Today's Tip - Water

I'm so sorry I'm slacking on this website guys. I had no idea that school would take up SO much time lately. I'm going to try to post twice a week, instead of 4-6 times a week, just so that my posts will actually be of quality and not just crap!

 

So onto today's tip...water.

Are you drinking enough? Probably not, if you're like most of us. I'll admit, the only way I get enough water most days is because I get SO THIRSTY when working out because I sweat up a storm! I don't normally drink anything but water...I just don't drink a lot during the day, normally just with meals.
But water is so helpful! It helps with bloating and flushing out toxins. If you have skin problems, they will likely get better if you drink more water instead of crappy sugary drinks (and I break out if I drink too much milk as well, so I don't drink tons of milk). It will also decrease how much you eat at your meals - the thirst feeling is often mistaken for being hungry, so you're trying to fulfill that biological urge to eat...which also just perpetuates the cycle because you need the water to help balance out all the "stuff" that's floating in your blood from your meal. If you try drinking a glass of water before your meal, it will also help you feel fuller faster, so you'll eat less from just that one simple thing!

I know a lot of people have a hard time keeping track of how much they're drinking, or they truly think that they're drinking enough. Get out your favorite cup. Also get out a measuring cup. Dump 8 oz/1 cup of water in. You should be drinking AROUND 8 servings of that size. Your favorite cup holds 16 ozs? Great, then you only need to drink 4 refills! Please also note that if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, in a dry climate, etc. you WILL need to drink more water. You also get a lot of water from food, but don't calculate that into your 64oz requirement.

I have a couple of extra tips...buy some water bottles that will hold 32 oz of water. Then you only need to drink 2 per day. I like to fill them up and leave them in the fridge, making them nice and chilled when I'm ready to get to them. It's easier for me to only have to drink 2 bottles of water versus 4 or 8 refills of my cups.
Try additives to your water. I personally like mine plain, but I have seen people add everything from lemons and limes to strawberries and melons, as well as mint and cucumber! Many people like to add Crystal Light or MiO to their water, however these both contain chemicals which have been known to be harmful to your health in large amounts, so use these sparingly. The real thing is best!

I'll also admit, I did not drinking water for a long time. I would be doing good to drink 1 glass a WEEK. I stopped buying sodas/juices for awhile, and subsisted off of Gatorade until I ran out, then I would not allow myself to go to the store to buy anything else until it was time for me to actually go grocery shopping. I've also found that using my Brita filter helps with the taste a lot. Also, depending on my mood/level of hydration, I like my water either chilled in the fridge or at room temp...making water more appetizing helps me drink more of it!