I used to never drink water. All throughout high school and college, I sipped on diet sodas, juice, energy drinks — anything but plain H2O, which I didn’t even consider, because it didn’t taste like anything! I don’t even remember consuming much water as a child, either. My parents (bless them) were big on giving me whole milk or watered-down apple juice. I’m honestly not sure how I’m still alive.
Eventually, the no-water lifestyle caught up to me. Really, it had been creeping up on me all these years. My skin easily broke out, and by my junior year of college, I had gotten used to the welt-sized zits that would pop up on my chin, cheeks, and most horrifyingly, my nose (can I stay inside my apartment so nobody can see me, please?). Physical appearance aside, I would also feel tired all the time and would sleep in until noon if I had late classes that day. If I exercised, I’d run out of energy — fast. It was clear that I wasn’t as healthy as I could be. My diet was balanced enough (for a college student, that is, let’s be realistic here), but the problem is that I was constantly dehydrated, and it was taking a toll on my body.
The solution was simple. I knew that I had to drink more water in order to feel better.
Doctors say it. Magazines say it. Friends say it. Gwyneth Paltrow says it. If our bodies are primarily made of water, then it’s a no-brainer: feed it water. So I would go through the motions. I bought a big water bottle, I carried said water bottle everywhere I went, I downloaded an app that would remind me to drink, I stuck with a glass of water at restaurants. But I still wasn’t drinking enough. Why? Because water is boring. Give me a lime Gatorade and I could drink an entire gallon.
Since Gatorade contains zero nutrients and empty calories, that was obviously not an option. I could have infused my water with fruit, but when you’re in school full time, have multiple jobs, and, to be honest, aren’t the kind of person who infuses her own water, it’s not realistic.
Which is why I had to get crafty and find ways to trick myself into actually enjoying water.
It turns out, when you actually like the taste of something, you consume it more. Shocking, I know. I found hint water at Whole Foods one night as I was grabbing a late dinner. Nestled between sodas and seltzers, hint boasted zero calories or sweeteners — it was pure water that had been infused with natural fruit essences. I bought a few bottles to test out and quickly found that I could drink three or four in a row while I worked on a research paper, or sat through a two-hour long lecture in school.
These days, I consider myself a born-again water drinker. I drink at least 40 oz. of water a day, and I bring a bottle of hint with me to have during lunch (to save money, you can buy a pack of 36 for $39, or even subscribe so you get a shipment automatically delivered to your doorstep). My skin is clearer (hooray), I feel more fit and energetic (sometimes I forego coffee and just have a glass of hint’s caffeinated water, which is just as genius as it sounds), and I feel happier and less weighed down.
Don’t get me wrong — water is still the least exciting thing I could consume. But after learning how to hack my way into drinking it all the time, I maybe even appreciate water’s plainness. Does that officially make me an adult now?
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