Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink.
Today’s topic is hydration and I will keep it short and sweet!
Do you drink plain water? From the tap? Or bottled? Or flavored?
The typical recommendation is 64 oz of water per day, more if you are exercising heavily. Plain old tap water for most people is the healthiest and cheapest option. Bottled water is no better than tap water and is not regulated. Don’t waste your money. Get a reusable water bottle to carry away from home if you will be out all day. I use one that is 32 oz so I only need to refill it once to get my daily amount of water.
If you don’t like the taste of plain water because you are used to soda or sweetened drinks you will have to train your taste buds. You can use lemon or flavor drops and slowly decrease the amount you use every day or every week until you adjust to plain water to get your hydration the cheapest way possible. Being that it is cyber Monday, I bet you can get a great deal on a fancy insulated water bottle if you like. It will still be cheaper than buying bottled water and better for the environment too.
Do other drinks count? Good question and the answer is maybe. If you are in weight loss mode I suggest that you get 64oz per day of plain water IN ADDITION TO anything else you might drink like coffee or tea. Sparkling unsweetened water counts toward your 64 oz. You need the extra fluids to flush everything out. Once you are on maintenance you can probably count any liquids toward your total for the day but if you workout you will need to get more than that. On days that I exercise I drink at least 96oz.
Most of us walk around dehydrated and this can cause us to feel tired or even hungry. The next time you get that afternoon slump, trying drinking a glass of water. Trying to lose weight? Drink a full glass before each meal and then sip water throughout.
Since we are fasting all night and not drinking anything, I also highly recommend drinking a full glass of water when you wake up and one glass before bed. This is especially important if you take medication. Always drink a full glass of water with medications unless specifically instructed not to (I don’t know of any off the top of my head though).
One thing to note: there are some medical conditions which require fluid restriction. If you have been told by your medical provider to limit your fluid intake, it is with good reason. Follow their directions!! Not following an ordered fluid restriction can have significant consequences including death!
So barring a medical order not to, drink 64 oz of water per day or more. Plain water is best. Sparkling water is ok too. Add a little flavor if you need to but try to wean yourself off of flavor eventually and just drink it plain.
That’s it for today. See? Short and sweet. Stay hydrated and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Cheers!
Liz