5 Tips to Drink More Water
Getting healthy and staying healthy are both personal and financial commitments. The average monthly fee for a gym membership is $55. Weight loss or personal training programs can be hundreds of dollars a month. High-quality, organic, healthy food is an investment.
While the age-old mantra to drink “8 glasses of water a day,” isn’t accurate for everyone, there’s no arguing that most Americans don’t drink enough water. Some estimates state that 75 percent of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydration. There’s even a study showing that drinking water makes children smarter!
Believe it or not, by the time you notice the sensation of thirst, you are already dehydrated!
Pretty staggering when you consider that water is the one nutrient that humans literally cannot go several days without. With water making up 85 percent of our brains and 60 percent of our bodies, it makes sense that dehydration would significantly affect the body. We wouldn’t expect a car to operate without fuel, so why expect our brains to operate at an optimum level without water?
The exact amount of water you need is dependent on your size, health, activity level, and diet. While it’s easy to set a goal of drinking plentiful amounts of water throughout the day (and many of us probably already have), it can be a challenge to see this goal through.
My goal is to drink two quarts of water first thing every morning to get a head start. Some days, it’s a struggle so I keep going throughout the day. I also drink 1+ quarts after taking or teaching a movement class.
While I was writing this blog, a couple of serendipities came up in my life confirming that this topic was timely:
- A dear friend of mine shared her own concerns about not drinking enough water. She was looking for ideas on how she would keep her body hydrated throughout the day.
- A few days later, I was challenged to participate in the Hydrate and Donate challenge, a spin-off of the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge for those of us who are opposed to animal testing (and of course, it doesn’t waste water, pertinent to those of us experiencing drought in California).
Here’s me stepping up for the challenge!
Top 5 Tips for Staying Hydrated:
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. This helps get your daily health started on the right track. Rather than dehydrating your body with coffee, water replenishes your reserves before you even reach for the soy latté.
- Get into the habit of carrying a reusable bottle of water with you at all times. Keep it out and visible on your desk while you work. Have a glass of water on an end table when you are relaxing in the evenings. This will serve as a reminder and make for easy accessibility to drink up!
- Set a timer on your phone so you’re reminded to drink water in whatever frequency you choose. Maybe your goal is a take several long sips every 15 minutes. If you work near colleagues who could be disrupted by this, you could set up a reminder through your calendar or another software program for a silent popup screen.
- Flavor your water by adding a slice of lime, lemon, cucumber, and/or a sprig of fresh mint.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Ever notice that the more fruit smoothies and melons you consume, the less thirsty you feel? Many fruits and vegetables contain high water content, adding to your daily water intake.
Do whatever it takes to make hydration a priority!
Love!
