Though the temperature is still on the cooler side, summer is slowly starting to creep in. People are cleaning up their closets to make room for summer-appropriate outfits, shakes have started to take over our drink options, and our search history is probably filled with places to spend hot days. While we’re all busy shifting for warmer weather ahead, we should also prepare our bodies for the heat and learn how to properly hydrate ourselves. Though drinking seven to 12 glasses of water a day seems a lot, if you have a strategy, it’s doable.
Track your daily water intake with an app
We have plenty of apps on our phones and I can assure you that after scouring anyone’s phone right now, I’ll find an app (or two) that hasn’t been used in over a month. If you’re willing to keep these useless apps, why not download one that can actually help improve your water intake? Plant Nanny, for example, reminds you to drink water via push notification. Each time you drink a glass of water, you tap a button that improves your plant’s mood and makes it grow. If you don’t reach your daily water count, your plant gets sad and if you completely neglect it, your plant dies. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for that cute little plant’s death, would you?
Invest in marked water bottles
Hear me out, it might not seem like a good strategy but it really is. Think of this like a game. Your goal is to finish the content of your water bottle before the day ends. To make it more interesting, target to drink at least 100ml every hour. Once the day ends and you’ve reached your target water intake, reward yourself with a healthy treat. Having marked water bottles not only makes it easier to track your water consumption but it’s also fun seeing your progress every time you take a sip or a chug.
Set an alarm
Using your alarm to remind you to drink is a simple and effective way to help you stay on track towards your water intake goal. Let’s hope that you’re more disciplined to get that glass of water than trying to get out of bed in the morning.
Snack on fruits and vegetables with high water content
Nutritionist Dr. Frederick Stare suggests that the recommended water intake of an average adult is at least eight cups a day and yet we’ve already established that eight cups is a lot. Though we can put our trust in Dr. Stare’s expertise, we don’t have to risk drowning just to hit that goal. Here’s a simple hack: Consume food with high water content. Watermelons and grapefruit (91 percent water), cantaloupe (90 percent water), papaya (88 percent) and oranges (87 percent) are all good alternatives. You can even change it up by eating fruit or vegetable salads or sipping on shakes. For vegetables consider eating more lettuce (96 percent), cucumber (95 percent), zucchini and tomatoes (94 percent).
Try flavored water
Taste buds are sensory organs that are meant to experience anything but bland flavor—and water is the most tasteless liquid out there. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. You can infuse water with slices of fruit, squeeze some citrus for added zing or go down the hassle-free route with sugar-free flavored water like Agua Prima Lemon water. For soda drinkers who might miss the fizz, there’s a sparkling lemon water option, too. Besides getting your hydration requirements and a fizzy fix, Agua Prima Lemon’s still and sparkling variants don’t contain any artificial sweetener. Plus, the glass bottle is returnable, making it a more sustainable option than its plastic counterparts.
Header photo by Chris Ralston on Unsplash
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