We may say that water is good for health and essential for the functioning of the body, but some people simply never adopted this good habit when they were younger or do not necessarily think about it enough during the day and do not do it only at meal time (and then again…). Worse, accustomed to ultra-sweet, flavored and alcoholic drinks, some people simply hate drinking water and see no point in it! Since summer we lose a lot of water through sweating, it’s the ideal time to make good resolutions and learn to drink a little more water. These few easy tips will definitely help those who don’t drink enough water!
1) Make drinking water more fun
Instead of opting for overly sweet flavored waters from the supermarket, let infuse delicious fruits or fresh herbs in water to give it character and taste! Citrus fruits (especially lemon water, excellent for health), red fruits, cucumber or even mint are great classics in this area, but you have to experiment according to your desires. Lemon balm, verbena, lavender, etc. Various herbal teas and teas caffeine free available on the market will also allow you to vary the pleasures.
If you attach importance to beautiful, well-chosen tableware, you can also adopt a beautiful bottle or a pretty glass that will make you want to take it away and use it! It is indeed crucial to always have water on hand and easily accessible if you want to drink more.
Good to know: certain drinks such as coffee, tea or sodas contain caffeine, a diuretic that will increase water loss through urine. Just like alcohol which dehydratestry to limit their intake or make sure to compensate their intake with extra water to maintain proper hydration.
2) We take advantage of technology and have fun
Caught up in your activities, do you constantly forget to take a few minutes to drink water? Prepare hourly alerts on your phone to remind you to pour yourself a drink! There are even apps you can download to your phone for free that will help you track your progress.
3) Don’t change your habits alone
Whether in sport, weight loss or hydration, it is always easier to achieve goals when you set them with several ! If you know someone else who isn’t drinking enough, have a competition to see who drinks the most in a day or encourage yourself throughout the day to stick to your goals. Together, we have a better chance of succeeding!
4) Play with the visual to drink water more regularly
It is important to give yourself goals to follow daily (for example a given number of glasses). To visually track your progress and remind yourself to drink, you can also make marks on your water bottle at regular intervals. For each brand, note a cut-off time before which you should drink the marked quantity (for example a brand with half the bottle to drink before 2 p.m.). This way you will know if you are behind on your goals! In any case, it can be useful to create rituals around hydration so that it becomes a natural habit. For example, drink a glass of water after every toothbrushing, before every meal, or every time you come back from a break. Incorporating hydration into daily activities can help make it second nature.
Setting hydration goals can also make the task more fun and motivating. By using an app to track your water intake or even a chart or simple journal if you prefer, you will also be able to reward yourself every time you achieve your daily or weekly goals. Rewards can be small pleasures like a moment of relaxation or a gift you give yourself.
5) No longer mix hunger and thirst
Every person is different and it is crucial tolisten to your body’s signals. If you often experience fatigue, headaches, or dry skin, it may be a sign that you’re not drinking enough water. So, adapt your habits according to your personal needs.
However, despite listening carefully to your body, you can often confuse hunger and thirstbecause the region that controls them is the same for both sensations. This is all the more true for a body used to not drinking which no longer perceives thirst signals as well. So, if you feel the urge to snack, drink a glass of water and wait 5 to 10 minutes to see if the feeling subsides. If so, that means you wanted to drink and not eat. This allows you to hydrate and avoid snacking unnecessarily, which in turn promotes weight loss!
6) Drink water at the right times
There are times when one should not drink water and others when it is very important. Make it a point of honor to drink even if you are not thirsty when necessary. This is the case for example in the morning when you wake up to rehydrate the body which has not drunk anything and fasted for hours, after going to the toilet to take advantage of its newly empty bladder or before a meal to calm a big craving and avoid eating more than enough. Never forget that thirst is a warning signal that the body sends you and that you really need to drink before you feel it !
7) Don’t just rely on water
You don’t like water and have trouble drinking large quantities despite our advice? Turn to waterlogged fruits and vegetables which we find more particularly during the summer season (and yes, nature is well made and gives us the right products at the right time according to our needs!). Melons, watermelons, zucchini, grapefruits are yours…
During intense physical exercise sessions or in extremely hot weather, water alone may not be enough to rehydrate the body effectively. Drinks containing electrolytes can help rebalance salt and mineral levels lost through perspiration. However, it is important to choose low sugar options to avoid unnecessary excess calories.
8) Remember the benefits of drinking water
Drinking water is essential for the proper functioning of our body. It helps maintain hydration, essential for regulating body temperature, lubricating joints and protecting sensitive tissues. Good hydration promotes good digestion and helps prevent constipation. Additionally, water is crucial for flushing out toxins through the kidneys, thereby improving kidney health. She also plays a key role in maintaining focus and energybecause dehydration can lead to fatigue, mood swings and headaches. By hydrating the skin from within, it also helps maintain healthy, glowing skin. Finally, drinking enough water can help control appetite and avoid overeating.
Taking into account all these specific benefits that water brings to your body and how much it needs may be a powerful incentive to drink more water.
In addition, discover a technique to keep your water bottle cool all day long. This will help you avoid lukewarm water, which is not very pleasant in the middle of a heatwave! If access to quality drinking water is a barrier for you, considerinvest in a water fountain or filter dispenser. Having clean, fresh water on hand can make hydration more appealing and accessible. Furthermore, it can be a more ecological and economical option in the long run than constantly buying plastic water bottles.