5 Refreshing Ways to Help You Drink More Water

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Water may be the single most important nutrient in our lives. Every system in our body depends on water and it’s functions - from removing waste to regulating body temperature to lubricating joints, just to name a few. 

Not only does water play a vital role in our general wellbeing, it’s also a key component to losing and maintaining weight. Now that’s refreshing!

I personally don’t think about drinking water, EVER! I think it’s because there are so many more interesting things to drink. But, with all the allure of the fizz, color, sugary sweetness of other beverages come calories. So, I went in search of ways of getting hydrated with very few calories and found that I can make the world’s best refresher – water - more interesting.

Add a Flavor Infusion

Flavored water has subtle fruit and/or herb flavor infused into it. It’s water with a little something extra! Most flavored waters range between 10 and 20 calories per serving and drinking them ice cold will actually help you to burn calories. (Your body uses calories to warm the ice-cold water.)

How to make it:

1. Gather your ingredients: pitcher, fruit and/or herbs and water. You can use seltzer or filtered water.

2. Fill your pitcher with cool water.

3. Slice chosen fruit(s) and herbs into desired size- this varies depending on the size of the pitcher and variety of fruit you are using. For a subtle flavor use a little fruit, for a more robust flavor use a lot.

4. Put the slices into the pitcher(s), shake a little, refrigerate for one hour to overnight so the flavor can set in.

5. Enjoy!

These are my favorite infused water combinations: 

 Watermelon and Mint 
 Pineapple and Mango
 Cantaloupe and Watermelon
 Papaya, Mango and Mint
 Orange and Pineapple
 Cucumber and Lime
 Lemon and Blueberry
 Strawberry and Mint

Create a Ritual

Rituals slow us down and allow us to forget our worries and escape into the present moment. Rituals are simple, repeatable, and allow us to get lost in their acts. Anything can be a ritual. Brushing your hair, chopping garlic, making tea, breathing, bike riding. The trick is to choose an important routine and to systematize it so that you do it the same way every single time and it doesn’t require thought. Water drinking can be one such ritual. How to do it:

1. Grab your glass. It can be the Mickey Mouse glass you got from Disneyland, an “I love my job” mug, the metal mug from the wine festival - you know the cup. If you don’t currently have a cup, get one. 

2. Now, choose your water – something that appeals to you. I don’t like water but I LOVE Smart Water. I think the Fiji water bottle is so pretty. Maybe you have a Soda Stream and have a fizzy treat in as your three o’clock ritual. Perhaps you like to boil water in your red teapot or “make” water in your Brita. It is important that your water makes you happy.

3. Notice. Discern. You water is crystal clear like a diamond. The ice cubes tinkle in your glass magically. The bubbles in your seltzer water cling to the sides of the glass then rise and burst to the surface. The metal cup frosts and chills your lips. Your water is warm and heats its way down your throat. This is mindfulness. This is the point of your ritual, to escape the moment. 

Add an Herbal Infusion to Suit Your Mood

Doing a little amateur aromatherapy every day can do wonders for you mood and make your water extra special. Aromatherapy uses plant materials and aromatic plant oils to alter the mood. While essential oils are usually too concentrated to drink, there are some beautifully fragrant ingredients commonly found in most produce sections: 

Get Creative With Your Cubes

Ready to make a splash? Pop a couple blueberries or blackberries into an ice cube tray slot and fill the remainder with plain or seltzer water (use seltzer only if you plan to drink seltzer water). 

Any colorful fruit or herb will beautify your ice cubes. I like to add strawberries, grapes, oranges, diced watermelon, mint leaves and more. 

Lemon water has great health benefits. You can freeze lemon juice in a cube so you don’t have to squeeze it every day. Incorporate some citrus zest for an even more intense burst of flavor.

Eat It

There is a saying “drink your food and eat your water”, that is to say that you should chew your food very thoroughly and mindfully for good digestion (drink your food) and that certain juicy fruits and vegetables contain water that counts toward your daily intake (eat your water). While it may be hard to judge how much water you are getting, lettuce, cucumbers, celery, watermelon, and other fruits and veggies, are mostly water with very few calories. By eating more of these foods you will feel refreshed and surprisingly satisfied.

With all of these great ways to stay refreshed, how will you chose? The good news is that you don’t have to! Mix it up, try something new each day and reap the benefits of water for freshness, calmness and health. 

How will you refresh your water?

 

Author: Brandi Redo
Brandi is a Certified Health Coach at Diet-to-Go, based in Lorton, VA. Balance is the number one mission in Brandi’s life. In her spare time she loves to bike, do Zumba and play tennis, but hates gym exercise. She is an amateur gardener and nature walker, who is on the constant look out for interesting insects and small animals. Brandi encourages people to “find the sweetness in life.”


 

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