Have you ever been sitting in your room late in the evening when all of a sudden a twinge of pain throbs in your head? Groaning in pain, you drag yourself to the medicine cabinet looking for some Tylenol to soothe the ache, only to hear the words “Have you had any water today?” echo in your head. Maybe it’s your mom’s voice, dad, significant other, or maybe even your pet’s voice — judging you for your water intake. You realize that single sip of matcha 6 hours ago was the only thing you’ve had to drink.
Okay, so maybe that’s a bit over the top, but I was that girl! For some reason, hydration never ranked high on my list of priorities. Between managing my life and relationships, I neglected my water intake, leading to scaly hands, cracked lips, and constant fatigue. You see I had convinced myself I despised water – I much preferred sweet tea (I’m a southern girl after all!).
Yet, here we are. I’m about to dive into how I went from barely managing 2 cups a day to surpassing the “recommended” 64oz with ease. This isn’t just my hydration journey; it’s a guide to help you discover the life-changing benefits of water. From transforming my health and energy levels to the surprising ways it boosted my mood, let’s explore together how becoming a hydrated b*tch is not only possible but essential.
Understanding Hydration
The average human body is made up of 60% of water which is why it’s SO important to us. It helps us carry out our body’s daily functions to keep us alive including:
- Regulating our body temperature
- Getting rid of waste through sweat, bowel movements, and urination
- Lubricating and cushioning the joints
However, when you’re not taking in more water than you’re losing this leads to dehydration…
The Villain: Dehydration – Signs to Look out For
Severe dehydration can be scary in and of itself, ranging from symptoms including but not limited to nausea, fainting, and even death. If you ever think you’re suffering from severe dehydration, make sure to reach out to the proper emergency services as soon as possible!
However, even mild dehydration could be affecting your body right at this moment. Here are a few symptoms of mild dehydration that most people don’t notice:
- Chapped lips
- Dry and flaky skin
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Tiredness and fatigue
If that sounds like you, the good news is: you can completely turn this around by working on your hydration daily! Daunting, I know, but doable.
Our Angel: Water + The Benefits
Now that you know the consequences of not drinking enough water, let’s get into the plethora of benefits when it comes to drinking enough water! (Ones that I saw in as quickly as 1 week of staying hydrated)
Physical Health 💪🏽
Aids in Digestion: Water helps break down food so that your body can absorb nutrients more efficiently and prevents constipation by softening stool, facilitating smoother digestion.
Improved Skin: Adequate hydration can improve skin hydration and function. A study found that higher water intake in the diet positively affects normal skin physiology, especially in individuals with lower daily water consumptions.
Detoxifying: Drinking sufficient water enhances the kidneys’ ability to filter waste from the blood and excrete toxins through urine, supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes.
Weight Loss: Water can increase satiety and enhance metabolic rate, which may help with weight loss. A study demonstrated that drinking 500 ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30% within 10 minutes of consumption and had a sustained effect for more than an hour.
Ease Bloating: When the body thinks it’s not going to be getting enough water, it can start to retain fluid as a defense mechanism. Staying well-hydrated can help alleviate this.
Emotional Health ✨
Improves Focus: Adequate hydration has been linked to improved concentration and cognitive function. A study on young women showed that fluid loss of 1.36% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration, and increased the frequency of headaches.
Reduces Anxiety and Depression: Drinking enough water can lower the risk of anxiety and depression. A study on the intake of water and the risk of depression suggested that adequate hydration could be associated with a lower risk of depression.
Contributes to Overall Happiness: Hydration status is positively associated with happiness, suggesting that individuals who drink more water tend to report higher levels of satisfaction and happiness.
How to Drink More Water 📝
These tips are based on ones I actually used in order to consistently drink the right amount of water for my body. Pick a few of these to try out and test if they work for you, if something doesn’t stick let it go and try another one! I promise you, one of these will kickstart your habit of drinking more water.
1. Understanding your personal needs
Depending on your age, health status, lifestyle, and climate of where you are living your water intake can differ significantly! Each body is different and requires different amounts of water. For example if you’re working out more your water intake may increase. Below is an online calculator that can help you specify your water intake goals!
2. Picking the right bottle
When it comes to picking out a water bottle make sure to take in account your daily routine and any restrictions. If you’re standing on your feet and rarely get to refill your water bottle, a gallon jug might seem reasonable to keep at a desk/station. Maybe you don’t have much storage room, a smaller water bottle might be a better fit!
