As we’ve mentioned before, the adult human body is composed of up to 70 percent water. A huge amount of water is lost through metabolism, exercise, temperature regulation, waste transportation and digestion. Needless to say, it is essential for your health to stay hydrated.
Previously we’ve come up with ideas to encourage our precious children to drink water, but what about ourselves? If you’re the kind of person who Pavlov Dog (excuse the very bad pun) salivates at liquid only is it’s fizzy, packed full of sugar or is a pretty colour, how do you ‘trick’ yourself into drinking the good ol’ H2O?
Add visual interest to your beverage. Forcing yourself to drink eight, tepid glasses of water out of a boring plastic cup will feel like drudge central. Instead, purchase a colourful sports bottle or a trendy travel mug. Carry your fashionable cup with you and take small sips throughout the day. Don’t try and drink it all at once.
Freeze slices of orange and lemon or whole grapes, strawberries and raspberries. Fill a clear glass part way full with frozen fruit and pour water over it. Not only will your water look interesting, but the slight fruit flavour may make it easier to drink.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Surprisingly, about 20 percent of your daily water consumption comes from food. Some, such as cucumber, watermelon and tomato are nearly 90 percent water by weight. Cut up fruit and vegetable slices and carry them in a sealed bag in your purse or briefcase for a snack during the day.
Drink beverages other than water. Water is calorie and cost free, but other drinks are good for you too. Try non-fat milk or vegetable juice for something nutritious. Tea and coffee count toward your daily water consumption, but exercise moderation as caffeine makes the body excrete water. Too much caffeine may also make you jittery. Avoid sugary juices and soda. Limit alcohol consumption as alcohol is a diuretic and may dehydrate you.
Teach yourself good habits. There have been some rather unsettling reports about the lethargy produced from computer and office bound work. Combat these by ensuring that at your break times, you leave your desk and perambulate over to the water cooler area. While it won’t be welcomed if you pretend that you’re stalking prey at a watering hole in the Serengeti, a quick confab with your co-workers while you replenish your water bottle, will give your brain a break.
Stake your water bottle claim. Fun it up at the office by ensuring that your water bottle that you replenish at the water cooler is distinctive and ‘you’ branded and unlikely to be claimed by a magpie type colleague. Who knows, you could start a trend!
