Hydration Tips for People Who Don’t Like Water

At LIVPUR, we see people train and crush their workouts on the regular...but still roll their eyes at a plain glass of water. Some of our most physically active athletes will happily do extra sprints before they will drink water that tastes like nothing. You might prefer coffee, juice or soda, but drinking water isn't something you're primed to sustain.

The problem is that your body loses water all day through sweat, simply breathing, and so much more (we wrote a whole article on how hydration gets us through the upcoming cold season).

Mild dehydration can show up as a dry mouth, headaches and fatigue or trouble focusing. Over time, that pattern can contribute to constipation, more frequent illnesses and other health issues that chip away at your overall good health. Older adults, people with chronic illnesses and anyone training or working in a hot environment carry greater risk, because their bodies have a harder time catching up once they fall behind on fluids. In really tough heat, dehydration can snowball into heat-related illness if nobody catches it.

 

How Much Water Does Your Body Really Need?

First big question. How much water are you actually supposed to drink each day?

There is no single magic number, because needs shift with age, body size, body weight, physical activity, climate, and health conditions. Big public health groups use ballpark numbers to help people think about how much water and how much fluid they might need. You will often see guidance like around 11 to 15 cups of total fluids per day for most healthy adults, with the lower end for many women and the higher end for many men.

Water, herbal tea, a light sports drink, milk, and other low-sugar drinks all count towards your total water. And so do the water-rich foods you eat!

Because everyone is wired a little differently, we think the best way to start is to watch your patterns. If you drink water and other fluids throughout the day, eat a balanced diet, and your urine usually looks pale yellow, you are probably getting enough fluids for your own body!

If your doctor has you tracking how much fluid you drink because of kidney, heart or other chronic illnesses, that individual plan should always come first. In that situation, guessing is not your friend.

 

How To Make Plain Water Less Boring

At LIVPUR, we build our formulas for people who sweat hard and need a hydrating combination, which means their body loses water and essential minerals like sodium and potassium at a faster rate. When you stir a stick of LIVPUR Hydrate into your water bottle, you’re adding micronutrients and electrolytes, plus you add our great flavors. Those alone make us want to drink water more often. 

Speaking of water bottles, LIVPUR also has the best blender bottle around if you’re looking to keep your water cold. The stainless steel walls keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours! That makes all the difference in keeping boring old water bottles fresh.

 

"Eat Your Water" With Healthy Fruits And Vegetables

Water does not only come from your cup. Many fruits and vegetables are naturally water-rich foods. On average, about one-fifth of your daily fluid intake can come from eating food, especially fruits and vegetables with high water content, and the rest comes from drinks.

Cucumbers, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and watermelon are classic examples. They have very high water content, often 90 percent or more, and count toward your daily fluid intake more than most people realize.

 

Use A Water Bottle You Actually Like

You have probably seen athletes carrying some kind of water bottle everywhere. That is not just a trend. It is a practical way to make fluids easier to reach throughout the day.

If your only option is a paper cup from the office kitchen, you will drink less than you planned. Find a reusable water bottle that fits your life. Maybe you like one with a straw so you can sip while you answer emails. Maybe you prefer a smaller bottle that feels light in your bag. The details are personal. What matters is that you actually use it.

You can even set a low-pressure hydration goal on your bottle. Mark halfway with a line or a sticker and see if you can hit that by lunch. If you miss, you adjust. No drama.

 

Mix In Other Drinks On Purpose

If water never becomes your favorite, other drinks can still help you maintain hydration. The trick is to choose them on purpose rather than grabbing whatever sounds good at the moment.

Milk, some plant-based milks, light smoothies, herbal tea without caffeine and diluted fruit juice can all help you drink more fluids. When sweat rolls off you after a long run or intense workout, a sports drink or an electrolyte mix can be useful. Those options bring sodium and other essential minerals back into the system so your body holds on to more of the fluid you drink and recovers faster.

If you are training or working in a very hot environment, that combination of extra fluids plus electrolytes can be your best defense against heat-related illness. On regular days, keep an eye on the label and skip drinks that are loaded with sugar. You want your hydration habits to support a balanced diet, not fight it.

 

Listen To Your Body’s Signals

Hydration advice on the internet usually focuses on numbers. In real life, your body gives helpful feedback if you slow down enough to notice it.

Feeling thirsty is one clue, although waiting until you feel wildly thirsty can mean you are already behind. Pay attention to your urine color over a few days. Very dark yellow often points toward dehydration. Very pale yellow usually means you are getting enough water and enough fluids in total. Consistent headaches, dry mouth, muscle cramps, sluggish thinking, and fewer bathroom trips are other small reminders that your fluid intake might not match what your body needs.

The goal is to keep your system properly hydrated most of the time, not to hit a perfect number. A little more fluid, a little more sleep, a little more attention to fruits and vegetables can move the needle more than you might expect.

 

Should You Force Yourself To Drink Water If You Are Not Thirsty?

People ask us this constantly. Should I force myself to drink water if I am not thirsty?

For a healthy adult with no major health issues, forcing huge amounts of drinking water can backfire. It can leave you bloated, annoyed, and less likely to touch your bottle tomorrow. Sip fluid with every meal, keep a bottle nearby, build in a glass of water when you wake up and before bed, and use hydrating foods to fill the gaps.

 

Bringing It Back To Real Life

You do not need to become a person who loves plain water. You only need enough water and enough fluids overall to support your body.

For a lot of people we work with at LIVPUR, that ends up looking pretty simple. A water bottle they like. A habit of drinking water throughout the day instead of all at once. A fridge stocked with fruits, vegetables, and other water-rich foods. A small stash of hydration mix for hard training days or travel.

Those are boring, repeatable moves, and that is exactly why they work. Hydration does not have to be perfect or fancy. It just has to be consistent enough that your body can do its job. When you build a few of these habits into your routine, staying hydrated stops feeling like a fight and starts feeling like a gift for yourself!