You’ll also want to make sure it’s a water bottle that makes you excited! My emotional support water bottle is for sure my 40oz Stanley Tumbler. I can never go anywhere without it.
Think about: shape, color, and the way it feels in your hands. You want to WANT to use it. It should make you feel a little giddy, we don’t want it sitting in the cabinet with no use for years!
3. Add flavor to your water 🍉
If drinking plain water brings a scowl to your face and immediately has you thinking “ew”, try adding some flavor to your water. You can try one of the recipes I’ve created down below to add more flavor to your water. (I want to call them water cocktails sans the alcohol because it’s such a cute name but to prevent any mix up we’ll go with boring ol flavored water)
If adding fruits, veggies, and herbs isn’t cutting it for you, try water enhancing products. A popular one is Mi0 with flavors like strawberry pineapple smash, lemonade, and (my beloved) sweet tea — it might be worth trying out!
4. Try herbal teas ☕️
Another option to try if you don’t like drinking plain water is herbal teas! They help get fluids in and can be a better alternative to sugary drinks like soda and other caffeinated drinks! Some of my favorites are:
- Hot Cinnamon Spice by Harney & Sons
- Snooze by Teapigs
- Tangerine Ginger by Rishi
5. Invest in a water filter 💧
Investing in a water filter pitcher or sink add on will ensure that you always have water on hand! Not only will you always have clean water at your disposal but it also helps cut down on plastic waste!
I currently use the PUR water pitcher and I am in love with it! I have the 7 cup pitcher which is slim enough to fit in my fridge without taking too much space and fit in the sink easily when I need to fill it up (not to mention it’s pink <3).
You can always find generic water filter pitchers at your local grocery store as well. I use the H‑E‑B brand filters in my pitcher and they work just as well as the name brand.
I’ve also tried the Britta sink attachment and it was super convenient but I really enjoy having super cold water so the pitcher works better for me since I can leave it in the fridge!
6. Set up reminders on your phone/use an app 📱
Set up reminders on your phone to remind you to take a sip consistently! Try setting it up for every 30 minutes or every hour!
The iPhone reminders app is a great built in app for this as well as Google Keep for androids! You can also try out a hydration app specifically designed to help you increase your water intake like plant nanny. It’s super adorable and worth every penny. Plants + water timer = yes please.
Plant Nanny iOS | Plant Nanny Android
7. Implementing drinking water into your routine 🕰️
If timed reminders stress you out, another solution is incorporating water into your daily routine.
For instance you can drink a cup of water as soon as you wake up and right before bed. This ensures you’ll get at least two cups of water daily. You can also try to drink a glass of water before every meal, this way you’re (hopefully) getting 3 cups of water a day as a base!
Play around with different actions/parts of your routine and see what sticks with you!
8. Eat your water! 🥗
If you’re still struggling with the idea of drinking water, try incorporating foods that have high water content! Below is a list of some of these foods!
- Lettuce: 96% water
- Celery: 95% water
- Zucchini: 95% water
- Cabbage: 92% water
- Watermelon: 91% water
- Cantaloupe: 90% water
- Honeydew Melon: 90% water
Tip: Soups are another great way to increase your water intake by eating! Most soups using broths like chicken, veggie, and beef broth have a high water content!
9. Participate in a water challenge + join communities! 🎟️
Feeling like you have a sense of community can be incredibly motivating and help you stay on track with your daily water goal! One of my personal favorites is the Hydrohomies community on Reddit! Everyone is super helpful, kind, and encouraging there + you can find tons of tips and inside jokes. Trust me when I say you’ll love it and you’ll start appreciating and loving water even more from it!
I’ll also be creating a free water challenge as well as a free aesthetic notion template just for tracking your water! Make sure to enter your information below so you can be notified when both of those go live!
Hopefully these tips will help you become the hydrated b*tch you’ve always wanted to be! It’s seriously amazing how one tiny change can impact your life in such a positive way with so many benefits! Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these tips and what has worked/hasn’t worked for you!
– Until next time, Lily
Additional Resources (So you can do some more really cool water research)
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290814
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/water-and-healthier-drinks.html#:~:text=Water%20helps%20your%20body%3A,%2C%20perspiration%2C%20and%20bowel%20movements.
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/news/a44293/reasons-for-bloating-medical-expert/#
- https://paintedbrain.org/blog/mental-health/the-emotional-and-mental-health-benefits-of-drinking-water
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