How to Drink a Gallon of Water Every Day

How to Drink a Gallon of Water Every Day

I’m often asked in media interviews to share my top tip for looking and feeling your best and my answer is always the same: hydrate!

Sometimes, the best tips are truly as simple as that.

If you only set one intention for yourself this year, it should be to drink more water.

Bury me on this hill! Hydration is so critical for literally everything - muscle recovery, jet lag prevention, glowing skin, and overall health.

Hydration is especially important for me because I travel so much. With so many variables and changes each week in a different city, different plane, different hotel room - I know I can rely on myself to hydrate consistently and help my body function at its best.

Of course, you should talk to your doctor first to determine the amount of water you need for optimal health, but most people need at least 8 glasses per day. If you have a “go big or go home” attitude you might want to try to drink a gallon of water each day.

Whatever your goal may be, here are my top tips for drinking more water.

Start your day with 16 oz. of water.

The very first step of my morning routine is to drink a huge glass of water. Before you eat breakfast, even before you have your coffee -- drink water!

Drinking water first thing in the morning shouldn’t be too hard because chances are when you wake up, you’re thirsty. You’re feeling a bit dehydrated and maybe even sluggish, and two cups of water can help get you going.

Bottle up.

I highly recommend getting a refillable water bottle and marking it to indicate how much water you want to drink by what time of day. Your water bottle will also help you hydrate on the go.

Fuel your workout with water.

You probably drink water after you exercise but it’s just as important to hydrate before and during your workout. The American Council on Exercise suggests drinking 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 hours before the start of exercises and drinking 7 to 10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.

Drink first. Then eat.

Sometimes our minds misread thirst for hunger. So when you get a hankering for a sweet or salty snack, try drinking water first. Also, try drinking a cup of water before each meal. Water can help decrease your appetite so if you’re struggling with overeating, H2O could help you curb your cravings.

Mix it up! 

If you feel like drinking plain water can get a little boring, try infusing your water with fruit. I’m a big fan of Lemon Perfect. It’s a cold-pressed lemon water with zero sugar. In fact, I love Lemon Perfect so much that I invested in the company! You could also try something fun like sipping sparkling water from a wine glass. Or you can brew some tea – just make sure you don’t load it up with sugar.

Try the buddy system.

As strange as it may sound, you may not drink enough water simply because you forget. Life is so busy and the day gets away from you and you don’t take the time to hydrate until you’re feeling utterly parched. If this sounds like you, don’t be ashamed to get a wellness accountability partner. Just as you have a workout buddy making sure you go to the gym, ask your friend to make sure you’re drinking your water too.

Treat yo’ self!

Just as people gamify weight loss with “Biggest Loser” style competitions at work, you can make drinking more water more fun by competing with yourself. Set a daily water consumption goal and reward yourself after you hit your goal for an entire week or an entire month.

Water is life. For real. Your body is made mostly of water. Your brain, heart, lungs, skin, muscles, and kidneys are mostly made of water. Even your bones contain water! So making strides to hydrate more is definitely worth the effort and can elevate your overall wellness this year and beyond.