Drinking enough fluid has so many benefits. There’s improved productivity and mood as well as better skin health. Water also plays a significant role in internal health including a healthier heart and more robust immune system. And yet, even though I’m aware of all these benefits, I still drink nowhere near enough the recommended daily amount. Why is that?
I think most of the time I just forget. To be kind to myself, I have no problems getting enough coffee in my system but that’s not as good as water or other beverages I consume. I drink coffee because it’s tasty, hot, soothing, and can provide that energy kick on a slow day. I clearly need some help to have the same motivation when it comes to drinking a simple cup of water.
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This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn’t live without. Read them all here.
That’s where the Waterllama water tracker comes in. I’ve been using it for a little over a week now and it’s helped me go from drinking mere sips per day to drinking over 70 fluid ounces in the same timeframe. For me, that’s quite the transformation. The app helps you build a healthy hydration habit with a beautifully designed interface and a few neat little features that keep you coming back for more. Through smart reminders and a simple logging tool, you can track your progress right from your best Apple Watch app or iOS widgets.
The heart of the app is a logging tool that supports over 40 different beverages including water, juice, milk, and even beer. Each one has a built-in hydration ratio and every time you log a drink, the llama fills up with liquid, helping you move closer to your overall daily hydration goal.
It’s also possible to create a custom drink with an icon, name & hydration ratio. I found little need to do this with the app offering everything I drank on a regular basis already. But if you drink a special blend then there’s a way to add it. I loved the ability to reorder the beverage list so I had quick access to my most regularly consumed drinks.
One of the addictive elements of the app is the characters with the default one being a llama. They are not only cute and colorful but seeing liquid sloshing around in their bodies is strangely motivating! If the llama doesn’t do it for you then there are a whopping 128 other characters to choose from including a bear, an octopus, and even a turtle playing a guitar. The idea is that this character is your hydration companion and not filling them up every day might make you sad. As silly as it sounds, it provides a surprising level of motivation.
To help you remember to keep drinking, the app delivers smart reminder notifications. These keep you focused on regular drinking throughout the day without being too intrusive. They’re also smart in that notifications are only sent when you forget to drink. That means if you keep drinking regularly and logging what you drink, you won’t be bothered by any alerts. Given that the receipt of notification might mean your motivation levels are waning, each alert includes an interesting fact about water to keep you motivated toward your daily hydration goal.
To further encourage you, the water tracker includes a range of hydration challenges. These help you work towards goals including ditching caffeine, ceasing lactose consumption, or even upping your smoothie intake. Each challenge has a playful animal associated with it so you have a companion to guide you through each step. It’s also possible to share your results with friends so you’re never alone when striving towards your goals.
A final motivator is the drinking streaks feature. These are particularly helpful when you’re not sure whether to keep going. If you’ve already built up a 7-day streak then you’re more likely to be motivated to push towards 10 and 14 days. I found it helped me stick to it.
The app is beautifully simple and yet surprisingly effective. The small number of features are masterfully implemented to provide enough help without becoming unnecessarily complicated.
If you’d like to address your liquid intake, then the WaterLlama water tracker app is a great way to do it. The number of beverages and challenges you can choose from are limited in the free version but everything can be unlocked for only $7 / £16.99 per year.
You can download the WaterLlama water tracker app on iOS.
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paulo.n.hatton@gmail.com (Paul Hatton)
