Five Ways to Drink More Water

An infographic comparing water and Coke was circulating the web earlier this week.  When I did some digging, it sounds like the info about Coke (which was SUPER DISTURBING) contained some inaccuracies, so I’m not re-posting it here.  What I am posting here, however, are the statistics about water:

• 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated
• In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger
• Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 30%
• One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied
• Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue
• Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page

This is not new news.  We are told from little on that “eight glasses a day keeps the doctor away,” and for me, water consumption is a great example of the reality that information does not equal behavior change.  I know that most days I don’t drink enough water, and my excuses are endless: I feel nauseous when I drink water on an empty stomach…I feel too full when I drink it with my meals…I don’t like it sloshing around in my stomach during workouts…I race from workout to shower without taking the time to drink…it’s BORING…

So I’m working on this.  Really working on it.  Trying to put structures and incentives in place to get myself to drink enough water to keep my brain clear and my energy up.  Here are a few things that are helping:

• SodaStream: I like fizzy water much more than plain old boring water, so our at-home carbonator is a huge help.  I usually mix 80% water with 20% juice to make the drink more appealing
• Emergen-C: Vitamin C + a little bit of flavor helps the medicine go down
• Tea: A mid-afternoon glass of decaffeinated tea is hydration I can look forward to.  My favorites are ginger and licorice root
• Workout Hydration: I am trying to make my water bottle just as important as my ipod during workouts.  This is obviously a no brainer, but more easily said than done
• 8oz Before Bed: I find that I sometimes wake up thirsty, and drinking a full glass of water before bed helps.  Plus, the more I do it, the more it becomes a habit!

Might you be chronically dehydrated?  If so, what are you doing to guzzle more (and ideally enjoy it)?