How to be H2O-K Despite Your Busy Schedule
Growing up, we’ve always been told to drink 8 glasses of water a day — don’t believe that, depending on our daily activities, we actually might need more! It’s a myth that most people choose to believe just because its convenient and easy to remember.
Whether your still in school or in a 8 hour work shift, I’m sure that, more often than not, we tend to forget drinking water due to our busy schedule. It’s not about being lazy; sometimes it really just slips off our minds. And this can lead to dehydration.
Dehydration can then cause headaches, cramps or fatigue. If left untreated, it can even lead to fainting, cardiac arrest, or coma. That is why we need to make sure we stay well hydrated everyday, especially when living an active lifestyle.
Here we curated a list of “hacks” to be H2O-K everyday:
1. Have a Bottle of Water All the Time
Let me emphasize the words ‘all the time’. It may seem like a hassle to carry a water bottle all the time, but it beats being dehydrated. We suggest you have one everywhere, too (e.g. at work, at school, in the car, or even if you’re just going out). It’ll be cheaper than buying outside (unless you have no choice).
Warning: It’s okay to have plastic water bottles in your car. Just make sure it doesn’t stay there for too long when the sun is hot. When plastic bottles gets heated by the sun too much, it may emit harmful toxins that will be mixed with your water.
2. Set an Alarm
This is for those who simply forgets drinking water. Set an alarm on your phone every hour or every 30 minutes. Or you can download an mobile app reminder.
We recommend the ‘Water Drink Reminder’ because the interface is very simple and it can even tell you the amount of water you need based on your weight. Aside from reminding you, the app can also store information about the amount you have consumed once you type it in. The downside is that you may get tired of inputting every drink; either way this is only optional. What is important is that you get notifications that will let you know when it’s time to hydrate again.
3. Choose Fruits and Vegetables that are High in H2O
Be conscious of what you eat. You can choose to add fruits and vegetables that has high H2O content into your diet, such as Cucumber, iceberg lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, watermelon, spinach, star fruit, strawberry, broccoli, grapefruit, baby carrots, and cantaloupe.
4. Drink More, if You’re Active
When you’re active, you sweat a lot. And sweating is more than just releasing the toxins out of your body; you also lose a lot of water, along with other nutrients such as potassium, sodium, etc., that needs to be replenished asap!
You can opt to drink even more water or grab a sports drinks, instead. Sports drinks are excellent sources of H2O that can also replenish the nutrients that you lose when you sweat — its like hitting two birds with one stone!
5. Buy Specialized Hydration Bottles
There are different types of hydration bottles perfect for different activities. If you go to the gym, bring a bottle with you. If you’re into jogging/running, hydration belts are very convenient. Hydration backpacks are best if you go hiking or trekking.
We recommend Fitletic Hydration Bottles/Belts available in RUNNR and Toby’s Stores. The 16 oz. is priced at P2,125.00 and the 12 oz. is priced at P1,999.00
6. Add Lemon
Adding lemon to your water enhances the power of hydration. Not only does it add flavor to it, it can give you benefit such as giving you a healthier-looking skin, aiding in your digestion, freshens breath, and many more.
To do this, just slice a lemon and add two or three slices in your bottled water or two whole sliced lemon in your dispenser.
7. Drink Less Alcohol and Caffeine
Lastly, if you don’t drink enough water, it is advisable to drink even lesser quantities of alcohol or caffeine. According to research, these two contribute to increase urine production. Meaning, it will make you excrete more liquids, making it difficult for your body to retain the H2O it needs.
If you plan on drinking alcohol or coffee, remember to drink even more water afterwards.
Remember that it is possible to stay hydrated during busy days. It’s a habit we must learn to form in order to stay healthy. In this fast-paced and hectic life, we can’t afford to get sick or be dehydrated. So drink well and perform your best all day, every day.
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