It's summertime and the weather is hot! With hot temperatures comes the need to be more diligent than ever about your water consumption. Did you know that standard 64 oz of water per day is not necessarily right for everyone? While each person's daily water needs is different and can vary for you as individual from day to day, there are a few things you can do to figure out your recommended daily amount.
The first thing you need to know is your weight. Your minimum daily water intake should be half your weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink at least 70 oz of water per day. This is the bare minimum for your day. There are other factors you need to look as well that will usually up your water intake. Some of these factors are if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, if you live in a dry climate, live at a high altitude, or live in an area with extreme temperatures (I totally get this is subjective seeing as I would probably say Savannah has some extreme temperatures (hot temps) at times and the average person will say I'm crazy. lol).
How much more water do you add, you may ask? This amount will also vary. For me, I use an app (which I'll go more in detail about in another post soon), but one thing I have noticed is that this app will tell me to drink an extra oz of water for every 10 minutes of exercise, so for a 45 minute workout it will suggest 4.5 oz more. If I have an especially intense workout or it's a pretty hot and humid day outside, then I, personally, will add a few more oz to that.
As for getting all that water in, I sometimes struggle with it. I have gotten a lot better than I used to be but I could always improve a little more. Sometimes, I need a little variety with my water, or I find myself at the end of the day with a ton of water left to drink. I need to come with some new ways to get my water consumption up. I asked around on two Facebook fitness groups I'm apart of for their help and what they do. Together, I think, a helpful list was formed
Start your day with 8 oz of water. Try drinking 8 oz before anything else, and yes that means before your coffee. I know that's tough, but I started doing this about a month ago and saw a major improvement in my daily water consumption. Each night before bed I put 8 oz of water in the fridge so it's ready and cold in the mornings. Try it! You'll be 8 oz closer to your goal before coffee!
Mark your bottles.This was suggested by one of the members of a group I'm part of and it is something I have seen floating around on Pinterest. All it takes, is a reusable water bottle and a sharpie marker. Just mark off spots on your water bottle and write a time you want to be done. For example if you want to be halfway done with your water bottle at noon, make a mark at the halfway point and write 12 pm. I think this is a cool idea but not for me. I'm a weirdo who doesn't like writing on my water bottles. I don't even like to write my name on it, but I will if I have to (or I'll use my label maker.....nerd alert!).
Set time goals. For anyone out there that doesn't like writing on their water bottles like me, you can also just set time goals. Maybe you know you need to drink 4 bottles of water by the end of the day. You know you need to be finished with the each one every 4 hours, or however you want to set it up.
Add fruit to your water. Adding fruit to your water can give it a little bit of flavor and help with the, "I'm tired of water feeling." Does anyone else get that? Just me. Well sometimes, I need a little variety in my water. Even adding a few slices of lemon, cucumber, or even berries can liven up your water.
Add a splash of juice. Not a fan of actual fruit in your water? Don't worry. I used to be that way. Another way to add a little flavor to you water is to add a splash, and I mean a little diving splash, not a cannon ball splash of juice to your water. You just want a hint of flavor. And with all the varieties of juice out there, you have so many possibilities.
Partner with friends. Sometimes all you need is a little push and motivation from friends and family to get you going. It works that way for fitness, why can't it work that way for water consumption too? With a little encouragement and push from friends, it can work to get you drinking (water, that is). A few simple texts, facebook messages, or tweets throughout the day to check in with each other is all it takes to help each other out.
Reward system. I know this sounds juvenile but hear me out on this one. You've heard of reward systems for weight loss, workouts, and even healthy eating; so can't the same idea be applied to water consumption? I will never take your morning coffee away (some of you may bite me if I did that) but after you drink your coffee, tell yourself you can only have water until you reach your goal. Once you do, you can reward yourself with another beverage of choice. This could especially work for people who drink a lot of other beverages throughout the day, such as soda and tea.
Apps for your phone. There are tons of apps out that that can help you track your water. I will go more in detail in another post about some of the apps that I think are the best but some are basic, while some are a bit more intricate. While my favorite app is not free, there are a good number of free apps that are just as great too.
These are just some ways to help make sure you get your water consumption for the day. And with the summer heat, it's important to make sure you get yours in.
How do you make sure you get your water consumption in?
