Over half of our body is made of water and it is vital to maintain the balance of body fluids. Body fluids aid in digestion, absorption, circulation, transportation of nutrients, and maintains body temperature.
It’s especcially important to stay hydrated in the summer months when our bodies are sweating and losing fluid faster than we think. Dehydration can cause many symptoms such as muscle fatigue, exhaustion, headaches, dizziness, dry and flaky skin, just to name a few.
A good way to monitor your hydration is to observe your urine color. We want to aim for a light/pale yellow or clear. If it tends to be on the dark-yellow/brown side, it may be a sign you’re dehydrated.
Tips to increase water intake.
This is a topic that I discuss quite regularly with clients as it is a challenge for most people, at any time of the year. So don’t worry if drinking water is a challenge for you, you’re not alone! The key is to figure out how you enjoy drinking water.
Here’s a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you prefer ice cold or room temperature water?
- What type of container do you do you prefer sipping out of? A water bottle, glass or mug?
- How do you like your water to taste? Do you like to add fresh or frozen fruit to flavor it?
Next, having a plan on how to go about drinking 32, 64, 100oz or even more, is always helpful. For example, I bought a 30oz water bottle and my goal is to fill it up twice during the workday, for a total of 60oz. I know I’ll drink another 16-32+ oz in the mornings and evenings. For me, this sometimes can be a challenge, but at least I set the intention for the day.
Another idea is to drink a certain number of ounces before lunch and before dinner. It’s always best to cut off water a few hours before bed so having a goal throughout the day is ideal. If your goal is 32oz per day, try drinking 16oz before lunch and 16oz in the afternoon or with dinner. OR split it up to 4oz at at time. 4oz by 8am, 8oz by 10am and so on, throughout the day.
Wherever you may be in your journey to add in a few more sips here and there, try to challenge yourself to drink a couple more ounces at a time than you usually would. Find your favorite bottle/cup/mug/glass and make friends with it this week! Head over to my personalized nutrition counseling page to learn more about how I can support you one step at a time.
How do you add water into your day? Share with us in the comments below!
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