are you staying hydrated enough?

did you know that the body comprises nearly 60% water? yup, it’s true and it’s why it’s so important that we habitually give our bodies the water they require to function properly.

on a daily basis, it’s recommended that you drink at least 64oz of water for adequate intake. an easy way to remember this is by thinking of the 8×8 rule- which is drinking eight-8oz glasses of water a day! 

without intaking the right amount of water every day, our bodies can easily become dehydrated and ultimately impact us in more negative ways than not. some things people may notice when they’re dehydrated can include: 

impacts on their energy levels

do you ever have days where you’re literally so sluggish but have no idea know why? you haven’t been doing much, you got a good night’s rest the night before, but for some reason, you’re not feeling like you have enough energy to do much of anything. it was probably due to dehydration. in fact, studies show that even by losing as little as 2% of your body’s water content it can result in a significant decrease of your body’s performance.

headaches 

you would be surprised at the amount of people who complain about frequently getting headaches, & honestly, i’ll be the first to admit, when i haven’t had much of my daily water intake, my head is guaranteed to start hurting too. if this sounds like you and you’re a victims of struggling with headaches pretty often too, but can’t seem to figure out why, maybe consider the fact that it could be you haven’t drank enough water! focus on getting in the minimum 64oz a day and see if your headaches go away, you might be surprised that the answer was so simple. 

store fat 

if you’re trying to lose weight, there is no reason you shouldn’t be getting in an excess of water every. single. day. drinking lots of water can substantially aid in weight loss so it’s something you should be cognizant of during your daily routine unless you want your body to continue to store all that unwanted stubborn fat you are trying so hard to get rid of. water is so beneficial for weight loss because it has the ability to boost your metabolic rate and sometimes increase your metabolism which directly translates to burning more calories. it is also suggested to try drinking water 30 minutes before your meal because it can tend to make you more full and help you eat smaller portions.

tips to help you drink more water (even if you hate doing it) 

#1 – get a cute water bottle 

this is one i just got and i’m so excited to use it because i know it’s going to be such a game changer when i’m in the gym. it’s multifunctional, so i can clip my keys on there, slide my airpods case in the pocket right behind my phone! i also love it because its big so i can drink it throughout the day.

only like cold water? get a freezer safe water bottle that you can freeze at night and carry around with you during the day. i’ve seen some really cute ones that don’t sweat much even though your ice water is inside!

#2 – consume food with high water percentages

this is actually way easier than you may think, but there’s so many:

• oranges 
• cucumbers
• bell peppers
• watermelon 
• broccoli
• squash 

when you work on creating more balanced meals, try incorporating some of these!

#3 – choose water when you go out to eat at a restaurant 

considering the fact it’ll not only save you the extra calories but a few bucks too i feel like this is something we all need to start doing more, ha! even though there’s nothing better to wash down your meal than an ice cold lemonade or coke, i promise you if you switch it out for water you’ll notice that you’re getting your water intake in easier than you thought you would. 

#4 – water enhancers 

now… some people may argue that this doesn’t make it water anymore but i beg to differ. i think as long as you are using enhancers like mio or the morning powder packets in your water with moderation and no every single time you go to grab a glass, there is nothing wrong with that! finding fun ways to give our bodies what they need is always encouraged by me, as long as it’s done within reason.

#5 – infuse your water

love love love infused water, literally the best. you can be so creative with what you want to infuse with so it’s always so fun to figure out which flavors you like the most. if you’ve never infused water before that’s totally fine- you should give it a try, you might really like it. i’m pretty basic with what i typically put inside of mine, but some of my favorite things to infuse my water with are:

• spearmint- this is something i add often because its really good for pcos. throwing spearmint leaves in your water pitcher is really good for anyone with pcos because it helps decrease male hormones like testosterone while increasing female hormones necessary for ovulation balancing my hormones. which is probably why i feel like when i’m drinking more water that’s infused with the spearmint leaves my cycle is usually a bit more regular than when i don’t follow through with it as much.
• lemon – ughhh, when i tell you that lemon is probably one of the best things you can add to your water, i mean it! putting lemons in your water can be so good for your body because it not only helps with digestion and gut health it also promotes healthy and glowing skin (which is perfect for summer). 
• cucumber + mint – one word for this combination, refreshing. i feel like i put these in my water the most during the summer. something about the combination of these two is able to quench thirst like no other. 10/10 recommend, def give it a try. 

there are so many cool gadgets that can help you infuse your water pretty easily, which is great because i know for me personally, when something starts requiring me to do too much i quickly get over it and 9/10 never do it, lol. buuttt, currently with the help of my water infusing pitcher i’m able to throw literally whatever i want into my water. 

there’s also so many brands that have really nice fruit infusing water bottles! i think they’re so cute for when you’re on the go but still want your water to be infused. you just throw whatever you want to infuse your water with inside the cylinder in the middle, fill the bottle up with your water and then boom! infused water that you can take with you wherever you go. 

seeee, not hard at all!

no but seriously though, i know it can be a lot to always be intentionally thinking about how much water you’re getting in and forcing yourself to drink more. but trust me, the consistency will be so worth it! and before you know it, not only will your body be thanking you for constantly staying hydrated but you will be able to get in much more than 64 oz of water without even having to think twice about it.

as always, i hope you guys find this useful. if you have any questions or want to chat about your health goals and things you struggle with, reach out to me! you never know how many others are struggling with or want to accomplish similar things and could benefit from a post inspired by you. 

until next time,

dru <3