Please, no more boring water!
Let's chat about jazzing up your water and hitting your hydration goals so that you FEEL AMAZING. {plus recipes}
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Picture this: you're hustling through your busy day, coffee in one hand, to-do list in the other. But wait, did you forget to drink water again?
We all know we're supposed to be chugging at least 8 cups of water each day, or doing some quick math with our body weight to figure out our personalized quota. This method is to drink half your body weight in water per day. I generally fly by the 8 cups a day rule.
But, let's be real, drinking plain ole’ water isn’t the most exciting task on our to-do list. Some people find water so boring that they don’t drink it. I coached a girl who hated water. She literally said that she hated it and didn’t drink much at all. It was no wonder she didn’t feel great on most days.
I get it. I’ve been there, staring at my plain Jane water bottle, feeling zero excitement, but knowing it will make me healthy, I drink it anyway.
But we CAN jazz it up and make it something we want to drink all the time (then enjoy the benefits of proper hydration).
This might sound silly, but I like to create an atmosphere for my water.
What does that mean?
It’s simple… I make my water look inviting. A fancy glass pitcher and a chic glass at my desk make all the difference. Use those fancy glasses for your hydration - why the heck not? Go out and buy a special and pretty glass or water bottle if this tip feels enticing to you!
First thing in the morning is the perfect time to start your hydration. Grab a 12-ounce glass of room-temp water and sip it alongside your morning brew. This gets your digestion going and wakes you up. I can’t chug it first thing in the morning (my body says no), so I sip slowly while I drink my coffee. It works. You can add some lemon juice for a little flavor.
Hydration benefits
Proper hydration helps flush out toxins, get your digestion moving, and can help with glowing skin.
It boosts your workout game! It’s essential to get enough hydration when you’re sweating it out so you can be at your best performance.
This benefit is one I use all the time: it can help keep cravings in check. When I'm craving something unhealthy, but I’ve already eaten, I will set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and drink a full glass of water to fill me up. It stops my cravings almost every time.
This is an important one: it keeps our brains sharp! Staying hydrated can improve cognitive function, focus, and concentration.
Need some extra energy during the day? Then drink your water!
Some people show improvements with headaches when properly hydrated.
If water’s taste (or lack thereof) has you yawning, let's spice things up!
Get creative and infuse your water with fruits like lemons, limes, or strawberries. Oh, and cucumbers are ultra-refreshing! Might make you feel like you’re at a spa.
Herbal teas are another delicious way to tick off those water goals. I cold brew my tea in the fridge for 8- 12 hours. It helps the soda lover in my house - he loves the cold brew tea and will choose that over soda now. That is a tip I share with anyone trying to kick a soda or sugary juice habit. If you like the fizz, just add seltzer. If you need slightly more flavor, add a small amount of juice.
Here are a few cold brew fizzy tea elixir recipes we love:
Hibiscus and rose cold brew tea with orange seltzer for a zingy refreshing drink.
Green tea infused with fresh ginger slices and a squeeze of lemon. Finish with lemon or plain seltzer water for a refreshing and immunity-boosting drink.
Peppermint tea with a touch of pineapple juice. Finish with lime seltzer for a bright, tropical flavor (YUMMMM).
Green tea with a few sprigs of fresh mint. Muddle them slightly before adding lime seltzer for a non-alcoholic mojito twist.
Lavender and lemon tea. Add a splash of lemonade and top with plain sparkling water. I might add extra lavender tea here so that this flavor dominates the lemon.
Chamomile tea with a squeeze of orange and lemon. Add citrus seltzer or plain seltzer for a soothing bevvie.
Blueberry tea and peach tea with a splash of plain or peach seltzer.
Try this if you are a kombucha fan like me ➡️: cold brew something like chamomile or other subtle tea, then add your favorite kombucha 🔥. Sip it from a fancy wine glass for some extra calming vibes!
Tip: cold brew for 12-24 hours for the best flavor extraction.
Don’t those sound delicious! You can’t get those flavors in a soda.
Did you know you can get up to 20% of your daily hydration needs from FOOD? Eat some water-rich snacks like these:
Cucumber: 96% water
Celery: 95% water
Tomatoes: 94% water
Spinach: 91% water
Cantaloupe: 90% water
Carrots: 88% water
Bananas: 75% water
Can’t sleep?
For the nights when counting sheep or sleep sounds just doesn't cut it, a splash of tart cherry juice in your evening water might help. I have tried this and it helped me get to sleep.
Electrolytes
I am a big fan of LMNT electrolytes. I can’t get enough of the Mango Chili flavor! I add them to my water daily and can honestly say that I feel better on the days that I get my electrolytes in. I love the saltiness of LMNT. I also add it right into my smoothies!
Habit stacking for hydration goals
Get your hydration goals in with the concept of habit stacking. Habit stacking, popularized by James Clear in his book Atomic Habits, is a strategy for building new habits. You pair a desired new behavior with an existing habit. Seems pretty simple, huh? By attaching the new habit to the familiar cue of the old one, you leverage the existing routine's momentum to make sticking with the new behavior easier. Win, win.
Here are some ideas to make hydration a habit:
Drinking water with meals is an easy win
Drink water while your morning coffee or tea is brewing
Brush your teeth, then drink a glass of water (not tooooo close to sleeptime or you’ll be waking in the night to head to the bathroom
Taking a bathroom break at work? Drink water right after.
Keep a water bottle with you most of the time so that sipping simply becomes habit
Think about current habits or things you always do during your day where you can add a hydration habit stack.
Here’s a hydration tip from fellow Substacker, Kristi Keller
Remember to buy a food-grade essential oil if you try this tip.
One of the simplest things I ever did to help un-bore and drink more water was to start adding a single drop of peppermint essential oil to my water bottle. Somehow it just makes the water more exciting lol. And it feels fresh and clean and more drinkable.
Kristi Keller - Wildhood Wanted
So there you have it, your health coach's two cents on staying fabulously hydrated. Save these tips in your wellness toolkit, and let’s make water a bit more exciting, shall we?
Now, on to some recommendations from me for this week.
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