Water. It’s the stuff of necessity. It makes up most of our planet and sustains the life of pretty much everything on it. Our food production, economy, and electricity rely on it. And, of course, bodies are 70% water, so we’re highly dependent on it for survival.
As a general rule, people need between 9 to 13 cups of water daily (with more or less water needed depending on activity level, medical conditions, pregnancy, etc.). Just 72 hours without water could be the end of us.
Yet, many people don’t enjoy drinking it. This can happen for many reasons, like health issues, sensory discomfort or simply not liking the taste.
1. Flavor It
There are tons of water-flavoring products on the market. If doing this, it’s best to avoid flavoring with a bunch of sugar, to keep blood sugar low and teeth intact. Thankfully, there are many sugar-free options.
For those of us who prefer to avoid ready-made flavoring, we can add fruits like cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, citrus fruits, kiwi, etc. We can even add a splash of juice to kick the flavor up a notch.
2. Carbonate It
For those of us who prefer a fizzy drink, carbonated water may be a good alternative. We can purchase carbonated water in many forms, like club soda, seltzer water, and sparkling mineral water. These products are processed in different ways and contain different minerals; we can choose whichever suits our taste. Just be sure to avoid added sugar and too much salt (sometimes added to improve flavor).
There are also appliances and DIY setups that allow us to carbonate water at home. While this is a larger investment, it may pay off over time if carbonated water is our primary source of H2O.
3. Freeze It
Sometimes, we just want to feel like we’re having a treat, not chugging down the liquid to stay alive. Making water popsicles is a fun way to stay hydrated. All the summertime goodness without the sugar. However, we can add fruit to make it look and taste more exciting.
If plain water on a stick isn’t appealing, sugar-free popsicles are available in a wide range of flavors, including childhood favorites like orange, grape, and cherry.
4. Eat It
Pure water isn’t the only way to meet our daily fluid needs. Foods that contain a large amount of water can keep us hydrated. E.g.:
- Watermelon (92% water)
- Peaches (89% water)
- Clear broth (92% water)
- Plain yogurt (88% water)
- Cottage cheese (80% water)
- Celery (95% water)
- Tomatoes (94% water)
- Skim milk (91% water)
- Coffee (98% water)
5. Track It
Sometimes, a reminder to drink water is all we need. There are lots of free water tracking apps available. Each one has a variety of features, like hydration reminders, fluid needs calculators, customizations for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and activity tracking to optimize our water intake schedules.
For those of us who prefer to keep it simple, we can track our water intake in a notebook. Use tallies, stickers, checkmarks, lists, or waterworks to stay on track.
6. Bottle It
Water bottles allow us to carry H2O wherever we go. As long as it’s full, we don’t have any excuse to skip out on hydrating. Many water bottles are marked with measurement lines, which makes it simple to track how much we’ve drank throughout the day.
They also help us save money because we don’t need to buy bottled water while out. This also reduces plastic waste.
We can get water bottles in different styles, and even customize them, so they match our style.
Check out these motivational infuser bottles.
In summary
Every part of our body needs water to function properly. Still, drinking enough can be a challenge. But there are plenty of ways to make water more exciting. Flavor it, freeze it, eat it, and always have a bottle handy. Stay hydrated and enjoy doing it!