fbpx

Hydration Tips if You Struggle to Drink Enough Water
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

How to drink more water

Tips from a dietitian that finds drinking enough water challenging

Hydration Tips

I get it. As someone who struggles to drink enough water throughout the day, I understand the challenge of staying hydrated when you simply forget to drink enough during a busy day or find plain water boring.

Regardless, drinking enough water is important for our health!

But how much water do you really need per day and what are some ways to sneak in more fluids if you have struggled to drink enough?

LQR77 radioisten to my previous radio interview here on QR77 Radio:

Listen to part one here:  Struggling to Drink Enough Water?
Listen to part two here:  Struggling to Drink Enough Water?

Why do we need water in the first place?

We need water and fluids in general for transport of nutrients throughout the body, digestion of food, elimination of waste, healthy bowel movements to “keep us regular” as well as to cushion organs and joints.  Fluids are also important to help us regulate our body temperature.  We sweat and breathe out water to regulate our body temperature.

How much water do we need each day?

Remember that while water is the best choice for staying hydrated, other fluids such as milk, juice, tea and even fluid-rich foods such as fruit and veggies can help get you there.  Despite coffee having caffeine, which is a diuretic, all is not lost since some of the water in coffee is retained. To ensure you are not consuming too much caffeine keep coffee consumption to 2 cups (500 ml) per day.

Our fluid needs depend on our activity level, age, gender and sweat rates.  Obviously, hot and humid weather also increases our fluid needs as does having diarrhea or vomiting.  Pregnancy and breastfeeding also increase the need for fluids in general.

As a general guideline adult males need about 3 litres (12 cups) of fluid per day and adult women need about 2.2 litres (9 cups) of fluid per day.  Pregnant women need about 2.3 litres (9.5 cups) of fluid per day.  Breastfeeding moms need about 3.1 litres (12.5 cups) of fluid per day.

Drinking Water

What are signs of dehydration?

Some of the signs of dehydration can include thirst, flushed skin, fatigue, irritability and headache. You may also have dry mouth and lips or strong smelling dark colored urine.  Other more serious signs of dehydration include lower blood pressure, higher heart rate, dizziness and fainting.  Extreme dehydration can lead to blue lips, increased breathing rate, cold hands and feet, blotchy skin, high fever, confusion and lack of consciousness.

Note that you can be dehydrated before many of the signs appear.  The best way to know if you are getting enough fluids is if you are urinating often and so that the urine is pale in color.

What are some strategies to increase our fluid consumption?

As I mentioned earlier, even as a Dietitian I have to focus on remembering to drink enough water and fluids throughout the day.  Sometimes I can get very busy and distracted and simply forget.

Here are some strategies that have worked well for me:

  • Tell your coworkers that you are struggling to drink enough water and you would appreciate them giving you a gentle reminder.  Nothing beats accountability with someone else!
  • Drink a glass of water or fluid at each major meal or snack.
  • Pack a water bottle to work and leave it on your desk as a visual cue.
  • Pack a water bottle when you are running errands and on unstructured days such as weekends when you are more distracted.
Water Bottle

What are some other fluid ideas if you are bored of plain water?

Try Some Tea

The Tea Association of the US says tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water.  Even Starbucks wants to be in the tea business.  Starbucks owns Tazo and recently purchased the tea stores Teavana for over 600 million dollars.

Tea is emerging hotter than ever.  Find it served hot, cold and infused into foods, cocktails and desserts.

The nutrition benefits of tea are widespread.  Tea contains healthy components such as flavonoids which can be good for protecting our cardiovascular health and prevention of heart attacks, stroke and cancer.

Both green tea and black tea come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) and contain similar amounts of antioxidants and minerals.  While you may worry that tea contains too much caffeine it is cup for cup often half that of coffee.

Outside of brewing hot tea, consider a tea latte such as a London Fog, Chai tea or Vanilla Rooibos latte.  Leave a large pitcher of brewed iced tea in the fridge (my favorite is pomegranate green tea served on ice). Try making a smoothie with chilled brewed tea, frozen berries, banana and yogurt.

Tea

Try Something Frozen

For many of us simply having chilled water can make all the difference in wanting to sip on our water bottle.  Try freezing a portion of your water bottle the night before and in the morning topping it up with fresh water.

Regular ice cubes are great but you may want to consider making flavored ice cubes (freeze ice with lemon wedges, mint leaves, kiwi pieces, or other fruits for a hint of flavor)

Make a nutritious smoothie.  Since smoothies can utilize a wide range of fluids not only are they a nutritious breakfast or snack they can provide plenty of fluids such as milk and unsweetened juice.  Other fluid options to blend into smoothies include coconut water or cold brewed fruit-flavored herbal tea.

Frozen Smoothie

Try Some Bubbles

One of the most heavily utilized machines in our kitchen is a carbonated water maker.  Simply adding some carbonation to make sparkling water has meant more water drinking in our homes for all of us.  What I like about these machines is that they are sodium free in comparison to many club sodas on the market.

Try sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime or a splash of unsweetened juice for flavor.  The small number of calories added to unsweetened juice can make a world of difference in helping you to get your water consumption in.

Carbonated Water

Need more support with healthy eating and nutrition?

If you find it hard to “just follow the recommendations”, there’s probably more than meets the eye.

A Registered Dietitian can help you create and maintain steady, sustainable health changes. 

Our Registered Dietitian / Online Nutritionist team has supported people with nutrition education and practical meal-planning ideas since 2000.  We can work with you to simplify an eating plan that helps you take charge of your eating and feel your best.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

As seen in

  •  

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This