What if I told you of a miracle drug that helps with weight loss, naturally and easily? Because who wouldn’t’ want that?!
But there is more. This miracle drug is real and it works. It also…
- helps concentration
- increases energy
- reduces risk of major diseases
- alleviates hangovers
- clears the complexion
- makes you look younger
- aids digestion
- eliminates muscle aches and headaches
- improves kidney function
- regulates body temperature
- improves all-around mental & physical performance
- Bonus: Darned near free & readily available without prescription
Maybe you’ve already guessed. This “miracle drug” is water, my friends.Â
For low carbers, water is an oft-overlooked powerhouse to help with overall weight loss or even break stalls–a very simple addition to your routine with a profound impact. So why aren’t most low carbers taking full advantage of the miraculous help water-guzzling can provide?
Yeah, I know. You “mean to.” Me, too.
See, that right there is the big, fat reason why I don’t offer myself up as guru-type example to the Zen community. I’m just a regular Jane, like most of  y’all, living my life very, very far away from the Land of Perfect. Meaning many times, I don’t take my own (excellent) advice.
Scandalous, I know!
Truth be told, I always PLAN to drink lots of water, but frequently don’t. Because, life. Because, habits. Because distractions. Because, coffee. Coffee is really, really good, but honestly, I can have my coffee and my water, too.
But how stay in the flow of getting in the  the H20? Enter some help.
Y’all know I love my gadgets. So when I got a chance to try out the Hidrate Spark 2.0 Smart water bottle, I was stoked. I am all about making healthy easy. And if I can do it with a gadget? Oh yeah, baby. Count me in!
Since the Hidrate Spark 2.0 comes in lots of cool colors, I naturally selected pink to coordinate with my hair. Of course, anybody who knows me would expect as much. Want to look sharp guzzling the nectar of life, man.
I “hidrate” for my health. #HidrateSpark
The Hidrate Spark 2.0 is based on a very simple idea: make it easier to remember to drink your water. It’s all about consistency, building the healthy habit. To that end, this bottle tracks how much you drink, syncing up with your cell phones, Fitbits and Jawbones and the like–I don’t have a fitness tracker yet so I couldn’t give that a test run, but I know a lot of you do.
And much more than tracking, the bottle gently nudges you when you get behind with a cool glowing effect. The bluetooth phone app ( iOS and Android) sets a goal based on the info you provide and helps you stay up-to-speed and accountable throughout the day.
You can set the type of glows (I picked the multi-colored glows, because, duh!) and frequency (which I rolled up to the maximum of 10). You can also allow the bottle to send you cute, emoji-laden reminder notifications, although I turned mine off after a few days. The messages were amusing, but I found I preferred not to hear dings. So you get to decide if you want gentle drink-some-water glow-nudges or friendly text pokes or combination thereof.
The bottle is stylish, lightweight (BPA-free plastic) and shaped so it’s easy to hold. The little loop is convenient for carrying on-the-go or hanging and the lid works well, meaning it doesn’t leak when, in all my clumsy glory, I knock the bottle over for the twelfth time in a row.
The cell phone app registers drinks within a few seconds, when you set your bottle down on a flat surface. Yes, I have been drinking and watching the tally go up in the app. It’s fun, if a bit silly. I like the simplicity of the app; it’s easy to tell at a glance whether you’re on track or falling behind for your daily goal–either the one the bottle figures for you, or what you have specifically set as your goal. It does sync up to two days worth of data, though. So even if you’re not all obsessive/compulsive watching the tally like I do, you will still get your drinking habits tracked.
Going forward, I’d love to see an insulated version; I prefer super-cold water. I’d also love to see the  software branch out to include more fitness tracker integrations. (I’ve really been eyeing that leaf-shaped fitness tracker hard, man.)
The real, bottom line on the Hidrate Spark: Does it increase water consumption? For me, that’s a big yes! I’ve more than doubled how much water I’m downing on a daily basis. Can you do it without the fancy water bottle? Of course. But will you? For me,  making it more fun helps–and the Hidrate Spark 2.0 made it more fun.  But however you go about it, do go about it: drink your water!
Find out more or get yourself a Hidrate Spark 2.0 Water bottle.
How do you get your water in?
Special thanks to the folks at Hidrate Spark 2.0 for the opportunity to try out this awesome bottle–well, okay, maybe “try out” isn’t the right phrase. It sort of implies I might be giving it back. Not a chance, Hidrate!
p.s. DRINK your water!