I read about a jillion articles on hydration, tips on staying ahead of it, signs of dehydration, and so on. I probably could have made a list of 50 different things, but 5 major ones were in almost everything I read, so I wrote them out for you, in my words, below!
1. Water Bottle & Pitchers are KEY. Have a bottle with you at all times, ideally one you can easily refill, that doesn’t leak or have condensation etc. I don’t personal have a favorite, but I”m open to ideas if you want to shoot me yours.
Keeping a pitcher, instead of just a bottle, on your desk at work is a great idea. The filter pitchers are covered and air tight so you’d be able to have a clean, large amount, of water on hand all the time. I thought that was a great idea!
2. Water Doesn’t Only Come from Water. Well okay that doesn’t make sense, but the point is to get fluids from other places. If you keep a diet of whole foods, with plenty of fruits and veggies, you get more water. If you drink (real) juices, eat soup, have herbal (read no caffeine) tea, or put an extra 8 oz in your Shakeology, it ALL counts.
3. Schedule Everything! There were tips galore on this. Setting a timer, set an alarm, set emails to be sent to yourself, all to remind you to trip water. There are water apps, water reminding water bottles, and more. My favorite was to get water after every bathroom trip. You’ll always be replenishing your liquids AND eventually you’ll do it out of sheer habit, since we are conditioned to things like that so easily.
4. Flavor Fun & Swaps. There are so many ways to make water “not boring”. I LOVE my fruit infusion pitcher (from my post http://creatingadestiny.com/how-to-flavor-water-with-fruit/) for making flavored water. When I decided to cut alcohol out of my life, I discovered a whole world of flavored water, and even more fun, sparkling water. Flavored and bubbly, but not a drop of sugar or calories. Just 100% hydration!
5. Don’t Take Water OUT of Your Body. This is less about getting the water back in, but preventing the dehydration in the first place. Energy drinks suck SO much water out of your system, they are a no go when it’s hot. Caffeine can be a diuretic, so too much coffee and tea could offset the water you are taking in with them.
We all know alcohol is an issue, but it’s even worse if you try to workout after a night of drinking, hungover workouts are not good for your body. Overall water is always your best choice when taking in liquids, and it will give you more energy than you think if you do it regularly!
I hope you find this helpful and I am here if you need anything at all for your health, fitness, or nutrition!
Have a happy and healthy week =D
Your Coach,
Amber Snow
619.567.4779
www.CreatingaDestiny.com