Whew! It’s HOT outside!! Aside from the air we breathe, water is the most essential element to human survival! The human body is comprised of approximately 60% water, and because of this, it is critical to always stay hydrated. It’s even more important when participating in outdoor activities or exercising, when we are more likely to sweat and lose excess water. If you are feeling thirsty, chances are, you are already slightly dehydrated. The most obvious way to stay hydrated is to drink water, but there are other options out there.
5 Ways to Stay Hydrated
- Keep a Reusable Water Bottle Nearby. If you have water constantly available to you, you are more likely to drink it throughout the day. You can either have one bottle that you carry with you everywhere, or you can have water bottles in the places you spend the most time, like the kitchen, living room, and/or office.
- Set Reminders. Try using an app or alarm on your smartphone to help increase your fluid intake. If you have a hard time remembering to drink enough throughout the day, start by setting the reminders for every 30 minutes. Once you get in the habit of drinking more regularly, you can change the reminders to less frequently.
- Drink Before Each Meal. Try and get into the habit of drinking a glass of water before each meal. This can also help with accidentally mistaking thirst for hunger! Drinking 8 ounces of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner will automatically add an extra 24 ounces of water to your day!
- Flavor Your Water. If you don’t love the taste of plain water, consider spicing it up! Adding lemon, blueberries, mint, or oranges can give your water some extra pizzaz, which may encourage you to drink more. You can also use drink mixes to add some additional flavor to your water. You can also try flavor packets or liquid flavor drops.
- Eat your water – You can get a ton of water content through your foods. There are many fruits and vegetables that have a high-water content, such as lettuce, cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, tomatoes, and zucchini.
STAY COOL!