Currently I'm doing a lot of high sweat exercise. I'm doing a running programme and I do Bikram yoga 4-5 times a week (usually - only 3 times this week and all in a row!) Bikram yoga is done in a room that's heated to over 100F and for 90 minutes your sweat literally drips off and soaks ALL my clothes and towel. Anyway...you get the picture.

But I am having soooo much trouble remembering to drink water. After 5 solid days of running or Bikram I'm thirsty as heck, but still having trouble drinking enough. It's affecting my performance in yoga and at gym and it's making me retain water (which makes no sense to me, but that's the way it works apparently). Also I think I eat more as well when I'm dehydrated.

What are your tips and tricks for staying hydrated? How do you remember to drink water?

I used to do Bikram too and know exactly what you mean by all the sweating. I don't often drink enough either, and water seems so boring, so now I keep lemon wedges in the fridge and squeeze one into a big bottle of ice water. I seem to suck those down a lot faster than glasses of tap water.

Lemon or cucumber in water is the only way I can drink it. Unless it's flavored water. And I always have to keep a bottle near me, because when I fidget (normally I'd be twirling my hair or reaching for a piece of gum) I'll just grab the water.

I just bought a bottle and started carrying it with me. I would drink sips of water when I was too focused on something else to pay attention to the fact that I was drinking water. Before I knew it I had gone from that to getting so angry at a friend who drank the last of my water at a cafeteria, that I scared her. I honestly think that if you just stop thinking about it and start drinking, it will be a lot easier.

I drink from a straw, which seems to be the only way I can get a good amount down. I'll sit down at the computer (like now) and suck down 20oz before I know it. It goes really fast for me now.

And I don't do COLD water. That seems to make me ill.

I agree with the straw thing for me. I have one of those plastic reusable cups like this -



I drink more than a gallon a day this way. It has helped me so much.

I eat a few flaming hot cheetos and I can down 2 bottles of water with no problem.

I never have a problem hydrating now, but when I did

I used to fill a 2L bottle of water every day and put it in the fridge (or on my desk at work). And then I had 2 rules.

a) NOTHING else to drink until that bottle was gone - I didnt drink coffee then, now I would probably have to modify it to 1 cup of coffee and THEN nothing.

b) NOTHING to eat before finishing a glass. (i.e. before breakfast, lunch, snack at least a full glass has to go in the body) NO DINNER until the bottle is empty. Or when I was working I didnt let myself leave work until I finished the bottle.

Truthfully I set up the rules but simply having the full bottle right there staring at me was enough that it was usually gone by 2pm. When I was at work I would fill the bottle a little less than half and freeze overnight and then top off in the morning. Kept it cold all day and would thaw completely for that last bit at 3 pm.

When I'm bored, I drink water. I used to eat when bored, but switching to water has made it easy to stay within my calories.

The only problem is that on days when I'm really bored I wind up running to the bathroom all the time...

Thanks - keep 'em coming. Ennay your rules sound really helpful. I don't mind the taste of water (though it doesn't excite me) and I don't mind if it's cold or not.

I should say on bikram days, I'm sure I drink more than 2 litres around class time, but with the amount I sweat out...I can actually get dehydration headaches - so probably need to double that. I also sometimes add electrolyte tabs to the water.

I carry a refillable water bottle around with me everywhere I go. If it's empty, I refill it.

At meal times I have a glass of water. If it's spicy, I usually have a 2nd glass.

If I go for hikes/walks, I carry that same water bottle with me. It usually lasts me through a 2 hour hike.

If you are dehydrated, you need to rehydrate fully before eating.

With my eating style, since I consume almost 100% natural foods, I also get part of my water source from what I eat, so I don't need to drink as much as I do. I probably drink double the normal 6-8 glass minimum of a regular sodium-filled diet anyway.

Edit: Duplicated post. Not sure how that happened.

I love my Power Jug from Powerbottle USA. When filled clear up to the neck, it holds 80oz. I don't have to have my water ice cold, so this works well for me. I bought one with the insulated case so it's easy to carry. People make fun of me because I always have my giant water bottle with me.

I like to toss a quarter of a lemon in to the jug in the morning, or sometimes orange, or berries for flavor. I cut and freeze fruit for this purpose. I usually finish the bottle each day. If I exercise, I drink even more.

Power Bottle USA also makes smaller bottles like for the bike, or 32oz bottles for those who prefer smaller bottles. I also have the 32oz bottle for when I work out. It's easier to carry. When I run, I have an even smaller bottle with a hand strap.

What I like best about Power Bottle is that they have a straw. You can buy big bottles at the water store or elsewhere, but they have a pull top instead of a straw.

I always have this kind of water bottle with me whenever I'm home or office.

I too have a tall plastic reusable cup with a straw. I fill it with ice in the m and continue all day to fill it up with water constantly. Easy to drink 4 or 5 of those tall glasses every day plus ice!