The human body is composed mainly of water. We rely on that simple liquid for so many reasons: we shower and bathe in it, we swim in it for fun, we use it to cool ourselves down, we use it in recipes… Most importantly, we use it to stay hydrated. But why is it so hard to find the motivation to actually drink more than just a sip of water? Why is it so easy to just brush off until later (whenever later may be, probably never.)

Simply put, water is so boring. There is no flavor that makes you want to keep drinking it; it has no exciting color. It is just clear, boring, tasteless H20. 

Sure, there are some people out there who live for it. There are those that are known for always staying hydrated, encouraging their friends and loved ones to drink some, always seen with a reusable bottle… but how do they do it? 

Luckily for you, I’ve stepped up my water drinking game, and I’m here to tell you how I made the switch. It’s a bit of a domino effect, if you will.

Ever since I was little I’ve had a strong dislike for water. I would drink it if I was absolutely dying of thirst, but I would only drink it then, or if there was absolutely nothing else in the house. It made sense, you know. I was a child and children like flavors and colors, so juice was always the way to go. 

But that stayed with me up until way too recently. I would always wake up in the morning feeling like I still needed a week’s worth of sleep.  Then in an attempt to counteract that, I would drink coffee or black tea. While caffine can account for a portion of daily fluid intake, it also can cause other issues such as headache or stomach ache. For me, it genuinely just made things worse, but added a zap of energy so I would forget about it.

On top of that, I was always sluggish and it took me forever to actually wake up. I had mysterious stomach aches and body pains, my skin felt dry, and I was always so pale… the list could go on. 

I had accepted all of that without batting an eyelid. 

One day, I decided to look it up in an attempt to make a change in my life. I wanted to feel better, and I knew it had to start somewhere, so I made a quick and overly simple google search of ‘why drink water?’

There, I found several sources of information, telling me water reverses all of the problems that I had been facing. Several sources told me that I, in fact, was severely dehydrated! What I did find was various lists of what water can do to help me in daily life. Some of which stood out to me are:

1. Helps maximize physical performance
2. Significantly affects brain function and energy levels
3. May help prevent AND treat headaches
4. Can aid weight loss
5. Maintains the balance of body fluids
6. In some cases, can help with skin appearance and acne

Then, in my mind I put the pieces together. I had only ever felt good (unlike what I listed) after I had spent time with my best friend, who is a religious water drinker. She always made me drink water throughout the day, both of us refilling the water bottle at least 6 times each.

Then, for my birthday she gifted me a HUGE water bottle, and I mean it when I say huge. The thing holds a gallon of water. On the sides there are hour markers with motivational words such as “9AM – GO FOR IT!” and “5PM – DON’T GIVE UP.” These may seem cheesy, but they actually work really well. This water bottle also has a straw, which I’ve found makes it way easier to drink more water in less amounts of time. 

I sound like an ad! But seriously, don’t knock it till you try it. 

Ever since then, I have seen so many improvements in my life. Days that I drink a ton of water, I wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, my body doesn’t ache, after exercise the soreness is not so bad due to the increase in water consumption. 

Everything the science on google was telling me was actually true. Crazy, right?

So now that we’ve gone over that, what can YOU do to help yourself drink more water?

Well, you could follow in my footsteps and obtain a giant reusable water bottle, (which is also super good for the environment, by the way), but maybe you don’t want to do that. Maybe you still can’t get past the way water tastes to you. To which I will say, there are alternatives!

If you really want to like the taste of water, try experimenting with different brands of water. Strangely enough, all of them taste completely different. Desani and Smart Water are disgusting. Avoid those at all costs. Those are the types of water you drink if you have literally no other option. My personal favorite is Crystal Geyser or New Zealand water. 

If you’ve done that and it still isn’t working for you, there are pods of concentrated flavors, specifically made to solve this problem for you. With only three drops, a fruity flavor of your choice is added to your water, and doesn’t take away any of the value the water brings to your body. It just makes it easier to drink!

All things considered, I guess I’m trying to say that drinking water is only as difficult as you make it. There are many ways to make it easier for you; you just genuinely have to be willing to make changes and adapt. You literally need water; people don’t just say that for fun.

It’s all in your hands to feel better, and in my case, drinking water kickstarted that process. I strongly believe that if you want to make a change in your life and want to be hydrated, you can do it, especially with the right motivation, alternatives, flavor additions, and a good support system (even if it’s just yourself).