I did a post on acne (What is your acne telling you?) and the role that various bits and bobs of our bodies play in its horrid takeover of our faces. Amongst the 567572436987 visitors who stopped by this post, over 40% wrote in to say that they have pinpointed much of their spottiness to a lack of adequate water.
Which makes sense. Water is not called the ‘source of life’ for nothing… it is crucial for every body function, right from metabolising fat and regulating temperature to facilitating important bio-chemical reactions, lubricating the joints and limbs, aiding digestion, hydrating the skin and helping the body flush out waste and toxins.
So, it stands to reason that without regular top-ups, our skin (actually our whole body) will go into crisis mode. The simplest solution? DRINK MORE WATER!
Yet, 99% of us don’t heed this advice. H2O is bland, it’s boring, it’s always “just there”… maybe if water becomes more expensive, we will start paying more attention!
But till then, I would be the first to admit that sometimes drinking the requisite “8 glasses” (find out exactly how much water you need HERE) can be a real challenge!
So, after much interviewing, thinking, researching and experimenting, here are 10 tips to help you accomplish that feat (and I have personally tested every one of them – they work stupendously!). Take a look, pin it to your mirror, and then tell us the sneaky ways YOU trick yourself into drinking more water in the comments. We could all use the help!
Drink your water! Stay well hydrated! Stay healthy! Stay pretty!
In case you can’t see the image above, here are the tips in text form
1. Add two glasses of drinking water to your daily skincare regimen: Drink, cleanse, moisturise, then drink again.
2. Don’t purchase any other drinks: let’s face it, if you have your favourite soda chilling in the fridge, are you honestly going to opt for water?
3. Drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you down. (It’s also a great way to prevent a hangover!)
4. Set an alarm to beep every hour – this is your reminder to down a glass of water. If you drink only small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you will consume 48 ounces (1.4 liters) in an 8-hour workday.
5. Eat water-rich foods, such as watermelons, which are 92% water. A tomato is 95% water, while an egg is 74% water.
6. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you. It will eventually melt and stay cold.
7. Purchase a water bottle that holds the amount of water you need to drink each day, or use a combination of 1-liter and half-liter bottles. This will allow you to see exactly how much water you are consuming on a regular basis.
8. Fill a glass jar with water, pop in some fruit-infused tea bags in a glass jar and place it in the sun for naturally brewed tea that has an intense flavour. Drink it chilled for loads of flavour and antioxidant protection.
9. Prefer a sweet sip to plain ol’ water? Fill 1/4 of your glass with 100 percent fruit juice and top off with water or seltzer.
10. Bring a touch of the exotic: Add mint leaves, slices of apples, strawberries, lemons or limes to a pitcher of water; serve chilled. Keep a jug in the fridge so you always have great-tasting and great-looking H2O available. For an even greater kick, drink it out of champagne flutes!
How much water do you manage to drink on a daily basis?
Thanks so much for this! I often don’t drink enough water and these tips are super helpful to help me up my water intake! I’ve bookmarked this for future reference. 🙂
I just learned a trick from Lauren Conrad; she won’t let herself eat a meal until she’s downed 8oz of water. It’s a great way to also combat over eating, since much of our hunger comes from dehydration
I drink a lot of seltzer — do the bubbles take away from hydration, or is it just as good as regular water?
It’s just as good as regular water, provided you get enough of it! It is caffeine (not carbonation) that causes dehydration. Caffeine can cause your kidneys to produce more urine which may lead to dehydration. Many popular types of cola contain caffeine and are unhealthy in large quantities, giving rise to the myth about dehydration and other negative effects that result from consuming large amounts of carbonated beverages. However carbonated drinks without caffeine (like seltzer) are usually safe to consume. However, the carbonation in the water often makes you feel fuller because your body has to process the carbon acids. So, most people tend to drink sparkling water slower than “flat” or “still” water and hence they consume less of it – which is what I mean by saying ‘provided you get enough’.
I drink water from the small “baby” bottles, with a straw! I will suck down the entire bottle in no time. Plus the water stays cold, since it is such a small bottle and I drink it so quickly. I think the real key is the straw.