Trying To Drink More Water? 5 Things You Can Drink Instead Of Water For The Same Health Benefits & To Stay Hydrated

I’ve had (and conquered!) a diet soda habit that was out of control.

I drank 6 to 8 12-ounce caffeinated diet sodas a day and virtually NO water — and I was still thirsty!

My teeth were darkening, I was bloated, and was spending way too much money.

I knew I needed to drink more water, but hated drinking water.

I’d always heard of the health benefits of drinking water, but I actually didn’t realize how my lack of H2O intake was affecting my body (more on that later).

Our bodies are made up of over 60% water, and to stay healthy it’s important to drink enough fluids to replace the amount of water you lose every day.

At the time, I didn’t understand that the caffeine-laden diet soda I was drinking was actually making me more thirsty!

Staying hydrated can be a challenge if you don’t like the taste of water or find it hard to drink. But it’s still possible to meet your daily water intake goal without forcing yourself to actually drink more water.

Try these ideas for some creative ways to get enough water every day:

 

#1 – Drink Tea Or Coffee

Herbal tea and decaffeinated coffee are both good ways to meet your daily water requirement. But what about the caffeinated versions?

Actually, those count too.

It’s true that caffeine is a diuretic — meaning it has a dehydrating effect. However, the effects from a cup of coffee or black tea are negligible. So go ahead and count your morning cup towards your daily total.

The only exception is if you drink more than 3 or 4 cups of coffee a day — which could amplify the diuretic effect enough to cause dehydration.

Do you know how much water you should drink in a day?

 

#2 – Eat More Soup

Eating soup with a high water content is a good way to increase your water intake and get some nutrition at the same time.

Go for healthy, high-broth options like miso soup or egg drop soup, and steer clear of creamy or thick soups, which don’t hydrate you as well.

There’s another healthy bonus to eating more soup. Sipping some low-calorie soup before a meal fills you up, making you less likely to overeat!

Here are 7 ways to increase your water intake by eating more soup.

 

#3 – Eat Foods With A High Water Content

Like soups, foods that contain a lot of water can hydrate you.

Fruits and vegetables are your best bet.

A few good choices are: watermelon, citrus fruits, celery, and bell peppers.

Fruit juices don’t count, though. They might be hydrating, but they’re also full of sugar.

Here are 15 foods that keep you hydrated.

 

#4 – Make Flavored Water Infusions

If you don’t like tea, infusions can be another fun way to flavor your water.

There are so many variations of zero-calorie flavored bottled water on the market that make it so much easier to drink more water.

Don’t want to spend money on bottled water?

No problem just add a squeeze of lemon or lime to your glass, or chill a gallon of water in the fridge overnight with some cut-up strawberries, cucumber, or crushed mint leaves in it!

I started buying peach flavored crystal light packets and carried them in my purse to add to my drinking water. After increasing my water intake, I realized my hair wasn’t as dry, my skin looked healthier, and I wasn’t constantly thirsty anymore.

Fruit infused water is popular these days — for a lot of good (and healthy) reasons!

 

#5 – Drink Warm Water

Plain cold water can be hard to get down, especially first thing in the morning.

Warm water often goes down more easily.

If you don’t want to add anything to your water, simply heating it up might make it more palatable.

 

https://youtu.be/H63lRq1lcyg

There are plenty of benefits of drinking water and now you’ve got some delicious ways to get the water you need.

If you’ve been struggling to drink enough water, get creative: stock up on tea, find some tasty soup recipes, and fill your fridge with fruits & vegetables that have a high water content.

You’ll be better hydrated – and enjoying the accompanying health benefits – in no time!

 

Resources To Help You Drink More Water

In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some additional resources to help you get more water every day:

• How To Trick Yourself Into Drinking More Water Every Day
• You’ll Lose Weight By Drinking More Water
• What’s The Difference Between Bottled Water & City Water?
• Just For Fun: Drinking Water Fun Facts
• Water Drinking Apps For Android
• Water Drinking Apps For iOS