How To Remember To Drink More Water, How Much Water Should You Be Drinking?

"I need to work on drinking enough water daily.  I know that I should, and I am willing to. But I need to find a way to REMEMBER to keep drinking. If you have ideas or suggestions-- I am open to them." 

1. Get a workout in your day:  When you sweat, it’s almost effortless to remember to drink water.  Your body just needs it.  
2. Buy a large, beautiful water pitcher and first thing in the morning, make sure it’s filled up.  You might even want to add a few lemon or grapefruit slices, or make it “spa-like” with cucumber slices.   Place it on your desk or in a high trafficked area so every time you pass it, it becomes a reminder to keep drinking.
3. Keep your water bottle at close range and make sure it’s ready to go in the car and when you’re running around.  If it’s there, you’ll see it and you’ll remember.

On a different note, there are many differing opinions about how much water you really need.  Here’s a response from one of the discussions in the community when asked, Is all that water really necessary?”

“It really depends on the person in terms of how much water they need to drink. I am reading "Eat To Live" by Joel Fuhrman (MD) and he says that if you exercise you need to replenish the fluids you lose. He also says that the amount of water you needs depends on your diet. If you eat a diet low in fruits and vegetables, you are going to need more water, and vice versa. His assertion is that three glasses of water a day is all you need IF you are eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables. (page 233 of the paperback) But he has a pretty high standard, so odds are that very few of us meet that, and thus need a decent amount of water.” 

Fruits and vegetables have a high water content so they’re known as “water-rich” foods and can play a significant role in hydration. The discussion is pretty interesting.

And here’s another discussion on how much water to drink when you are running that links to a Runner’s world article that gives a simple formula based on the approach that seems to be the conventional and also "dominant narrative" regarding the amount of water you should drink: 

 

Male Drinking Requirement, in fluid ounces:

Body Weight x .35

 

Female Drinking Requirement, in fluid ounces:

Body Weight x .31

 

Example: A 132-pound women needs to drink 41 ounces of water a day (132 x .31= 41). She'll get the rest of her daily water supply from food and metabolic processes.

The article also gives some specific advice tailored to runners that you might find interesting.

Oh, one more thing I forgot.  It tends to be easier to drink more water if it’s room temperature rather than ice cold.  If you have any other tips, please respond below!

-Jackie

Comments

[Deb]

I sit in front of a computer all day, so I use Outlook to remind myself to drink water. I created a recurring weekday appointment and set the alarm for 8:00 a.m., when I start up Outlook, that's the first thing that pops up. I also attached a sound that sounds like rushing wind(it's called wind.wav on my computer) because it's a breeze to drink water (or take vitamins). If I haven't drunk 64 ounces of water that day I don't dismiss the appointment, I simply ask it to pop up an hour later. So I get hourly reminders to get in another 8 ounces or so by the end of the day I'm close to goal.

Deb in WI

[tnt0617]

I, too, am trying to drink more water (at least 64 oz. per day), and I've done quite well these past couple weeks.
Here's a great tip that has helped me - - drink a 16-oz. bottle of water FIRST thing in the morning. It helps "set the tone" for the day, and makes it easier to remember to drink more water throughout the day!