How to Drink Water When You Don’t Like the Taste

Water check! This one will be a familiar sentiment to our TRANSFORM app users. 😉 No, seriously, how much water have you had today? Likely not enough considering that approximately 3 out of 4 people are chronically dehydrated. 

The first step is grabbing that water bottle to make sure you’re drinking enough. Rule of thumb: Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. If you are a 180 pound person, this means your goal would be at least 90 ounces each day.

But I get it, water can be hard to drink! We certainly hear our fair share of “I just don’t like the taste of water” or “I’m not in the mood for water.” Chris and I hear you loud and clear, so today we are sharing our top tips for how to drink water when you don’t like the taste. Cheers! 

You know how it is so much more motivating to work out if you have cute clothes? Same goes for water bottles! Here are some of my faves:

Outfit details: Reebok Sports Bra (Bonus: Purple on sale here! )| Lululemon Leggings (another favorite here for under $30—last seen here) | Reebok Sneakers (on sale for under $65 in black here and  pink here ), *BONUS: My favorite Hayasu Reeboks here for under $50!!!*

TIP #2: Use The 10 Gulp Rule. This one’s super simple and self-explanatory. 😉 Each time your lips touch your water bottle, take 10 gulps! This helps even the WORST water guzzlers guzzle a gallon in no time flat!

By following The 10 Gulp Rule, you will be hydrating more quickly than if you slowly sipped, which removes all those “I don’t like the taste” excuses…because let’s face it, that water is going down so quickly, you won’t even taste it!

TIP #3: Fancy It Up with Fruit! From lemon to cucumbers, or strawberries to raspberries…adding frozen fruit or fresh sliced citrus will take your boring ol’ jug of blah and make it a little (or a lot) more palatable.

If you want to get even more experimental, you can cut the fruit into chunks, or crush it to help release all the flavor into your H2O. One of my fave things to do? Add these pretty pieces of fruit to water in ice trays to make fancy cubes that look pretty and add flavor. Bonus: Do this as part of your meal prep routine to save on time!

I’m also a big fan of the fruit infuser water bottles; they are quick and easy for when you’re on the go. 

Some of my favorite combos: Lemons-Apple-Cucumber, Pear-Ginger, Strawberry-Basil-Orange, and Watermelon-Mint-Orange (insert heart eye emoji here :).

TIP #4: Experiment with Flavored Water Add-ins and/or Seltzer. If water doesn’t suit your taste buds and adding fruit still doesn’t do the trick, pick up some powdered, no- or low-calorie water flavorings at the grocery store and give them a whirl. Manufacturers seem to be getting better and better by the day, almost to the point where there aren’t many I DON’T like! They’re like Kool-Aid…minus the millions of calories and red clown mouth ring. 😉

If you’re hardcore like me (ha – kidding), try adding BCAAs in lieu of water flavorings. Many are hit-or-miss on flavor…but here is one I love (grape is my fave!) Added benefit is that this drink will help those muscles recover faster too!

If you’re jones-ing for some soda, drinking Seltzer will give you that extra fizz fix, and is especially amazing with fruit AND calorie free flavoring!

TIP #5: Find Your Temperature. I have sensitive teeth, so I don’t always like super cold ice water! It’s possible that you also don’t either, but you don’t even realize it yet. Keeping your water at room temperature might make it easier to drink, and has been proven to keep you feeling fuller longer. Experiment BOTH ways (hot and cold) to find what works best for you!

TIP #6: Try Diluting Sweet Drinks with Water. While a mimosa isn’t classified as hydrating or healthy (but some of my clients wish!!), adding a splash of cran-raspberry Seltzer in place of champagne to your favorite orange juice is a way to hydrate and feel like you’re having a mimosa…only without the negative consequences of alcohol and sugar. Along that same idea – and my kids FAVE way to drink water – adding a decent amount water to a sweet lemonade. Or better put, just add a splash of lemonade TO your water! 😉

For all of the reasons I mentioned in my recent HYDRATION blog, and for so many other reasons, drinking water is one of our Foundation Five Promises for transformation success. Not only is it vital to your transformation, it is vital to your overall health. And it’s a simple promise to keep to yourself: Drink more. Feel better. So go grab that cute new water bottle and share your top tips for staying hydrated below!

xo,

Heidi

Related reading:

Our 12 Month Transformation, Month Three: Hydration!
Drink Up! The Benefits of Drinking Water
TRANSFORM App FAQs + Tips to Start Your Transformation
It Really Is All About the Promise