I know, we’re all guilty of not drinking enough water (yupp, guilty as charged over here, too!) so here are a few of my tips & tricks on how to stay hydrated ALL. YEAR. ROUND.
Aside from it being essential for survival (which I mean, I guess should be reason enough to drink it regularly), low water consumption can be associated with:
✅ headaches/migraines
✅ fatigue
✅ skin issues
✅ inflammation in the body
✅ slow muscle recovery
✅ joint issues
✅ cravings
✅ struggle with weight loss
✅ poor digestion
✅ constipation
….just to name a few..
So here’s 10 of my favourite ways to help increase your consumption:
1️⃣ INFUSE YOUR WATER
Add fruit, veggies, herbs, spices and/or chia seeds to your water for extra flavour + nutrients. PS adding chia makes it almost taste like bubble tea.. with the added Omega 3’s + antioxidants.. just sayin! Some suggestions: berries, lemon, lime, cucumber, celery, rosemary, mint, cayenne, cinnamon, raw ginger..
2️⃣ EAT YOUR WATER
When summer is in full force, there’s little excuses to increase your veggie intake! It’s easy to have them chopped + soaking in the fridge for a quick grab-and-go snack, meal prep fruit, or amp up meal prep with new ideas! Stock up and freeze for the winter months as during the winter it’s harder to get a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables however there are lots of seasonal fruits/veggies to choose from too! Try apples, citrus fruits, cranberries, zucchini/squash.. or get creative with more broths, soups, stews or teas!
3️⃣ DRINK HERBAL TEA
Iced or hot, herbal teas are a great way to increase your water intake. Choose your favourite herbal tea, let it sit in a pitcher in the fridge + drink as you please! Some of my favourites are my Ginger Beer Elixir, Medicinal Mushroom Tea, Chai Tea, Fermented Sodas, Green Juice,
4️⃣ DRINK LESS CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a natural diuretic which WILL dehydrate you – it also increases cortisol in the body which will affect your nervous system which can make you more irritable, restless and potentially cause insomnia. Limit caffeine to one a day and opt to drink it before the afternoon to avoid a cortisol spike! If you can’t go without some caffeine in your day (this includes tea + kombucha/caffeine beverages!!), try drinking 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of caffeinated beverage.
5️⃣ EAT LESS PROCESSED
Processed, fast + refined foods are LOADED with salt, sugar, preservatives (and so much more..) which will cause your body to work harder and could cause more dehydration if you do not balance it with drinking more water! Try limiting your drive-thrus to once a week and see if you can prepare more of your meals at home with whole foods instead of pre-packaged foods.
6️⃣ SET A TIMER
Using apps on your phones, watches or computer (like “Daily Water”) or setting a timer to remind you to drink water is a very effective way to remind you to be present and drink some water! *Bonus* try taking 5 x 5min breaks throughout the day just for yourself to drink a glass of water, take a few conscious breaths and just check in with yourself.
7️⃣ WATCH YOUR WATER
I like to use glass water bottles (because I find it tastes better) but also so that I can physically SEE how much I’ve drank (I’m a big visual person). Using marked water bottles can also help.
8️⃣ 1-1 RATIO
For every caffeine beverage, alcoholic beverage, bathroom break, phone/social media break.. etc. you take, drink a glass of water. This is enforcing to make it a habit (like when you wake up, you know to brush your teeth). Do the same for water. When you wake up, drink water. When you go to bed, drink water. When you finish your cup of jo, drink water (this also helps minimizes acid damage to your tooth enamel – so win-win!).
9️⃣ BRING IT WITH YOU
Invest in a filter – for at home + on-the-go (Santevia has great ones you can put into water bottles). I always suggest filtering your water (don’t worry, I’ll be posting my reasons why soon!) as chlorine can also dehydrate you. If you don’t have a water filter, simple leaving your water uncovered at room temperature for a minimum of 24hrs can help to evaporate most of the chlorine in the water. My suggesting is to try and never leave your house without a full water bottle (or 2, or 3..). I like to keep a filled water bottle at work, in my car and in my gym/yoga bag.
CHEAT
Drink caffeine and sugar free beverages (like ginger beer/herbal tea- see my suggestions and recipes above), and try sparkling water over soda – these can also be infused!
Have fun with it, experiment and reward yourself! When you hit your water intake goal, maybe by a fancy coffee once a week to treat yo self – whatever it is that works for YOU!
With love,
Heidi MacAulay
“Eat more plants. Do more yoga. Read more books.”
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