This article was co-authored by Lisa Jubilee and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Lisa Jubilee is a Certified Dietician-Nutritionist and the Co-Founder of Living Proof Nutrition Strength Pilates in New York City. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in sustainable weight loss and disease prevention. She earned a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics from New York University and a BS in Chemistry, Foods, and Nutrition from Rutgers University. She also published an e-book, Self Care = Health Care: A Health Empowerment Protocol From a Nutritionist’s Perspective. She has been ranked as one of the Best Nutritionists in New York City by Expertise.com since 2017.
There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Maybe you’ve seen a hydration challenge floating around the internet, or you’re just looking to amp up your daily water intake. Is drinking 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water all that it’s cracked up to be? And if so, how can you hop in on the trend? Don’t worry—we’re here to quench your thirst for knowledge with plenty of expert-verified tips, tricks, and helpful answers to your FAQs.
Things You Should Know
- Increase your daily water intake by carrying a water bottle around, infusing your drinks with fruit, and snacking on lots of fluid-rich foods.
- Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 0.5 to get a baseline of how much water you need to drink per day (in oz).
- Inspect the color of your urine. If it’s bright yellow or yellow-orange, you need to drink more water.
Steps
Tips for Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day
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Drink water at different points throughout the day. Brushing your teeth? Heading to the bathroom? Stretching your legs? Try drinking an 8 oz (0.2 L) glass of water whenever you do something significant in your routine.[4] You can even drink a glass of water when you first wake up to help get the ball rolling.[5]
- Let’s say you drink an 8 oz (0.2 L) glass of water when you wake up, brush your teeth, go the bathroom, eat lunch, stretch your legs, go to the bathroom again, eat dinner, and brush your teeth again. By drinking water with each of these simple tasks, you’ve already reached 50% of your 1 gallon (3.8 L) goal!
- According to some research, drinking water before meals helps you to eat less, which can potentially help with weight loss.[6]
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Bring a reusable water bottle with you whenever you leave your home. Heading off to school or work? A reusable water bottle lets you drink more water throughout the day.[7] Refill your water bottle as needed until you reach your daily hydration goal.
- Want to cover more ground when you’re on the go? Fill up a gallon-sized bottle before you head out. It’ll take a bit longer to finish drinking, but once you do finish, you’ll have met your goal!
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Infuse your water with fruit to make it more appealing. Stick a few pieces of frozen fruit in your water bottle; not only will they keep your drink cold, but they’ll also add a delicious, fruity flavor to your drink. Feel free to stick fresh slices of citrus, cucumber, berries, and other chopped-up fruit into your water bottle or pitcher the night before to give your drink an infusion of refreshing flavor.[8] Here are a few combos you might try:
- Cucumber, lime, and cilantro
- Orange and blueberry
- Grapefruit and rosemary
- Mango and ginger
- Strawberry, lemon, and basil[9]
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Eat fluid-rich fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, produce like cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and asparagus are all at least 90% water. Add some of these fresh options to your meals and snacks as an easy way to get closer to your 1 gallon (3.8 L) hydration goal.[10]
- 1 cup (119 g) of cucumbers is equal to 3.5 oz (99 mL) of water
- 1 cup (240 g) of cooked tomatoes is equal to 6 oz (170.1 mL) of water
- 1 cup (127 g) of celery is equal to 3.4 oz (96.4 mL) of water
- 1 cup (134 g) of asparagus is equal to 4.4 oz (124.9 mL) of water[11]
- Tip: The average person gets around 20% of their daily fluids via the foods they eat.[12] By being extra aware of the water content in your food, you can increase this percentage for yourself as you approach your 1 gallon (3.7 L) goal.
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Stay on track with your goals using technology. Set periodic reminders on your phone that remind you to get up and drink a glass of water—little by little, they can help you chip away at your goal.[13] For more personalized tracking options, download a water tracking app like Waterminder (iOS and Google Play), Plant Nanny² Water Tracker Log (iOS and Google Play) and Water Reminder - Daily Tracker (iOS and Google Play).
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Alternate water with unsweetened drinks like tea and coffee. Tired of regular water? Switch things up with glasses of black coffee, unsweetened tea, seltzer water, and fat-free or low-fat milk.[14]
- While sweetened drinks aren’t completely off-limits, try to drink them sparingly—they’re often filled with calories, which isn’t ideal when you’re aiming for a 1 gallon (3.7 L) hydration goal.
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Compete with your friends for extra motivation. Maybe your friends also want to get in on the challenge, or you’re all just looking for more ways to drink some water. A friendly competition can help you all meet your hydration goals—simply track how much water you drink throughout the day or week and compare your results with your friends at the end.[15]
- A phone app might make it a little easier to track your water intake.
How Much Water Should You Drink a Day?
Expert Q&A
Tips
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As you increase your daily hydration goals, you might find yourself going to the bathroom a lot. Don’t worry—this is completely normal. Your bladder will slowly get bigger as you continue to drink lots of water, and eventually, you won’t have to run to the restroom as much.[26]Thanks
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If you’re pregnant or nursing, it’s a good idea to drink an extra 24-32 oz (0.7-0.9L) of water each day. Talk with your doctor to get a more exact idea of how much water you need to stay hydrated.[27]Thanks
Warnings
- Space out your drinks throughout the day instead of drinking huge amounts of water (like 200-300 oz/5.9-8.9 L) at once. Drinking a lot of water in a short period of time can cause hyponatremia, a life-threatening condition.[28]Thanks
- Don’t try the gallon water challenge if you have a condition like end-stage kidney disease or congestive heart failure (where your body isn’t able to process water as well).[29]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-water-do-you-need-daily/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/water-essential-to-your-body
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209729/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/get-kids-to-drink-water/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thv4_lNgodE&t=0m9s
- ↑ https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/06/17/15-food-that-help-you-stay-hydrated/
- ↑ https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/vegetables-high-in-water.php
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/water-and-healthier-drinks.html
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/wellness/how-to-calculate-how-much-water-you-should-drink
- ↑ https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/wellness/how-to-calculate-how-much-water-you-should-drink
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- ↑ https://news.uark.edu/articles/41526/new-research-finds-thirst-is-not-the-best-indicator-of-hydration-level
- ↑ https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/hydration
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/water-and-healthier-drinks.html
- ↑ https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/hydration
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-drinking-more-water
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day/
- ↑ https://www.uwmedicine.org/sites/stevie/files/2018-11/Bladder-Retraining.pdf
- ↑ https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/wellness/how-to-calculate-how-much-water-you-should-drink
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17762-hyponatremia#prevention
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day/