Day 8: Staying Hydrated

As we sweated our way through our workout today (ah, so appropriately titled "Sweat"), I couldn't help but think about water...a cold glass of refreshing water, ice cubes clinking against the smooth, clear sides of the glass...heaven.

Who here thinks they drink enough water to stay sufficiently hydrated every day? Because I'm pretty sure...no, ok, I know that I usually don't. That whole "eight 8-ounce glasses a day" thing seems like so,...well, much! And, personally, I think drinking water is boring. Yes, boring. Unless, like I've said above, I'm tired, sweaty and parched. :)

But, as we all well know, water is essential to our health and body maintenance. So, how do you try to stay hydrated throughout your day without feeling bored or waterlogged?

To begin, use this Water Intake Calculator to determine what you should actually be drinking each day. The "eight 8-ounce glasses" concept is a good one to start out with because it ensures you'll be getting fairly hydrated but the chances are you actually need MORE water than that. So, use the calculator and get a number!

Then, try implementing one, some or all of these tips and see how you feel after a week:

1. Drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up and just before you go to bed. Drink the glass of water in the morning, refill it right away so it's ready for you in the evening and repeat that procedure before you slip under the covers. Keep the glass on your night stand or put a post-it note on your pillow to help remind you if you need to.

2. Eat foods that have a high water content - watermelon, celery, cucumbers, lettuce...good water and good for you.

3. Try and drink a full glass of water with all of your meals and snacks. If you're going the weight loss route, studies also show that drinking a glass (or two!) of water before a meal will increase weight loss since you are less likely to overeat.

4. Drink a bottle of water while working out! You lose a lot of water by sweating as you're running, swimming, playing soccer, walking or doing any kind of physical activity, so keep that bottle close by and make it a goal to drink the entire thing during the course of your workout.

5. Stash bottles or glasses around the house. If you're like me, one of my biggest challenges in staying hydrated is simply remembering to drink it! I get so caught up in my everyday life that remembering to drink that glass of water just slips out of my mind. So, to try and combat my own forgetfulness, I place glasses or bottles in parts of the house I frequent routinely: right in the middle of the kitchen table, by the sink, where I keep my keys, on the work desk...you get the picture.

6. Invest in some funky bottles and cups. Who says little kids are the only ones who have fun, vibrant water bottles or sippy cups? Add a little hydration and some colour to your life by carrying a fun bottle or cup around with you.

7. Two words: water infuser. You add a little zing to your water as well as benefit from some healthy nutrients! And there are SO many options for what to put into your infuser, too: cucumbers, mint, raspberries, strawberries, lemons and limes...

8. Make a water drinking schedule, if you need to! Stick post-its around the house, in your car, at your work desk or label a water bottle to help you remember.

Do you have any other tried-and-true methods you use to keep yourself hydrated? I'd love to hear them!!