We’ve all heard the “drink more water” sermon enough times in our lives to recognise the importance of hydration.
However, having it hammered home every couple of months doesn’t make the task any easier – especially at this time of year when it’s chilly outside and a fresh glass of ice-cold water sounds more painful than refreshing.
If you’re struggling to hydrate in the wintertime, here are some tips to get it down.
Get it From the Tap
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Having access to fresh, clean, and tasty water right in your home makes things far easier because you won’t need to constantly be buying water from the store to make sure you’re drinking enough.
In most developed countries, tap water is safe to drink, but if you don’t like the taste of it or want to be extra careful, then investing in an under sink water filter faucet can make drinking water straight from the tap way easier and more enticing.
Invest in a Bigger Bottle
The bigger, the better. It’s easier to keep track of drinking one or two large bottles each day than it is to count your daily eight cups.
Carrying a big 1L or even a 1,5L bottle around with you will make drinking water a mindless and simple task. Have it with you at home, take it out with you on errands, to work, to the gym, etc. In the summertime, opting for an insulated bottle is a good idea because it will keep your water cold. But in the winter, a regular plastic bottle will do the trick.
Warm it Up
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There’s no rule that says only cold water counts as H2O. Boiling the kettle and making a hot cup of tea or coffee will also count towards your daily water goal.
However, the trick here is to avoid adding too much milk and sugar to these drinks and remember that too much caffeine isn’t good for you – and can even dehydrate you. This means that it’s still important to drink plain water throughout the day, but it’s okay to count one or two warm drinks to that tally.
Build it into Your Habits
The concept of habit stacking is really powerful. It refers to the idea of using habits you already have as a tool to create new habits. So, you can start the habit of drinking water when performing other tasks that you already do daily.
For example, make drinking a big glass of water the first step in your morning routine. You can drink a glass before or after every meal, when you brush your teeth, when you sit down at your desk and make sure to drink a full bottle when you work out.
Use a Water Tracker App
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Many people use an app to drink more water throughout the day. There are loads of apps that allow you to calculate how much water you should be drinking each day based on your height, weight and activity levels.
After that, you can track how much you drink throughout the day and let the app send you reminders at certain times to help you stay on track.
Give Yourself Incentives
If you’re motivated by rewards, then you could try this tactic with your water-drinking habits too.
You might give yourself the incentive that for every litre of water you drink, you’re allowed a snack, a sweet treat, or a work break to head out into the sun. Or, on a larger scale, grant yourself a special coffee from a coffee shop on Sunday mornings if you hit your water target every day of the week.
Add Some Flavour to Your Water
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If you struggle to drink water because you simply don’t like the taste, or prefer to drink juice or sodas, then you could try adding some flavour to make your water more enjoyable. Adding fresh fruits and veggies to your bottles can make a huge difference – lemon, mint, cucumber, berries, watermelon, and pineapple are some great options.
You can also look into water-flavouring drops – many of these are sugar-free and low in calories, making them a good option to add to your water without any guilt.
Eat More Foods High in Water
You can also add some extra hydration to your day by eating foods that are high in water. This includes things like watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and lettuce.
However, remember that this alone won’t be enough to get you through the day, they should only be thought of as a supplement.
