Staying Hydrated ( + a Simple H2O Challenge!)

Why water?

You’ve likely heard numerous times how important it is to get your daily dose of water. Not only does it comprise 70% of your body, it’s required for every cell of your body to function. Digestion, mental processing, detoxification… none of it would be possible without our friend H2O! Plus it’s a key ingredient in keeping your spinal discs hydrated and your muscles flexible!

But as we know, knowledge doesn’t always translate into action! That’s why this month’s challenge is to guzzle the good stuff, getting in your recommended daily litres.

How much do you need?

The exact amount of optimal water intake varies depending on activity level, weather and a number of other factors. But the easiest way to get a handle on how much of the wet stuff you need is this:

Divide your body weight in pounds by two to get the approximate amount of water in ounces that you need to drink per day.

On the metric scale? Divide your weight in kilograms by 30 to determine how many liters of water you need.

WEIGHT = (LBS) / 2 = (OZ)

WEIGHT = (KG) / 30 = (LITERS)

Anything but boring…

One of the biggest barriers to drinking more water is the taste—or lack thereof!

If you think plain water is boring, jazz it up! Here are some easy ideas:

• Add a little sparkle.

Sparkling water definitely counts towards your daily total, but avoid those enhanced with artificial flavors or sweeteners.

• Give it a squeeze.

Add citrus flavor by squeezing fresh lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit into your water.

• Try unique blends.

Cucumber mint. Grapefruit rosemary. Lemon raspberry. The sky’s the limit! Just make sure to avoid artificial additives. If you need a little sweetener, stick to natural fruit.

Make it part of your routine

The best way to make sure you’re drinking more is to start out the day with a glass or two of water. (I love hot water with a squeeze of lemon to wake up my digestive system!) Then sip regularly throughout the day, using our TLC Hydration Challenge Tracker to keep track.

More ideas:

• Drink a glass of water before every meal.

• Keep a bottle on your desk and another in the fridge so as you always have a full one to hand. Swap out the flavours to keep it interesting!

• Hungry for an afternoon snack? Reach for water first (thirst is often mistaken for hunger!). This is hard to think about 9 times out of ten we are just thirsty not hungry.

To help make this month’s Lifetonic a little more fun, here’s your very own Hydration Tracker I created for you to use this month. Just download it by hitting the button below!

Share your progress in our Facebook Group this month and let us know how you’re jazzing up your H20!