In this post, I wanted to shed some light on a critical health mistake that I see so many people make.  It’s one of those things that everyone & their dog KNOWS is not good for your health — yet it’s one of the most common errors made.

It’s also a concept that’s so simple & obvious.  But I wanted to make sure YOU aren’t 1 of the millions of people that make this mistake (and if you are, don’t worry — you can easily fix it! ☺️)

You ready for it??  Here it is…

Not drinking enough water!!

Yeah, I told you it was obvious.  But before you roll your eyes at me or think this concept is too elementary to talk about, hear me out.

Make sure you’re aware of your daily water intake & if it’s an adequate amount to promote optimal health!

I created a Hydration Cheatsheet for you that lists 7 quick tips to ensure you get enough H2O every day.  Plus it includes 7 Delish Detox Water Recipes to take your water intake from boring to exciting!  Download it below (it’s free)!

Here’s the thing: 75% of people live in a state of chronic dehydration — and there are TONS of symptoms & health concerns associated with not drinking enough water.

Health Consequences of Dehydration

Here are just a handful (do you ever experience any of these??):

• Fatigue
• Joint pain or muscle cramps
• Headaches
• Weight gain or inability to lose weight
• High or low blood pressure
• Constipation & digestive problems
• Ulcers
• Decreased concentration
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Dry skin
• Bad breath
• Mood swings
• Craving sweets or salty foods
• Unpleasant body odor

There are also some extremely severe long-term risks of being chronically dehydrated, including heat injury, seizures, kidney problems (including kidney failure), & low blood volume (which can be life-threatening). 😳 Yeah, not something to mess with!

How Much Water Is Enough?

So how can we prevent those health issues from happening & make sure we’re drinking enough water??  Well, a good rule of thumb is to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.

For example: Someone that weighs 150 pounds would need to drink at least 75 ounces of water per day (150 lbs divided by 2 = 75 oz.)

Pretty simple, right?  But I know it’s not always EASY.  If you’re not used to drinking much water & you don’t have that habit built up yet, it can sometimes be difficult to consume all that extra water every day.

I know you can do it, though!  You can create a NEW healthy habit & train yourself to drink an adequate amount of water each day! ☺️

7 Quick Tips to Stay Properly Hydrated

Here are 7 of my best tips to ensure your success (these tips helped me take control of my water intake & continue to help me stay on track with it!):

1. Know your number!  What is half your body weight??  Figure it out right now so you know exactly how much water you need (at least!) per day.

2. Get a container of some sort to drink your water out of — preferably glass (or something other than plastic, so it doesn’t leach toxic chemicals into your water).

3. Once you’ve designated your water container, figure out how many of them you need to drink per day to hit your number.  

For example: I usually drink out of a 30 ounce glass mason jar (which here in the south, people always ask me if it’s moonshine…🙄 haha!) — but I know I need to drink at least 2 of those per day, plus my morning herbal tea to make sure I get a little extra.

4. Start every morning by drinking at least 12 ounces of water right after getting up.  Fill your water container first thing in the morning.  Start strong!

5. Keep your water container with you throughout the day, so it’s always in sight & easily accessible.  

6. Track your water intake to make sure you’re consistently hitting your number.  I use the Way of Life app — and every day that I get at least my 62+ ounces, I get a green checkmark ✅ (there’s something so satisfying about that 🤓)!

Looking for another way to track your water intake (along with some of your other daily healthy habits & routines)?  Check out the Daily Health & Happiness Planner — you can download it for free below!

7. If you don’t like plain old water, or if you just want to spice things up a bit sometimes (& boost the nutrient content!), add some fun & tasty extras to it.  There are so many delish options — water doesn’t have to be boring!

Speaking of fun & tasty water creations, the Hydration Cheatsheet includes 7 delish detox water recipes that will make it even easier for you to drink plenty of water each day!  Download the free cheatsheet + detox water recipes below (they’re free)!

Things like fresh lemon juice, greens powder, apple cider vinegar — or a combo of those (my favorite!) — will take your water intake to a whole new level!  Or even try adding some fresh fruit or herbs (like fresh or frozen berries, cucumber slices, mint, basil, cilantro, etc.)  You can even count herbal teas towards your water intake (make sure they’re caffeine free). 💃

The Source Matters

The last thing I want to mention about water is that the source DOES matter.  Ideally, you want to be drinking really PURE water.

Unfortunately, straight tap water contains some dangerous toxins — including heavy metals, pesticides, & loads of other harmful chemicals.  Tap water has even been shown to contain traces of pharmaceutical drugs — the most common ones being over-the-counter pain relievers, antidepressants, birth control pills, & blood pressure & cholesterol meds.  Horrifying! 😱

Many of these toxins are linked to cancer, immune system dysfunction, neurological damage, endocrine (hormone) disruption, digestive problems, & other serious health issues.  Eeeeek! 😕

Of course drinking tap water is still better than NOT drinking water at all, but do your best to avoid it since it’s one of the biggest sources of toxicity!

So what’s the solution??  I recommend a reverse osmosis system.  Considering how much water affects your overall health & how many functions it plays a role in throughout your body, investing in a reverse osmosis system to get the purest water is well worth it!

If you can’t quite spring for a reverse osmosis system yet, even a simple faucet filter or filtration pitcher will be better than nothing!

Alright, my friend — depending on where you’re currently at with your water intake, I hope this serves as a helpful reminder for you to either pursue, rekindle, or continue nurturing your healthy relationship with H2O! ☺️

Don’t forget to download your free Hydration Cheatsheet + 7 Delish Detox Water Recipes below!

Sometimes the simplest things (like drinking plenty of water) can make the biggest impact! Cheers to pure water!

What’s your favorite way to flavor your water (greens powder, lemon juice, fresh fruit, mint leaves, something else)?  Leave a comment below!