In a lot of ways, my husband and I are two peas in a pod. Which, I guess, is good since we’re married and all. But there are some things that we don’t see eye to eye on. Mushrooms? He loves ’em while I’d rather poke my eye out than eat them. Tomatoes? I love ketchup and salsa, but eating a tomato plain is like asking me to eat soap. I’ll pass. Meanwhile, tomatoes are a staple of his diet. But I am not the only hater of things in our relationship. And I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone that disliked drinking water as much as he does.
So if you’re like my dear aqua-phobic husband, here are 5 ways to increase your water intake – even if you hate it.
EAT YOUR FRUITS & VEGGIES | Go for fruits and veggies that have a high water content as your food can provide a large percentage of your daily water. Think watermelon, cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, baby carrots, and cantaloupe. Most of these fruits and vegetables contain more than 90% water weight.
HAVE A DESIGNATED GLASS | I have a 24oz cup with a straw that’s my designated water glass. By filling it up three times a day, I know that I’ve met my water quota for the day. You don’t have to go as big, but having a glass I use every day takes the guess work out of if I’m getting as much as I need. This water bottle with a meter is something I’ve used in the past and it definitely takes out the guesswork of counting how many ounces you’ve had, too.
TRACK YOUR INTAKE | Use a planner or an app to track the amount of water you’re consuming. Use this as a tool to see how you’re doing throughout the week, track where you can improve, and even push yourself to do better. You can also use an alarm to remind you to track it or even to drink water.
BRING IT EVERYWHERE | The hardest part for me when it comes to getting enough water is not having it in front of me. Bring a water bottle with you to bed, grab it when you get up, take it with you when you run errands, etc. It’s much more convenient to regularly drink water this way and you have one less excuse of not consuming enough.
ADD FLAVOR TO YOUR WATER | Drinking lemon water is one of my favorite things to do in the morning, but you can add flavor to water in a lot of ways. Use extracts, fruits, and vegetables to do this – especially frozen fruits. Grapes, berries, and citrus slices add tons of delicious flavor and can also be used as ice cubes. Mix and match different fruits for different flavors as well. You can also add cucumber or mint for a less sweet flavor. Something like this Infuser Water Bottle is super helpful with this, too!
Not sure how much water you need to consume? Check out this hydration calculator to get an answer that’s catered to your situation (climate, exercise, weight, etc.)