It may seem like an easy thing to drink more water in a day. I mean, what’s so hard about it, right? You fill up a glass, and you drink.

But for some reason, the day goes by, and you realize by the end of it you may have had two glasses. Ack! How did that happen again?!?

For a lot of people drinking water isn’t a habit, meaning it’s something you have to consciously think of doing. Why though, would you want to add something else to your busy day?

Here are 10 good reasons.

1. Increases energy – in general, dehydration leads to feeling fatigued. Drinking the right amount of water can keep you energized.
2. Helps crush cravings for empty calories. Water won’t stop you from being hungry for real food, but it can help you stop those munchies for junk food.
3. Helps you lose weight. When you feel hungry, your body might be confusing it with dehydration. When you're dehydrated you can have the same symptoms as if you were hungry like being light-headed, gurgling sounds in your stomach, and low energy. Drink a 16 oz. glass of water and wait for half an hour. If you do this before a meal, you’ll actually eat fewer calories.

4. Increases your metabolism (improves your body’s ability to burn fat). Every time you eat or drink something, your body has to do something to process it (which burns calories).

5. Do you have trouble with constipation? Being well hydrated helps keep you regular and makes your stool softer and easy to pass.
6. Boosts your brain. Your brain needs a lot of oxygen to function and drinking water can ensure you’re getting what you need to function at optimal performance.

7. Gives you clear, glowing skin.  Get it from the inside-out with staying hydrated and watch out for those complements.

8. Flushes toxins.  Water helps you ditch those toxins and improves kidney performance.
9. Ditch headaches naturally.  Water helps prevent and relieve headaches (including migraines).
10. Boosts your immune system. Water helps your body’s systems function properly and can help prevent disease.

We’re made up of about 70% water, and it's used by ALL of your cells, tissues and organs to keep you healthy and to regulate your temperature. So your body needs it replenished regularly to function properly. We lose water through breathing, sweating and elimination. All of which I’m sure you do on a regular basis.

You want your cells to look like:

So how much should you drink?

Two liters a day is a good benchmark. That’s approximately eight, 8 oz. glasses (really, it’s not as much as you think).

If you are an athlete, sweat a lot, have an illness or something else that uses the water in your body more quickly, then you’re going to want to increase that amount.

One of the biggest challenges when you start the habit of drinking more water is to actually remember to do it.

Below are:

3 Of The Best Ways To Remember To Drink Water

1 - Use An App

Yup, there are, LOTS of them.

Set your goals, reminder times and track how much you’re actually drinking.

If you’re someone who does drink water regularly, don’t be surprised if you start tracking and realize how little you were actually drinking. I hear this all the time.

2 - Always have Water with You

When I’m at home, there’s always a glass of water beside me.

When you go out, always take a bottle with you. There are so many beautiful bottles out there, pick one that makes you happy so you won’t mind having it around all the time.

Make sure it’s stainless steel or BPA free plastic and always be sure to clean them regularly. I mean, scrub them, (they can get a little gross in there if you don’t) swishing them with a little water and soap doesn’t always do the job.

Get a bottle brush or put in a few tablespoons of uncooked rice, a bit of soap and water, then shake it up, that gets them sparkly clean and safe for use.

3 - Drink Between Doing Everyday Things

You have a routine you do every day without really thinking about it, shower, brushing your teeth, the time you start work, making supper.

Add drinking water as part of your normal routine. Wake up – have some water, jumping in the shower – have some water, just finished brushing your teeth – have some water. You get the idea.

Work seems to be a bigger challenge, but add it to your everyday stuff. Finish an email – have some water, finish a phone call – have some water, get back from a bathroom break – have some water.

When you get into the habit of drinking more water, it will be just like brushing your teeth; you won’t’ really have to think about it. 

Tips

• Sip your water it absorbs better than if you chug it, and you don’t get a bloated feeling.
• When you’re having a craving in-between meals have a glass of water, you may just be thirsty.
• Yes, you’re going to go to the bathroom a lot more when you first start drinking more water. Your body has to adjust to its new happier levels of water, and that’s going to take a bit of time.  Stick with it. Every time you’re going pee, just think, you’re detoxing, getting nicer skin and increasing your energy.