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Water. It's all you hear about when you start a weight loss or fitness routine. How much water are you supposed to drink? I'm sure you've heard anywhere from1 liter to 2 gallons. The suggestions are all out there. But who should you believe?

I've always been one to believe that you should drink when you are thirsty. Sounds easy, doesn't it? I think most of the time, we do just that. The problem is, we don't drink the right thing when we get thirsty. We reach for the cola, or the sweetened beverage. Sometimes we reach for the coffee, and sometimes even the beer or wine, or the alcoholic beverage. The simplest thirst quencher seems so out of reach. Why is that?

The fact of the matter is that our bodies are comprised mostly of water. The human body is made up of over 70% water. Our blood is more than 80% water‚ our brain over 75% water‚ and the human liver is an amazing 96% water!

Our energy level is greatly affected by the amount of water we drink. It has been proven that a 5% drop in body fluids will cause a 25% to 30% loss of energy in the average person... a 15% drop in body fluids causes death! Water is what our liver uses to metabolize fat into usable energy. It is estimated that over 80% of our population suffers energy loss due to minor dehydration.

All this because we don't drink enough water.

Now, you can be one of the "green" people who refuse to drink water from a plastic bottle. Or, you can be one of the "naturalist" group who refuse to drink water from the tap. Or, you may just not appreciate the taste of plain old water. I don't particularly care which group you fall in. Just find a way to drink your water.

There are a few ways to become a water drinker. And I'm not against bottled water drinkers. In a pinch, it is better than nothing. But it gets warm quickly and if you don't have any refrigeration nearby, then the cold water lovers like myself are out of luck. But I found a great solution that might be worth the investment for you.

I had, for years, been searching for the right "sippy cup" for my girls. After much trial and error, I found the solution for them. It was a Thermos with a straw insert. Seemed simple enough. One hot day, I happened to pick up their "sippy cup" to take a swig for myself and realized that even after 8 hours, the water was still ice cold and refreshing! It is no wonder my girls were better water drinkers than I was...I had found the perfect drinking container! Immediately, I gathered them up and we headed right to Target so that I could purchase one for myself. I was so surprised and excited to see that they made a larger version...perfect for moi!

These are made by Thermos brand. They are thermos's but not the breakable kind. They are all steel, with a handy little straw insert inside a plastic cap that is spill proof, yet can be covered with a quick flip of the lid. You can also go to the Thermos website and order extra straw inserts (because after a few months, they can get a little gnarly). The best thing about this Thermos is that you fill it full of ice water, and it stays cold ALL DAY, or OVERNIGHT. I'm not kidding! I find myself drinking so much more of it because it is that darn delicious. They are a little pricey...but if you are against the water bottle thing, then I'd invest in one. The smaller kid size (I believe they are 12 oz) are about $14.99 but the larger adult size (18 oz) will cost about $19.99. These are the best thing on the market. They are convenient and easy to drink from. They don't spill down your shirt, and they don't break.

I carry mine everywhere. And I find that I fill it up about 4 times a day. So, that being the case, 4x18=72 oz, which is well over the gallon of water that some recommend drinking daily. Granted, one of those fills is usually some green tea that I brew beforehand. I love my green tea, and this particular kind is awesome! It has great flavor without the aftertaste, and it is a great thirst quencher. I highly recommend Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orchard DECAF Green Tea. I use about 6 tea bags per 2 liters of hot water. I make a new pitcher about every three days and keep it in the fridge for a little change up from the water.

I can't stress enough that just changing what you drink can change your whole life. Get off the soda kick. Even the diet sodas. It just isn't what your bodies were meant to ingest. Coffee in moderation and an alcoholic beverage now and again is OK, but make the water the main thirst quencher of your day.