From summer sweat sessions to winter workouts, hydration keeps your body going all year round. Yet, even when people know how important drinking water is, they don’t always know how much to drink every day. Do you?
Michael Yabut, Manager of Product and Experience at TITLE Boxing Club, recommends athletes drink 192 ounces of water a day. Yes, you read that right. 192 ounces. Here’s what that looks like:
Tips for increasing your water intake
Before you run to fill up your glass (or jug), rest assured that us non-professional athletes have it a little easier. While the information differs, CamelBak created this convenient hydration calculator that takes into account your gender, height, weight and activity levels—give it a try!
Once you have your target hydration goal in mind, here are a few ways to make drinking the right amount of water an easy (well, easier) achievement!
It can be so easy to just slack on your water all day everyday, so follow the tips below to increase your water intake.
Add flavor to your water
Some people hate the taste of plain water. If you’re one of those people, try adding flavors in order to make it more palatable. We love adding lemon or cucumber to our water for a refreshing change. Raspberry and lime, strawberry mango and grapefruit are more flavors we love! You can buy flavored Mio additions if you’re interested.
If you want a more natural approach opt for fruit juice or frozen fruit in your water.
Start your day with a glass of water
Kick off your morning with a strong start by downing a glass of water when you wake up. Drinking even eight ounces of water right when you wake up can improve your digestion, gut health and skin health. There’s no need to make things fancy by adding cayenne or lemon, stick with plain water and you’ll be good to go.
Make your water an essential
Essential oils aren’t just for your diffuser. Add some to your water for added health benefits.Lemon essential oil alkalizes the body, detoxifies and soothes a sore throat. This is perfect for allergy season and winter time.
Tangerine fights craving and aids in the digestion of fat. Peppermint curbs appetite, helps stop migraines and increases concentration.
Start a water drinking competition
Everyone loves a little competition. Keep track of how much water you drink throughout the day and compare with your coworkers. Bragging rights and meeting your daily goal are great motivators. Please do not drink all of the recommendation ounces in a short period of time. This can be dangerous. Drink at your normal rate, but keep track of it.
Try a reusable straw
This seems like a silly tip, but we promise it works! Have you ever noticed at a restaurant how many times your water is refilled when you’re drinking out of a straw? Make it fun and earth-friendly with a brightly-colored reusable straw.
Buy a hydroflask or gallon jug
Buy a gallon jug or hydroflask you struggle to drink enough water. Making sure that it stays full throughout the day will allow you to continue to drink and track your water intake. Since there are four Hydroflasks in a gallon of water, you can easily monitor your intake.