Are you looking for ways to drink more water? Staying properly hydrated means drinking enough water in the right amounts, in the right ways. This is especially important in Colorado, where the higher elevations mean that you need additional water to stay hydrated and maintain your blood oxygen levels.
How Much Water Do I Need?
The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. As mentioned above, you need more water if you live at higher altitudes. You also need to take into account your diet and fitness level and goals, weather conditions (you need to drink more water as the outside temperature rises), and any medications and other health conditions you face.
However, in general, you can base the amount of water you personally need by looking at your urine. When your urine is pale yellow, you are getting enough water. Darker colored urine means that you need to reach for a glass of water.
Additional Reading: How Dehydration Affects Your Body: 6 Vital Functions
How To Drink More Water: 6 Tips
Once you have figured out how much you personally need to drink each day to stay hydrated, you need to find ways to increase your water intake. Here are 6 useful tips to help you get and stay hydrated:
1. Start Slow
Like any good habit, the key to sustaining your water drinking goals is to start slow. Begin adding a glass of water here and there throughout the day as you go through your routines. For example, while you’re waiting on your morning pot of coffee to brew, grab a glass and drink a few ounces of water while waiting on the coffeemaker to work its magic. By making small changes to include a few ounces here and there throughout the day, your daily water consumption will go way up without really even trying.
2. Plan Ahead
Plan ahead by filling a water bottle before beginning your day, and keep it close at hand. There are so many new types of water bottles and thermoses on the market today that you’re sure to find one that is convenient for your lifestyle. And, just like having a cute workout outfit can give you motivation to exercise, having a cute water bottle to drink from throughout the day can motivate you to drink more water. Once you start bringing a water bottle with you, you will wonder how you ever went anywhere without it!
3. Add Some Flavor
Drinking water all the time can become a bore, so find some ways to raise your interest in it. We’ve all heard of water with lemon, but why not water with oranges, pears or another favorite fruit? Another refreshing and different idea is to add cucumber. Whatever keeps your taste buds from yawning will keep you drinking more water.
4. Fix Your Soda Habit
One of the best swaps you can make for your overall health is to replace your soda habit with water. And, with the many delicious options for sparkling water, soda does not have to be a hard habit to break. Start by replacing one soda a day with a glass of water. As you increase your water consumption, you will become less and less reliant on the sugar and caffeine in soda to get you through your day!
5. Examine Your Diet
Did you know that tomatoes and watermelon both consist of more than 90 percent water by weight, not to mention they are healthy and delicious? Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet not only helps you stay hydrated but is also one of the best ways to get needed vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.
You might also want to include more spicy foods in your diet. Spicier foods will not only have you reaching for a glass of water, it will also add a little heat to your diet, kicking your metabolism up a notch so you’re burning more calories.
6. Use An App
Whether you are Team Apple or Team Android, there are a plethora of apps available to help you drink more water. You can download fun apps like Plant Nanny, which turns staying hydrated into a game or use the existing options in your FitBit, Apple Watch, or other fitness apps. However you decide to do it, having calendared reminders to drink more water can be the key to your hydration success.
A Word of Warning
Although it rarely occurs, it is possible to drink too much water. When this happens, your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water and the mineral content of your blood is diluted, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia. The average American diet does not lend itself to this condition. But one way to ensure you don’t run the risk is to drink water throughout the day, not all in one sitting.
How To Drink More Water? Clearly Colorado Makes It Easy
Regardless of your daily water requirement, or your strategy to reach that goal, Clearly Colorado makes it easy to drink more water. From home and office bottled water delivery to filtered water dispensers, our pure, refreshing Colorado water is sure to quench your thirst and help you build healthy habits. Contact us today for more information and to receive your free quote!
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