The Busy Bee's Guide to Staying Hydrated

Do you feel sluggish? Is your skin dry or sallow? Are you dehydrated and thirsty by days end? You need to increase your water intake! Don't feel like you have enough time in the day to keep chugging the beverage? Don't fret - I've got some tips to help you.

Some tips for upping your H20 intake:

• First Thing’s First. Have a glass first thing in the morning! There you go. One down.
• Meal Planning. Plan to drink a glass of water at each meal. Opt for water instead of grabbing your usual soda or juice.
• Reuse and Refill. Keep (and refill!) a reusable water bottle with you at all times. If you have water within arm’s reach, you will be more likely to drink it!
• Mix It Up. Don’t limit yourself to plain water, especially if you already struggle to drink enough of it. Spice it up by adding some edible flavors, such as cucumber, lemon, or mint. There are some water bottles made specifically for these delicious infusions. Click here for a list of yummy water recipes.
• Eat Your Water. When all else fails, eat it! Incorporate foods with high-water content, such as watermelon, tomatoes, or cucumbers which all contain over 90% water per volume!
• Get Some Bubbly. If cutting out the carbonated soda is a challenge, consider swapping out your regular soda with some sparkling water. It’s refreshing and hydrating without all the calories.
• Pencil It In. There are a few ways you can use these reminders to get yourself drinking more water. You can plan to drink a glass of water at specified times throughout the day. For example, you can plan to have a glass of water at the beginning of each class you are teaching, or every hour on the hour. What every schedule you choose, make sure you can keep to it. Another idea is to have your fitness tracker or phone send you a reminder. My FitBit is scheduled to vibrate throughout the day to remind me to drink some water. It’s a simple, non-intrusive way to stick with you plan.
• Track It. You can track your intake on your phone using a several different apps. Make a goal and track your progress each day. You can also simply add some checks in your daily planner, a post-it note, or fun little visual you keep in your purse. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to work.\

Just because you’re busy, doesn’t mean you don’t have time for some hydration. Use these tips and see the benefits!