Drink the Water. Reap the Benefits.
This tip is so easy and beneficial, it hurts. Drink the damn water. Get yourself a big ol’ 32 oz BAM (restaurant lingo for Big Ass Mug) and drink it up.
Why?
If you can do nothing else to benefit your health, then drink water. It does so much for your overall well being. Is your energy low? Try drinking more water. Have a headache? Instead of reaching for your next coffee, try an ice cold glass of H20. Struggling to lose weight? Seriously, drink more water! It is literally the easiest form of self care with benefits researched over and over again stating how important it is for our health. Drink the damn water.
How Much Water Should I drink?
It’s commonly recommended to drink eight - 8 oz. glasses of water a day, however this is a little outdated and there is not a lot of science behind this rule. A better place to start is drinking half of your body weight in ounces. So, for easy math let’s say you weigh 120 pounds. Half of that is 60. Start by drinking 60 ounces a day, or filling your BAM 2 times. Yes, you will pee a lot more. But that means you are getting out of your chair more often and walking, so it’s really a Win - Win!
Benefits
More Energy & Better Performance - Your brain is highly influenced by how hydrated it is. Even mild dehydration can impair your mood, memory and brain performance. It’s kind of like putting gas in your car. If you fill it with cheap gas (sugary drinks) or don’t put gas in at all, it will not run well. If you fuel it often with the good stuff (water), you’ll make it all day long.
Can help with weight loss - This is crazy easy to understand. If you drink lots and lots of water, it makes you feel full. If you feel full, you won’t eat as much. If you don’t eat as much, you will lose weight. Light bulb! If you are not drinking enough water, your brain may interpret being thirsty as being hungry. Then you snack more and all those unnecessary calories add up. Drink the damn water.
Clearer skin - Drinking water is one of the easiest, cheapest and best beauty treatments you can do. Your skin is an organ. It’s the biggest one actually and it’s made up of mostly water. Without water it can easily become dry, flaky and prone to aging prematurely. So, chug your water to minimize your wrinkles and your future self will thank you!
Of course there are so many more benefits, like flushing waste out of our bodies, lubricating the joints and helping with constipation, but those were my 3 favorites.
What If I Hate Plain Water?
I know there are people out there that hate the thought of plain water. Here are some quick tips so spruce it up a bit so you can get your ounces in.
Try Flavored Seltzer
“Science shows seltzer water is just as hydrating as regular tap water,” says Jessica Crandall Snyder, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist at Vital RD in Denver. “It doesn’t dehydrate you. From a mouth-feel standpoint, it may not seem as hydrating. But from a nutrition standpoint, they are equal.”
Try Infusing it with :
Lemon/Limes
Berries (Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries)
Mint/Basil
Cucumbers
As an added effort to drink more water and improve my own hydration, I’m doing a 30 Day Water Challenge. I'll be sure to update with any ground breaking results. Who's with me?!
Cheers, friends!