Is it possible to drink your daily water and be well-hydrated for your kick-butt workouts without having to slam a jug of H2O in an over-zealous panic before your head hits the pillow? Because, really, filling your bladder to the brim before bed sounds about as wise as performing a do-it-yourself bikini wax before a 100-mile bike ride. Instead of habitually berating yourself for failing to hydrate your bod adequately pre-workout while you’re banking on the treadmill mid-workout, or stressing out about it at night when images of the dusty Sand Man make you thirsty, you should try these three sneaky ways to drink more water during the day.
3 Clever Ways to Drink More Water Throughout Your Day
1) Wake Up & CHUG!
Wake-up and drink! Think about it- You likely have an established automaton pattern that kicks into action the moment your morning alarm rings, sings or does its things (must hit the snooze once, must roll out of the right side of the bed, must grab cell phone before putting on robe…) How about adding a quick 20-second habit to the routine? Have a full glass of water ready and waiting by your alarm. You can drink more water without losing a single morning-time minute. It takes 2 seconds to pick up a cup, 16 seconds to drink an 8-ounce cup of water and two seconds to place the cup back down. No excuses about it making you late. And your dog will wait 20 extra seconds to be let out. Trust me, do it!
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2) Is This Water Triple Filtered?
Go for the good stuff. Don’t even think about sticking your head under the bathroom faucet, Missy. And the days of having to eyeball the crusty drain of a drinking fountain while wondering if the workplace wise guy is going to come push your head into the metal spout are over, Mister. If those are typically your major sources of drinking water, it’s doubtful you’ll drink water at any time other than in dehydrated desperation.
Unless you live in one of the handful of municipalities with the best tap water in the world, chances are a filter will improve the taste of your water and you’ll be more likely to drink it. Fill your own bottles anytime you’re around a filtered source. Carrying good tasting water with you regularly increases the likelihood you will consume more water.
3) Drink Before You Eat!
Think water and food, instead of food and water. Before you eat, drink water. Before you drink alcohol, soda or whatever tickles your fancy throat- drink water! When you order at a restaurant, ask for a glass of water first and (here’s a new concept) actually drink it. Try doing the same thing at home before you eat. Research shows you might eat a little less. Bodies often mistake thirst for hunger. Still hungry? The good news is 20% of your water intake can come from foods like fruit and vegetables. Drink up! Eat up! Float some cucumbers in the stuff for a double-whammy and pummel that thirst, water cocktail style. Cheers!
