Less than half of American adults drink four cups of water each day. That’s not enough. Whether you adhere to the 8×8 rule or one of the many other prescriptions for daily quota, it’s not enough by half. That means we’re a nation of dehydrated zombies. Headaches, lethargy, sleeplessness, dry mouth, low urine output, dry skin, constipation, irritability, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing and even fever can all be signs of various stages of dehydration. No wonder we’re all so grumpy all the time!
Coincidentally (or not?), the same people who don’t drink enough water also don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, don’t get enough exercise, they smoke and they eat fast food regularly. It’s a horribly unhealthy habit that’s intrinsically tied to a host of other unhealthy habits.
We know, you’ve got a really good reason why you don’t drink water. Except, the thing is, you don’t! We rounded up 20 of your best attempts to dodge drinking water, and well, gave you a really simple, really smart, really common sense way to go ahead and down that H2O.
Guess what? It won’t kill you!
1. I don’t like the way it tastes.
Then drink a different kind! Water in every city tastes different based on the way it’s filtered and its unique mineral make up. Every brand of bottled water has a different flavor based on the way it’s processed. Water in a metal bottle tastes different than water in a glass or plastic bottle. Even your own saliva impacts the flavor of water.
2. I’m not thirsty.
We’ll beg to differ. Once you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. You drink water consistently to stay ahead of thirst. Thirst is your body begging for water. So stay on top of the 2.2 liters per day that women need to drink (and 3 liters for men), according to The Institutes of Medicine, and you’re right, you won’t be thirsty.
3. It’s boring.
Then liven it up! Add any combination of herbs, vegetables, fruits, or citrus to a pitcher of water for a hint of flavor. Berries and mint, oranges, cucumber, lemon or lime are all popular options. This is known in some circles as “spa water.” Call it that and you’ll drink more instantly.
4. I can’t drink warm water.
Then chill it! Keep bottles in the fridge. Freeze bottles and drink the melted goodness throughout the morning. Buy an insulated water bottle. Or just put some ice cubes in it. This is America, by golly, there’s always ice nearby. After all, our great country invented the concept of iced water.
5. I can’t drink cold water.
Then don’t chill it. It truly doesn’t get easier than that. There are entire other continents where people don’t chill their water. It comes out of the tap at room temperature. If you buy it, don’t put it in the fridge. Keep a closed pitcher out on the counter so you’ll remember to drink it and it’ll already be at room temp.
6. The water fountain is gross.
Then don’t drink out of it, because there’s certainly another option just a few steps away. Find another faucet, like a sink. Carry a bottle with a built-in filter. Or just never let yourself leave home without a bottle of water.
7. I don’t have a water source near me.
I used to keep a 2.5-gallon jug of water in the cabinet over my cubicle desk. People thought I was crazy, but I always had water and I wasn’t ever thirsty. I also didn’t have a good excuse. Keep a few reusables full of water in the car for you and the kids.
8. Plastic water bottles are wasteful.
Then don’t use disposable water bottles, and we won’t blame you. Buy water bottles you will use, available in BPA-free (reusable) plastic, glass and steel. Put it in a coffee mug if you need to, just drink the stuff.
9. I never remember to drink water.
If you’re reaching for a cup of coffee, a soda or an energy drink then it’s a good time to grab some water. Set markers for yourself throughout the day and always drink water then. Maybe it’s before each meal or at the top of each hour (a good excuse to get up and walk, too!). Feel hungry? Drink a glass of water before reaching for a snack. One of my colleagues makes a deal with herself to drink two full glasses of water in the morning before she has coffee. No alarms or notes needed, just the incentive of caffeine as a prompt.
10. I’d rather drink [insert your preference here].
More of a soda drinker? Prefer coffee or tea? Rather have a beer? Fine, drink those things, too. Ultimately all liquids contribute to hydration. But alternate with water. One beer, then a water. One soda, then a water.
11. It costs too much.
Huh? Water is practically free. If it’s burning a hole in your budget, quit splurging on fancy water that is nothing more than water with a marketing budget. If you must buy filtered or spring water, get the 99-cent gallon of store-brand as opposed to something that supposedly dripped off a glacier in a forbidden ice forest 1,000 years ago. Jennifer Aniston will understand.
12. No really, I can’t afford it. Have you been to a concert?
Or the airport? Or a football game? Yes, and I usually take a five-spot to buy a bottle of water and then I refill it from a water fountain or sink. Being a water drinker isn’t always fancy, but it gets the job done.
13. Water makes me gag.
We’ll say it again, find a water that doesn’t. Funny how something so basic actually comes in as many options as does the latest Jamberry catalog. Drink the tap or don’t. Add fruit or don’t. Heck, add a tomato or basil leaf. Or don’t. Buy brand A or brand B or brand G… you’ll eventually find one that absolutely does not make you gag.
14. I can only drink it in this one certain special rare container in this one certain special way.
Then don’t ever lose it! Maybe you only like water if it’s through a straw — then go to Sam’s and buy some dang straws. Think the water in the giant plastic cup from the coffee shop is the greatest thing to ever happen to water? Then horde them. You’ll drink more water and save a landfill. Win!
15. But I’m just so addicted to soda.
We get it, you need that burn. And who could blame you? We’ve got a fix for that, too. Sparkling, carbonated, club soda… they’re all just waters with various levels of fizz. Add a squirt from those little flavor squeezers, a splash of juice or twist of lime. There’s also the completely addicting line of La Croix waters, for a subtle touch of flavor with the burn of the soda you’re probably lusting for. Soda Streams (minus the cola add-ins) save money, cans and plastic bottles by pumping carbonation into your water for a delicious fizzy mouth-feel.
16. Now I need the caffeine…or the sugar.
Fair enough, fuzzy, bubbly water won’t satisfy an itch for a true addiction to stimulants like caffeine or sugar. Scratch that itch with a strong cup of coffee or with a couple cups of black tea; both count toward your water consumption. You need to drink less sugar anyway — sorry, it’s true. So wean off the sugar (and especially the diet!) and replace soda with water.
17. I don’t like carrying it.
Good point, hands are really useful when they aren’t busy carrying things that are vital for life. Get a Camelbak or similar water backpack. Maybe don’t do this at the office. Definitely do this when you’re hiking, running, going to a festival, exploring a huge city, etc. Free up your hands for selfies.
18. I don’t trust the tap water.
Are you in a country that has a legitimate reason to fear the local water source, like Mexico or Russia? How about the entire continents of Africa or South America? Then drink your local municipality’s water. And there again, if having first-world access to clean water isn’t enough, buy a jug at the grocery store.
19. It looks super cloudy.
When you fill a glass from the tap is it cloudy or milky and then strangely clear? Still not a reason to skip water. It’s just air bubbles! Especially when it’s cold outside, you’ll see this more frequently. “Cold water holds more air than warm water,” says science, or the U.S. Geological Survey.
20. It makes me nauseous.
You’re not alone, a lot of people feel sick when drinking water. The water itself isn’t making you nauseous, it’s more a reaction to something else. Are you too full already? Are you chugging it? Drink slowly, breathe, change the temperature of the water — there’s a small change that will make a big difference.
TapGenes Take Away: Got a reason for not drinking water? Sorry, you don’t. We debunk your best excuses for staying dehydrated with simple, common sense ways to drink more water.
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