Staying hydrated can be hard to do. The standard two litres a day may not sound like a lot but it’s so easy to forget to pick up that glass of water. As most of us have sedentary jobs these days, staring at a computer screen all day doesn’t really require us to replenish our water levels unlike when we are exerting ourselves at the gym! So what is the best way to ensure we take in our required two litres a day, without setting an alert on our phone that is? Read on for some top tips:
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Your daily fruit and veg intake can keep you more hydrated than you think. Adding fruit and vegetables to every meal whether for a snack or a salad for lunch can really make the difference. Watermelons are 92% water and other water rich fruit and vegetables include celery, tomatoes, courgettes and oranges. As long as you’re eating a variety as part of your balanced diet, your body will be getting hydrated without even reaching for your glass.
Drink with food
Our eating habits are more structured than our drinking habits so make sure that every time you have a meal, you drink a glass of water. Drinking before a meal can curb your appetite as we often mistake thirst for hunger and reach for a snack instead of a drink. If we have water before a meal and a glass or so with a snack, we will ensure we’re fitting in those extra few glasses a day without having to remind ourselves!
Reduce your caffeine intake
Coffee, tea and cola drinks all contain caffeine and have a diuretic effect on the body. This means that despite adding fluids to the body, diuretic drinks actually dehydrate and encourage your body to lose fluids. So if you’re having a stressful day and find you’ve had a few more coffees than usual make sure you drink a glass of water to match. Or why not try mixing it up with decaffeinated version of your favourite beverage.
Water down your favourites
If you find it hard to drink pure water then you could jazz it up a bit with some ginger, cucumber, lemon, lime or a slice of orange. If that’s not enough then you could water down your favourite fresh juice ensuring you reach your water intake target without the added sugar and calories.
Drink with a straw
Now this may sound a bit weird but by drinking with a straw you actually drink larger volumes than without. We tend to sip smaller amounts of water from a glass but add a straw or two and you will see that you suck more water than you sip! Strange but true!
Add frozen fruit
Freeze fruit such as slices of lemon, lime and orange as well as a variety of berries then add a flavoursome ice cubes to your glass of water. Cooling, adding flavour as well as delivering a nice treat once you’ve drunk the glass, that piece of frozen fruit is multi-tasker!