Drink More Water

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PureLifeRippleEffect #CollectiveBias

We just wrapped up 30 days of personal challenges here on Shaping Up To Be A Mom, and if you followed along, hopefully you are feeling great and are a few steps closer to your goals. You can consider today a bonus, because I’m going to be talking about a super simple way to feel and look amazing. It must be “something in the water!”

Yes, there is a fountain of youth out there, and it’s running pure, fresh water! Getting your daily dose of hydration has endless benefits, and it’s such a simple, easy thing to do. A cup in the morning, at meals, and before bed will add up to so much more than just your recommended ounces.

I’m lucky that my kids enjoy drinking water. That’s not to say that they don’t enjoy a glass of juice, milk, or (#hidesface) soda, but they love their water too.

Dehydration can be a scary thing, especially here in Phoenix, so it’s important for the whole family to be drinking water. We do our best to incorporate water breaks throughout our busy days, no matter where we are or what we are doing!

In a survey recently conducted by Nestlé® Pure Life®*, a majority of kids said that they prefer a homemade lunch (57%) over a school bought lunch. My second grader always brings his lunch from home, which is a perfect opportunity to pack a bottle of water and know that he will be well-hydrated while at school.

Our bottled water of choice is Nestlé® Pure Life®, which we conveniently buy at Walmart. It’s perfect for taking along in the car while my youngest kiddos help me run errands.

And I love that they come in a “mommy” size and a “baby” size! Oops, my daughter would correct me and say “Big Girl” size!

If your kids put up a fight when asked to drink their water, there are a few tactics you can try.

First, a suggestion from licensed dietitian and nutritionist Robin Plotkin. Lead by example. Each time you get a drink of water, ask your children if they’d like a drink of water, too. Soon, it will be the kids asking you if you’d like to join them for a water break!

Second, 29% of moms surveyed* say that “fun tactics” would get their kids to drink more water. You could let them choose their own water bottle with a character or fun design on it, or let them decorate their water bottle with some stickers. You can even designate a special space in the fridge just for your child’s water!

Personally, I think I get less water than my kids, because I’m usually too busy to remember! However, a survey* of moms and kids determined that, between water, milk, juice, and soda, moms say water makes up 67% of their daily beverage intake, but it makes up only 48% of their kids.

One idea that I think is genius is to mark your water bottle with different times of the day, so you know how much water you need to have drunk by that time.

Or, you can set a goal for how many water bottles you need to drink in a day, and then just grab and drink!

If you’re like me and you often reach for soda instead of water, try requiring yourself to drink a full bottle of water before any can of soda. You’ll quench your thirst and banish that craving for something sugary by filling yourself up with the good stuff!

A proud supporter of the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Drink Up Initiative, Nestlé® Pure Life® has started a movement they are calling The Ripple Effect, based on their belief that establishing healthy habits in early childhood has lifelong benefits. They are providing water to kids this school year through the organization After-School All-Stars, which provides healthy after-school programming. Nestlé® Pure Life® has committed to provide nearly one million 8 ounce servings of water to kids this school year through After-School All-Stars. (Information source – At over 20 participating schools in select markets across the country)

At PureLifeRippleEffect.com, moms can share tips and tricks that they use to teach their kids about the importance of staying healthy and hydrated. Use #pureliferippleeffect and share your tips on social media!

I’ve shared my tips on how our busy family stays hydrated. What are some of yours? Visit the Nestlé® Pure Life® Facebook page for lots of other cute ideas for encouraging kids (and yourself) to drink up!

*Online survey conducted in June 2015 of 1,077 moms of kids ages 6-12 overall, including 254 Hispanic moms of kids ages 6-12. 1,077 kids ages 6-12 from the same household were also surveyed, including 254 Hispanic kids ages 6-12. © 2015 Nestlé® Waters North America Inc.