It’s #Waterup Wednesday everybody! Our opportunity to focus on our hydration and the benefits of drinking water in the From Stuck to Start Community . I am the first to admit I get busy and water is far from my mind, but there are some things I do now to ensure I get more H2O down. Believe me it doesn’t take rocket science to drink more water, but as you begin to notice the difference in your body, skin and movement you’ll drink even more water.
Water we LOVE thee!
There are many different thoughts on the amount of water we should have each day. Some professionals say 6-8, 8 ounces glasses while others say half your body weight. The more you weigh the more water you need IF your body can tolerate it. Notice I said IF, because there are some folks like me who develop hyponatremia-having too much water in your system in relation to sodium, which can through your electrolytes off and have you feeling loopy. NOT A CUTE FEELING AT ALL. I play it safe with a max of 120 oz. on a good day if I can tolerate it. As with anything check with your doctor. If drinking water has been a challenge for you I encourage you to start with the 6-8, 8 ounces glasses and go up from there.
You may think: How on Earth do I get all this water in? Believe me I thought the same thing and when I began to “just do it” the easier it was to drink more water. Here are my tried and true methods to drinking more water.
1. Buy pretty water bottles. Now don’t go overboard now. Three 20oz or higher BPA free water bottles will ‘er done. Fill them up and drink up. Take them to the restaurants and anywhere else you want to have a drink.
2. Have water on the go. If you see me you see my water bottle. My water bottle is with me everywhere I go. This is one way I lessen temptation to drink more sugary beverages while dining out especially on days, I have to make a restaurant run.
3. Mix it up. There are some like my mother who do not enjoy the natural tastes of water. In order to get more water it may be necessary to add flavor. There are what seems like hundreds of water mixes on the market. Although drink mixes are not my first choice, because of the chemicals in them, I highly recommend The Crystal Light Pure with Truvia. Truvia is a natural sweetener that is shown to have little to no side effects.
Drink up girl!
4. InfUUSe it. Over the past few months I have become a BIG fan of infused water. About 2-3 times a week I make a pitcher of water infused with fruits and herbs mainly. I don’t have any specific recipes per say, but I use lemons, limes most of the time with fresh basil and fresh mint. Other fruit I’ve used have been oranges, tangerines, strawberry and kiwi. After mixing the ingredients let the water sit for about 24 hours and viola you have a tasty H2O treat. Head on over to the From Stuck to Start Facebook page on Wednesdays where I share my weekly water creations. Be sure to LIKE us while you are there.
5. Place water beside your bed. Drink water in the morning especially before your workout and the days activity. Before going to bed I place water on my nightstand so I am sure to get that water down first thing in the morning. Believe me it helps and I notice the difference immediately with how I able to move and get my day going.
Nutrition and Hydration oh what a powerful combination.
You’ve often heard me mention having a “system of success” when it comes to making better choices and habits for my health and they work. Finding clever ways to increase my water intake is one and works for me. As I continue on this journey, new habits and new systems of success, only help me to become a better me starting today
What system of success do you have to stay hydrated? Shout them out and share in the comments section below.
Zakiya!
