hydration-tracking app, like Water Reminder (free on Google Play), Drink Water Reminder N Tracker (free on the App Store), or Water Drink Reminder (free on Google Play), which allow you to keep track of what you’re consuming. They will also remind you during the day to start swigging. If you don’t want to download an app, set a timer on your phone to go off every hour to remind you to drink.