There is one simple trick to resolve or improve a variety of health ailments. Want to reduce the risk of kidney stones? Improve your mood and cognitive function? Prevent headaches? Break through a weight loss plateau? Have healthier skin? Improve sleep quality?
Do we need to go on?
At Begin Within, we truly believe in the power of the five pillars of fitness within - today's focus being hydration (check out our previous post here on the five pillars for a refresher). Just one weak pillar and the whole structure of our health and wellness can come crashing down. Hydration is a pillar that is completely achievable without too much time, effort, or cost.
Hydration. It is so simple, yet many of us are guilty of overlooking it. We love our coffee and our yummy beverages. We may go out of our way to consume caffeine or attend happy hour on a somewhat regular basis, while not giving water a second thought. We think we are still getting enough water, but are we really? How can we make it a part of our lives without it consuming us (no pun intended)? Start off with a simple positive habit, and you may find it is easier to add more and more to your life.
The solution
There are a variety of ways to combat our unintentional chronic dehydration. A general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces. It may seem out of reach, but just like most aspirations, breaking your goal down into bite-size steps will yield more success over time.
Check out our four tips to steer you in the direction of a hydrated lifestyle.
Start off the day the hydrated way.
Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning. Try 8-16 ounces. When we wake up in the morning, we are often somewhat dehydrated from not drinking anything overnight. Bonus points if you drink it before you consume any coffee (that is, if you are a coffee-drinker).
Make it your BFF.
Keep a water bottle on you at all times - work, travel, family time, etc. A lot of our clients find they consume more if it is readily available. Keep it as easy to do as possible, and you will be more likely to make it a habit. Bonus points if it has increments labeled on it so you can track your progress.
Challenge yourself.
Who doesn't like a good challenge? Find a friend or family member who is yearning to be more water-logged and make it a competition to see who can reach their hydration goal each day. If you are more self-driven, set timers on your phone throughout the day with incremental water goals. For example, if your goal is 90 ounces of water per day, setting a timer for consuming 45 ounces by 1:00pm may be an action step for you.
Play with flavor!
Make spa water! For those of you who say you "don't like the taste of water" (which still has us scratching our heads in confusion), try adding pieces of fruit, herbs, or veggies to your water for a healthy but delicious spin on hydration. For example, you can keep it simple with variations such as cucumber and mint, or plain lemon. Or get fancier with combinations such as strawberry, basil, and lemon, or a mix of mango, raspberry, and ginger.
The Big Picture
As trainers, we want to support you in becoming a well-rounded individual, inside and out. You deserve to be your best self. Starting simple with hydration will benefit you in more ways than you may anticipate. The only real downfall is more trips to the restroom, but then again, you get more steps in that way... bonus!
How will you make hydration a priority in your life? Sound off in the comments!
Jessica is a certified personal trainer at Begin Within. She holds a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science and has spent the last seven years working in the fitness and wellness industry. When she is not virtually training clients, she enjoys strength training, running, being outdoors, and spending quality time with her husband and dog.
Wanna get a jump start on creating some healthy habits? Check out our FREE workshop by clicking on the image below.
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