Are you hydrating enough? And, NO! Coffee doesn’t count, it is pretty much the opposite!
It doesn’t matter if you are a full-time athlete or a weekend warrior, we all need proper hydration.
I wouldn’t want to try it, but it seems the body can go without food for 1-2 months. But we can only go for a matter of days without water. So, yeah, it’s important!
Here are my top tips for staying hydrated, and they are easy to slip into your routine and make a habit of.
- Start the day with a glass of water. You could get all fancy and add stuff to it. Apple cider vinegar is touted with great health benefits, so you could try that. But really, so simple and starting the day right. Water – then coffee.
- Carry a water bottle with you. One of the simplest ways to make sure you drink water is to lug a bottle around with you (and drink it). Even better, have a goal to drink X bottles a day. Make it a bottle you like, that you enjoy and it’ll be even easier. Maybe that means a glitter covered bottle, or a nalgene covered with stickers. Whatever floats your boat and matches your personality.
- Drink water pre/post exercise. Or maybe choose a hydration mix. Just don’t forget. It’s especially easy to get busy post exercise and miss this crucial time to rehydrate. Your body will thank you for giving it what it needs to help recovery. Also, if your beverage of choice post-run is of the alcoholic version, chug that water first.
- Hydrate your exercise. Getting dehydrated when you’re out on a mission sucks. It literally saps the life out of you. Check for water where you are going, if there isn’t a lot around make sure to carry more. Yes it’s heavy, but it’s so damn good when you need it.
- WILD tip! If you are going into the wild take purification tabs (such as AquaTabs) with you, just remember they take 30 minutes to do their work. If you have 500-600ml soft flasks, look at halving the tabs before you go (they are good for 1L) because halving them in the wild can be tricky!
