I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical when my friend told me about her water-drinking routine. She had been having some problems with her skin, and she thought that drinking more water would help. After a few weeks of her doing just what she said, I decided to give it a try myself. And guess what? It worked! Not only did it help me feel healthier, it helped me lose weight without even trying. Here’s how to start drinking enough water today.
First things first…What do you need?
If you’ve been thinking about cutting back on your water intake, you’ll want to get yourself a simple tap/pitcher system. There are plenty out there that range in price; however, if you’re looking for something cheap, you should consider buying a plastic pitcher at Home Depot – they’re less than $25, and they work perfectly well. If you’d prefer something fancier, you can find pitchers online (Amazon, eBay) or buy them at places like Bed Bath & Beyond or Target. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get started, though, so don’t let that stop you.
Next, What time does it start?
The morning is the best time to drink water. Why? Because we tend to begin our day in a dehydrated state. By drinking water first thing in the morning, you’ll increase your chances of getting your recommended daily amount of 8 glasses of water without noticing.
So, when does it end?
Drink until you’re satisfied. Remember, you want to aim for around 8 glasses per day. You might notice that you’re thirsty after that, but if you continue to down those refreshing bottles, eventually you won’t be. That’s the beauty of it!
How much water should you drink each day?
It’s helpful to measure your water consumption over a week. Then, you can use a formula to calculate the average number of ounces you drank per day. To make it easier, you can take the total number of ounces you drank over the past week, divide it by seven, and multiply it by 2. Then, round that figure down to the nearest ounce. So, if you averaged 10 ounces of water per day, then you’d multiply 10 by two to get 20. Round that number down to 19, and you’ll know exactly how many ounces you need to consume over the course of a week.
Now, keep track!
You can download any type of app onto your phone to help you keep track of everything else, including water intake. Google Fit is free and works great for tracking steps and calories burned throughout the day. Once you’re set up, you can simply log your water consumption right along with your workout sessions and calorie burn numbers.
Keep in mind that these apps aren’t perfect, so you may want to double check your results. But, hey, who doesn’t want a little extra motivation?!