We all know staying hydrated is essential for both health and weight loss, but it’s also surprisingly one of the trickiest habits to master. Downing anywhere from one to four liters of water a day, as recommended by the USDA (based on age and gender), takes some focus — not to mention a few more bathroom trips. You may know that one liter is 34 ounces, but how many ounces are in your cup? How often should you be sipping? And how do you keep track of how much water you’ve already drank versus how much more you need?
Enter BluFit: the smart water bottle and app that make tracking your H2O intake easier than ever. The two work in sync with your smartphone, letting you know based on statistics — such as age, gender and outside temperature — how much water you need, how much you’ve consumed, and when you’re running a little dry.
How does it work? The water bottle has a built-in water flow sensor and a Bluetooth chip (compatible with both iOS and Android devices) that records both the time and the amount of water consumed. This information is sent through Bluetooth technology to the app on your smartphone. Just be sure your bottle doesn’t run out of juice — it has a rechargeable battery that provides up to six days of continuous use.
The smartphone app is also able to detect the temperature and humidity outside, and uses your age and weight stats to determine your optimal daily intake. You also have the option to turn on real-time alerts, which will remind you exactly when you need to hydrate. Plus, the water bottle has customizable LED lights that sync up with these alerts, which helps make drinking water a little more fun.
While the idea of tracking hydration isn’t new (apps like iDrated, Waterlogged and Daily Water have been helping many users drink up more regularly), the BluFit water bottle is poised to take the same concept to uncharted waters.
The BluFit will retail for $59 when it hits the market in March 2014. For now, you can preorder it on Indiegogo for reduced pledges.