Staying Hydrated on a Keto Diet

We all know it’s important to get enough water, yet for some, it feels like a daunting task. Water can, in fact, be quite challenging for some people to drink, as the lack of flavor can make you more cognizant of the act of swallowing, which can induce a gag reflex. Your body is comprised of around 70 percent water, which means staying hydrated is crucial in helping increase circulation, keeping your skin fresh, maintaining energy levels, lubricating joints, and clearing toxins from your body.

Hydration can be even more difficult on a Keto Diet, when carb-laden drinks and even fruit-infused water are restricted. Here are our best tips for staying hydrated on a Keto Diet:

1. Carry a Water Bottle

Carrying a (full) bottle with you is a surefire way to make sure you always have water on hand. Keep the design in mind too. Something as minor as a complicated screw lid or an annoyingly wide mouth can be enough to discourage you from opening the bottle.

Do you like flip lids with straws? Or do you prefer a broader mouth to get more in one gulp? Choose the right bottle to help you stay on track. A 32-ounce bottle is ideal—try to get through two of them per day, and you’ll be right on schedule.

2. Use Reminders

You can try a bottle with reminder lines (and the time you should reach them!) to keep at your desk or stashed in your bag on the go. If you don’t remember to hydrate on your own throughout the day, setting reminders on your phone to go off every hour or two can be helpful to ensure you drink consistently throughout the day.

3. Download a Hydration App

There are plenty of reminder apps out there—something for everyone. These can be fun and engaging, believe it or not. Plant Nanny is a popular option, which lets users “grow” cute plants you can water every time you drink a glass of water. The plants also look extremely sad when you don’t drink enough water, and no one wants to see a cartoon plant die. Plant Nanny is available for both Apple and Android. There are also more basic options, like Drink Water Reminder and Daily Water.

4. Try a Flavored Water

The number of flavor options for water additives is seemingly endless. Adding flavor to water either with drops, powder, or tablets, can help make drinking water enjoyable and give you something to focus on besides the actual act of trying to put away a full eight ounces. But watch out for water flavoring with high sugar so you can stay in Ketosis!

5. Set a 30-Day Challenge

Goal oriented? This might be the trick for you. You’ll probably feel so good you’ll want to keep going, and creating a habit is the best way to get healthy changes set in stone. Plus, you’ll be amazed at the difference staying hydrated can make in your energy level and overall well-being, so this healthy habit won’t be hard to maintain. Does going from two cups of water per day to eight feel like too much? Increase slowly over the first few days, increasing as you get used to being mindful of your hydration.

6. Drink a Full Glass at Each Meal

Meals are a great time to catch up on your daily hydration goals. Try to drink a full glass of water (at least 8oz) with each meal. Not only will this help you stay hydrated, but will also help make you feel more full and eat less.

7. Start and End Your Day with a Full Eight Ounces

If nothing else, this prescribed time can become a habit, and get you to at least 16 additional ounces each day. Try any of the tricks above to make the water easier to drink. The rest of the day can fill in as you go, but morning and evening are a great way to start and end on the right foot.

Written by Everly for Everly and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.