Diary / Wellness / Sep 26, 2022

Easy Ways to Drink More Water Every Day

Written by: Lauren Slayton

When it comes to water drinking, there are two groups: there are the guzzlers, who “drink a ton of water” and “pee constantly” (and are oftentimes are fairly proud of these facts) and then, there are the strugglers. When I ask these clients about their water consumption, they often look puzzled. “I know I don’t drink enough,” they’ll say. When I press for quantities, I’ll get answers like, “maybe I have a couple cups a day.” Before anyone feels attacked, know that despite two nutrition degrees and other wellness habits that make me feel virtuous, I’m naturally a struggler. I’ve tried virtually every water drinking strategy and these are the five I’ve found that can help transform one into a guzzler.

Bigger is better

Research has shown we are influenced by what we drink out of and eat off of. The bigger the plate, the more you’ll eat (not always ideal), but the same goes for drinking. Bigger glass or bottle? You’ll drink more. My water-drinking world changed when I invested in a 64-ounce water bottle. Many people put a glass or bottle of water on their desks, or in their car, and may finish what’s in front of them, but not many of these people refill their glasses or bottles. If you have a big-mama bottle, there’s no need to refill. And if you’re goal oriented, the satisfaction of finishing that ginormous bottle is pretty great.

Make yourself pay

We all have different buttons to push in order for us to change our behavior. At many restaurants, you are asked “Would you like tap, bottled or sparkling water?” The down-to-earth response to this is tap. However, if you’re a struggler you may want to fork over the money for a bottle. Oftentimes, if you have a bottle of Pellegrino (if you’re paying, go for glass over plastic) you don’t want to waste it. So, by paying for it, you drink more.

There’s an app for that

If you’re someone who likes to track (your steps, your food), you may do well with a water drinking apps. There are a bunch of them and you can decide if you like push notifications or not. My personal favorite is Plant Nanny. You have to drink enough to keep your plant alive (incentive and also taps into my real-life tendency to kill plants). The thought of killing my virtual plan always gets me to drink more.

Fun it up

I’m sure you’re expecting me to tell you to add lemons or limes to your water to flavor it. The people who are more likely to do this are guzzlers. Strugglers (I’m with you) are a little lazy with water and slicing requires forethought, but you will be more inclined to drink if you flavor your water. I like Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water Packets. These add a little excitement to your water plus skin boosting goodness from collagen. Later in the day, I like Natural Calm Powdered Magnesium. Magnesium is good for your mood, metabolism and digestion. If you’re anti-powders, try herbs. Add a sprig of fresh mint or basil to your bottle, no slicing required.

Seeing is believing

When it comes to wellness, many people only invest when they see the results. If you’re trying to lose weight, we say success breeds success. Whether you have dry skin, chapped lips, headaches, low energy or an insatiable appetite, work on your water for a couple of weeks and take note. When you see what water can do for you, you may start to struggle a little less.

Lauren Slayton, MS RD is the founder of Foodtrainers and the author of the book The Little Book of Thin (Perigee 2014).

Diary / Wellness / Sep 26, 2022

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