Drinking more water can change your life if you currently don’t drink enough of it. In my experience, you’ll find out quickly if you have been one of those people when you start drinking more water.
It is nonsensical to say that all people should drink the exact same amount of water per day. A 300 pound man will probably need more water than an 80 pound child. Athletes will need more than non-athletes. So it makes sense that water intake is personal and experimentation is needed.
I’ve always tried to drink a good amount water, but like many, I forget to drink it sometimes. I get caught up in whatever I’m doing.
Drinking water is a semi-passive activity. The hardest part of doing it is filling your cup or bottle. After that, just having it nearby is often enough to get you to drink it without thinking. My first attempt to drink more water was a step in the right direction—I bought bigger glasses, because I noticed that I would drink what’s in front of me and not always get a refill.
The Water Gallon Challenge
It’s somewhat popular these days to try to drink a gallon of water per day. A gallon is arbitrary, but it might not be a bad place to start if you’re curious about how much water you typically drink, how much you should drink, and how different it feels.
The 8 glasses a day (x 8oz = 64 oz, or half a gallon) myth has been soundly debunked. It doesn’t make sense to assign a single amount to a wide variety of people and lifestyles. Plus, we get water from the food we eat, which is the reason many experts say we can get by with less water than that common recommendation.
But experts with their minimum recommendations can be a little misleading. Sure, the human body is resilient and can survive on less water, but at what level of water consumption does the human body thrive? Given that I get “free” clean water out of my sink, I’m interested in the amount of water consumption my body thrives at, not the minimum amount that I can scrape by with.
I’ve read several of the posts of people who took “the water gallon challenge” (generally 30 days, because people love arbitrary numbers). The most commonly reported results of the challenge were 1) increased urination and 2) more energy. I don’t think I read a single account that didn’t mention increased energy, which tells me that 8 glasses a day is not enough water for most people who want to thrive.
How to Drink More Water… Easily
My sister came over recently for dinner and slammed onto the table a massive, one gallon jug of water. It was an impressive display of hydration dominance. My 22 oz. glass of water trembled before it. Here’s my review.
Buildlife 1 Gallon jug mini review: It’s a clever design, as there are motivational phrases all the way down the bottle to encourage you to drink, and they have timestamps to guide your drinking speed (e.g., at 1 PM, try to be at this water level). But I saw two issues with it.
First, when the jug is full, it weighs about nine pounds. That’s annoying to have to carry around and it’s relatively cumbersome to lift it to drink.
Second, while the motivational phrases are cute, I don’t think they take away from the overwhelm of seeing all that water that you’re trying to drink today. Can I drink that without bursting?
Added to that, it has a twist top. I don’t want to twist the top off every time I take a sip. Finally, reviewers have said the carrying strap can break when the jug is full. While it’s a great idea and better than my 22 oz glass for increased water drinking, it has some issues.
I rate the Buildlife jug 3 stars out of 5.
With the “I’ll eat or drink whatever is placed in front of me” nature of most humans, I said to Amazon, “Bring out the big jugs!” Since Amazon sells everything, I probably should have clarified big water jugs.
A Better Water Jug
On Amazon, I saw mostly gallon-sized jugs, and then found what I thought was a much better option. I ended up buying a 0.58 gallon jug (2.2 liters), so it weighs about 5 pounds when full, and all I have to do is refill it once per day if I want to reach that magical gallon mark. Remember, until you reach one gallon, you are severely dehydrated. 127 oz is not enough.
Aticasport Water Jug mini review: I love this thing. It has water levels in milliliters down the side; a flip cap for quick and easy drinking; a handle built in; and a carrying strap, which can easily handle the max 5 lb. weight. My favorite part, which I didn’t even know it had until it arrived, is the small air hole near the mouth to keep water flowing smoothly.
I think it’s the perfect size, it’s easy to clean, and it doesn’t leak. The smaller size keeps me from getting overwhelmed by the amount of water I’m trying to drink, and I get a great “halfway done” pat on the back when I finish the first round. It’s BPA free, as are most reusable bottles these days.
I rate the Aticasport jug 5 stars!
Bottom line: If you want to drink more water, the easiest way is to get a big jug of it and carry it around with you like a sidekick, drinking as desired.
Why get a Large Jug?
Large water jugs not only help you (easily) track your water consumption to find your “sweet spot,” they’re very convenient as you don’t have to refill them (much).
I’m only a few days into this “drinking more water” program with my water jug, but I have already noticed a big, positive difference. My eyes get dry sometimes, but they improved the very first night. I have had more energy. I have certainly peed more, too, which is okay with me.
Try drinking a gallon of water, give or take, for a while, and see how you feel!
Final note: Be a little bit careful about significantly increasing your water intake. It can dilute your sodium levels and water toxicity is a real thing. Drinking a gallon of water over the course of a day is probably safe for everyone, but do not try to drink it all in one session! Try to spread out your drinking throughout the day as opposed to chugging it. When it comes to water, be smart and listen to your body.
Weird other note: Some people think just 1 gallon a day is child’s play and drink 2+ gallons a day! Social media star Logan Paul claims to drink 2.5 gallons of water per day. That’s… a lot.
