We all know the importance of drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day. It is emphasized everywhere, from our homes to our bottles of mineral water. Staying hydrated is one of the foremost requirements for a healthy mind and body. According to research, nearly half of us are not properly hydrated at most times.
Staying hydrated and drinking adequate water is essential for our everyday performance, mood, and the quality of our skin, hair and nails. While eight glasses of water may not seem like a difficult target, it is quite unreachable once you make a conscious effort to actually achieve it.
Let us look at different ways drinking optimum amount of water every day can be made easier.
DRINK A GLASS OF WATER FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
Set your routine as such to drink a glass of water first thing when you wake up in the morning. Yes, also before your cup of tea or coffee. This will restore your fluids lost overnight, and kick-start your early dose of hydration.
RUN A MID-DAY HYDRATION CHECK
One way to check your hydration level is by checking the color of your urine. If it is darker than lemonade, know that you are dehydrated. Among other goals, set a goal to have clear urine by 3pm. It might sound a little weird to have a goal of that sort, but it will be more beneficial – the effects of which will make themselves visible soon after. If your urine isn’t clear at this time, then make sure you drink better and work better at keeping yourself hydrated the rest of the day.
ADD NATURAL FLAVOR
Who said fluid has to be boring and taste the same each time? You always have the option to make water more interesting. Your option include adding a burst of flavor with sliced fruits like lemon, orange, lime, pineapple, berries, grapes and cantaloupe.
ALWAYS KEEP A BOTTLE WITH YOU
Keeping a water bottle with you at all times is a great way to keep reminding yourself to stay hydrated. It depends if a half liter or one liter bottle is more feasible for you to carry. Make sure you keep a count of the number of refills you will be needing. A liter is roughly three ounces. If you weigh 120 pounds, you might have to refill a one-liter bottle two to three times a day.
REPLACE ANY OTHER BEVERAGE WITH WATER (AS MUCH AS YOU CAN)
While sodas, coffee and other beverages can be tempting, remember to remind yourself about the healthier option… which is always water. You do not need to be hard on yourself. Bring about a change slowly and gradually so that it is permanent, rather than an alteration that is difficult to maintain and is short-lived. Cut down the number of sodas to one per day, and for the rest of the times replace it with water. That way you will be saving yourself from about 240 unnecessary calories, extra sugar and also from dehydration offered by some of these drinks.
REMINDER SET-UP
It can be easily forgotten – the task to keep hydrating yourself. In a busy schedule, one only remembers to drink water when thirsty, but by that time they are already dehydrated. An easy way to remind yourself is to set a “hydration reminder” on your phone.
END YOUR DAY WITH WATER
Before sleeping, remember to drink a glass of this fresh liquid. This will help you stay hydrated overnight. If you prefer a hot beverage, have lukewarm water with some lemon.
