Forgot to drink again?
My conclusion from the 40-day water challenge: you are your own boss
That's why I'm even happier that I've created another drinking habit in addition to my own through the 40-day water challenge with Madhavi @Kaerlighed.de . The 40 days of #drinkwithmadhavi have flown by, there's only one day left in the challenge. And what can I say? It feels great. Great because you create your own rules in this challenge. You're your boss, you set the rules, you motivate yourself. Personally, I can't stand it when I let my inner demon win and this was the perfect challenge.
How much water does the body need?
Drink water for 40 days - as much as my body really needs. To do this, I simply calculated my daily water requirement based on my body size and activities. Depending on how tall you are and whether you sit all day or do sports, you need different amounts of water. There are numerous tips and apps on the internet that will help you calculate your personal basic water requirement. I tried out a few of these apps at the beginning, but I don't use them every day. Once I've calculated it correctly, I have a guideline and I use it every day.Success after a few days
This wonderful feeling set in after just the first day. I now know how much I need to drink and I do it. As I said, I really don't like losing to myself. And because the effects of drinking water are immediately noticeable and visible, the challenge wasn't as difficult as I thought. It's obvious that I'll reach for the water bottle first thing in the morning when I see that my skin is glowing more, I wake up much faster, I can concentrate better, my eating habits are more regulated and, above all, my dark circles under my eyes - which are slight but still visible - are disappearing, especially when I haven't drunk enough.Tricks and tips to drink more water
Because you quickly get used to good things and everyday life sometimes catches up with you, I have created my own personal drinking aids. There are of course countless tips for drinking more water. But since we all have different ways of life, you have to decide for yourself what works best for you. You are your own boss. For example, I have also combined some of my tips and habits with rules or tricks. This makes it even easier for me to achieve my goals.
1. Tip: Drink after getting up
Every morning I drink a good half liter of water. I already mentioned this in my last post . Because the water, preferably freshly boiled and still a little warm, wakes me up and brings my body temperature to a good level. To do this, I simply fill my water bottle with boiled water and drink it while I go for a walk in the morning to get some delicious bread from my favorite bakery or sometimes do a little yoga exercise to strengthen me for the day. My rule is: water comes before coffee. As I am a passionate coffee drinker, I drink coffee in the morning and afternoon, and I like to have it with a piece of cake. Two cups a day are enough. If I haven't finished the water in the morning or preferred coffee, I don't have any in the afternoon ;-) But as drinking in the morning is so good, fortunately this rarely happens.
2. Tip: Have a water bottle ready
Whether on the office or kitchen table, in a backpack or bag, at work or at home, my reusable glass drinking bottle is always within reach. And because I always have the water bottle in sight, it not only serves as a water dispenser, but also as a reminder to drink more water. If my bottle is not empty or only half empty before 12 noon, I know what to do.
3. Tip: Flavored water
Juices, spritzers and other sweet drinks are delicious and refreshing from time to time, but they can't really quench your thirst. Above all, they can't replace the water we need. For those of us who enjoy good food, myself included, I can therefore recommend adding fresh fruit to your water. The natural aroma of the fruit gives your water the necessary portion of flavor and a touch of sweetness, depending on which fruit you use. I like to add wafer-thin slices of apple, strawberries and usually a dash of lemon to my water. For those who don't tolerate fruit so well, I recommend fresh mint or ginger slices.
4. Tip: Drink before every meal
One of the easiest exercises is drinking before eating. I rarely forget to eat, so many dishes taste too good. If you drink something beforehand, your stomach can process the food better and I personally find that the food tastes even better because the water leaves a neutral taste in your mouth.
5. Tip: Drinking vessels with style
Whether it's cups, drinking glasses or drinking bottles - my kitchen cupboard only contains selected drinking vessels. I love beautiful things because they simply put me in a good mood and motivate me unconsciously to work on something and keep going, no matter what I'm doing. In this case, of course, to drink enough. But that's not all. When there's a beautiful glass or a beautiful glass drinking bottle on my table, I not only drink a lot, for some reason I can also do all my other tasks much more easily because the good mood transfers to all other areas.
After the 40-day water challenge, all of these tips are even more integrated into my everyday life than they were before, and my inner demon has become quite quiet recently. And even if you only set one rule for yourself, you quickly notice how good it is. I will definitely keep going. After all, you can never have enough good habits. This doesn't just apply to drinking water, but also to all other goals you set for yourself.
