Stay Hydrated

Water is essential for life!
You can survive three weeks without food, but barely three days without water. So, it’s obvious why hydration is so important to health. Your body is made up of about 70% water (crazy, right?) It is often overlooked when selecting a drink of choice but is crucial for your body to function properly. Water aids in increasing metabolism, building immunity, improving skin complexion, flushing toxins out of the body, helping oxygen circulate, and keeping you fuller longer. Many people feel hungry, when in fact, they are thirsty! Grabbing a glass of water to replenish your system can help eliminate hunger because your body was dehydrated rather than hungry for food. The benefits of drinking more water are endless in terms of your wellness and can even help elevate headaches, increase energy levels, and improve digestion.

If you are interested in some new ways to up your H20 intake, try some of these helpful tips!

• Set an ounce goal each day. It is recommended that you drink half of your body weight in water a day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, divide that by 2 to equal 75. So, set your water intake goal for 75 ounces for each day. If you aren’t a big water drinker and that number seems too tough, pick a manageable goal and work your way up!
• Rise and Shine! Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Before you eat or drink anything else, simply down some water. When you sleep for 7-9 hours at night, your body can get dehydrated. If you keep water near your bed and drink a glass or bottle before your feet even hit the floor in the morning, you are surely starting your day off in the right direction by replenishing your body’s water reserves.
• Sip some water before every meal. As mentioned before, water provides a sense of fullness, so you may not need as much on your plate to make you feel satisfied. It also helps to choose water as the beverage with your meal, rather than soda or a sugary sports drink that are mostly empty calories.
• Keep a large water bottle near you: at your desk, office, in the car, and close by while relaxing or doing house chores. That way, it is easily accessible at all times! It is helpful for some to have a store bought jug with ounce lines on it. As your water intake increases and you are monitoring the ounces on the jug, you might enjoy a special sense of accomplishment – and you should for working on this healthy habit.
• Spice things up a little and add flavor to your water! Grapefruits, strawberries, watermelon, lemon, lime, cucumber and even mint are all wonderful accents to plain water. These additions give plain water a little more flavor, and even some extra nutrients and vitamin C.