You probably always have the best intentions, but by the end of the day, you may find yourself downing an entire glass of water within a minute because you’ve forgotten to drink some throughout the day.
Although the idea that drinking 8 glasses of water a day persists, the New York Times reported it’s a myth and researchers have found that four to six glasses each day is a fair amount to drink and remain hydrated.
However, just plain water may not be doable for everyone. Or, it may be hard to keep track of how much you’ve consumed.
Here are five ways you can up your water intake, according to HuffPost.
Download an app that keeps track of what you drink
If you already have your phone or smartwatch on you, why not let them help you stay hydrated? Several apps exist to remind you to drink water and/or keep up with what you’ve consumed. They include Aqualert and WaterMinder, both of which are available on Android and Apple devices.
Pump up the flavor with fruit or herbs
Nonwater drinkers often complain that H2O has no taste. You can change that by making fruit-infused water or filling your water with some herbs. IHeartNaptime.net has simple fruit-infused water recipes while Culinary Hill has some for those that have fruit and herbs in them.
Sip tea throughout the day
You could consume tea to get your water fix. A study conducted at Kings College London found that drinking tea could offer more benefits than water.
“Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water,” Carrie Ruxton, Ph.D. and public health nutritionist who conducted the study told the BBC. “Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it’s got two things going for it.”
Eat foods rich in water
Not all your fluids have to come from liquid. You can also stay hydrated by eating foods with high water content, too.
MedicalNews Today reported that cucumbers, watermelon, celery and skim milk are some of the best foods for hydration with each of them having more than 90% water content.
Drink a glass the minute you wake up
If nothing else, starting your day with a glass of water could help set you on the right path.
“What many people do first thing in the morning is grab a cup of coffee,” Dr. Maria Peña, who specializes in obesity medicine at Mount Sinai in New York told USA Today. “When you get a cup of coffee, also get a bottle of water.”
She noted that rehydrating in the a.m. helps establish a healthy practice that can grow into a routine allowing you to drink a sufficient amount of water all day long.
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