Water tips

[Issywhizz]

I find it hard to keep on top of drinking 2 litres of water a day! Has anyone got any decent tips to help make me drink this amount..

🙏🏻

[Lindsey1097 Graduate]

Personally, I have a bit of a liking for hot water, especially in the cold weather. I know it sounds awful but it's really not as bad as it sounds. I drink it like I would drink tea or coffee. My mug is oversized and holds 500ml so I can aim for about 6 of those a day. Also, if I have a coffee or tea, I try and make myself one of those at the same time. Might not work for you but maybe if you had a water with a cuppa, it might help increase your intake 😁Since taking up running I seem always to be drinking water 😂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Try green tea, hibiscus tea or very dilute fruit juice, none of which contain caffeine.

Drink little and often.

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I agree. Some advice can be a bit "hair shirt" regarding the purity of ones water intake. Physiologically, unless the drink has a dehydrating/diuretic effect, then flavouring it is perfectly OK. I should think that the vast majority of my own hydration is via Vimto squash - other squashes are available but here in the north Vimto is the law!😀.

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to Pugwash]

Ah this makes it slightly better then, as I do drink other things apart from water...

[Hidden]

I find drinking little and often works for me best Issywhizz, I'll definitely have a large glass of water before I turn in, and it does definitely save you waking feel dehydrated 👍

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I think I just get so distracted that by the time I go to have any drink the morning has gone and I’m then wondering how I’ll drink all that water before bed 🙈

[Hidden in reply to Issywhizz]

How about a drip feed overnight 🤭

[acountrycabbage Graduate]

I pretty much carry a glass of water around the house with me at all times. I find I absentmindedly sip away and it’s gone in a flash.

I downloaded an app called My Water for my mum to use. It pings you reminders to hydrate and you can add what you drink against a daily target. Might sound a bit tedious but it helps train your brain to do it naturally. Here’s a list of the current best options:

healthline.com/health/hydra...

A friendly H2O reminder on the fridge door perhaps? Maybe even the bathroom mirror? 🙂

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage]

That’s kind of a good idea y’know. Equally don’t like to have my phone on me all the time... I might just buy a 2 litre bottle and just keep it with me

[Run4Hills Graduate]

Hot water fan here. Boiling water with a good splash of cold so it is gluggable. That works best for me. Anything but cold.

[RichGMcC]

Hi Issywhizz! A while ago, I saw somewhere a recommendation to drink a full glas of water when I woke/got up - after hopefully a good night's rest, we are all dehydrated. That seems to work well, as I am empty enough to just glug it down. After that, I would suggest having a hot drink about every hour - think of it as a way to getaway from your computer and exercise a little. We have now opted for many herbal and fruit teas to avoid drinking too much caffeine - and if these are more locally produced, we also avoid the water reqirements to mountainous regions growing tea and coffee (both require a lot of water to grow the plant, coffee about three times as much as tea, I think).

However, I do find it harder to stay focused on work now!

If your worried, next time you finish a litre of milk or something, keep the container, and add water to it equal to the water in your drinks - I bet that you do drink more than you imagine.

Good luck!

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to RichGMcC]

Thank you, some good advice there 🏃‍♀️🙏🏻

[nowster Graduate]

Coffee and tea do count towards your total if you're already habituated to that level. What I tend to do is have the same quantity of coffee but in a larger mug (400ml rather than 300ml), so it's more dilute.

Once you're adapted to taking in a certain volume of fluid, the toilet visits aren't as frequent as when you're starting. The trick is to spread the fluid intake through the day. Just remember to have the bulk of the fluid before the evening, to avoid a disrupted night.

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to nowster]

I didn’t realise we could count coffee and tea, I’m drinking about five litres of the stuff whilst looking after a toddler 😂

[nowster Graduate in reply to Issywhizz]

The point is that if you're used to that amount of caffeine, it'll have less effect.

Odd thing is that tea (which has less caffeine) has more of a diuretic effect on me than coffee does.

[PaddleboardPrincess Graduate]

Hi Issywhizz, I hear you! I had the same issue and recently bought one of those clear plastic bottles with hourly markers on the side which indicate how much you should drink per hour. It may sound a bit prescriptive but I find it much easier knowing I only have to drink an inch or so every hour! Also it has a straw which makes it easier to sip on throughout the day. Think I got it from Amazon. Good luck!

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to PaddleboardPrincess]

This sounds good, might try one of these. Amazon for sure? I will have a lookie. Thank you!! 🙏🏻

[LouiseA Graduate]

Green tea! I make one about every hour or so and sip that til it’s gone. I’m rubbish at drinking plenty, and can’t stand cold drinks so it’s that or hot Ribena...maybe find a couple of drinks you like and set reminders to have a drink every hour? 🏃🏻‍♀️

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to LouiseA]

Thanks LouiseA 😊🙏🏻🏃‍♀️

[RichGMcC]

Final thought! We bought chickens from very fit 50 something woman who runs 10k every morning, even after a skinful the night before. Her secret? She follows every glass of wine with two glasses of water. So for her that’s two litres of water in one good night!

[JL__79]

I always go with a litre of water as soon as i wake up - that works really well for me and has become a routine now!

Jon

knob.blog

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to JL__79]

Good idea that, drinking a litre of water when I get up. I usually drink a litre of coffee with a toddler clinging to my leg, but I’m gonna trade that coffee for water 😊

[Issywhizz Graduate in reply to JL__79]

Was just reading your blog. Good for you spreading awareness JL__79 and for being so open 🙏🏻

[JL__79 in reply to Issywhizz]

Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to share it with anyone you think might enjoy it.

Jon

knob.blog

[Jell6 Graduate]

Any fluid intake counts, alcohol less so!I struggle to drink enough, nearly 40 years in the NHS seems to have removed my thirst indicator 😅

I now take water to work, I try to drink half a bottle on the commute in and the same coming home , so 500 mls more than I used to.

I have swapped my usual tea mug for a massive, ugly sports direct mug. I have also reduced my alcohol intake, so instead of a glass of wine in the evening I am having about 2 mugs of tea, or tea and a bottle of water.

It's still an effort, but it definitely makes a difference to the runs.