I’m hungry. No, wait – Could I really be thirsty? 5 tips for Getting More Water in your day.

Hey!  Did you know?  When our bodies don’t get enough water, the dehydration can be MASKED as hunger?  It’s true!

We could very well often be overeating because we are thirsty, and not hungry.   The more water we drink, the more satisfied our bodies feel.  What does that mean for our eating?  Well, it could often save us from eating the extra calories that we THINK we “want” based on that perceived hunger signal.  It also means we feel less sluggish and more energetic, because water helps our body function better and more efficiently – from our brain to our gut!  Kinda gross, but try to imagine large amounts of food trying to make its way through our gut… without the proper lubrication… um, yeah…

Okay!  Different – much more pleasant visual coming up!

How about those sweet, sugary drinks we like?  Believe me – I understand!  I was raised in the South and on some of the sweetest of sweet tea and lemonades.  When I used to work in restaurants, it was nothing to down several sodas throughout my shift.

But, did you know?  Those sugary drinks can make our body actually crave more sweet, more often?  Resulting in more calories (again), and more cravings to battle throughout our day, because our tastebuds have been trained over time to want and even EXPECT sweet when we drink?  Simply because that’s what we have been feeding it more than water itself?

More often than not, the sodas and sugary flavored beverages we drink are actually conditioning our tongues to want MORE sweet, more of the time.  So, no wonder water sometimes seems “boring” to our palette.

Here are some water tips to RETRAIN your tastebuds and help you drink more H2O, more often!

1.  Before each meal or coffee break, drink up!

I like to have my first glass while my coffee is brewing.  Boom!  My first glass is done and I can enjoy my first cup of Joe.
Then, I’ll have another 8oz-10oz before I take my first bite of lunch or dinner.

2.  About 15- 30 minutes before your workout, drink another 8oz or so.

Not too much (it’ll jiggle around LOL) but enough to hydrate your body well before you make it sweat.

3.  Sip throughout your workouts, about every 15 minutes or so, to stay hydrated.

4.  Think ahead and schedule or spread out your drinking throughout your day.

One way to do this is to set a timer on your phone or install a water tracker app on your phone that has a built-in notification, to remind you when to drink and how many more ounces to reach your goal.

5.  Speaking of goals – Aim for about HALF your body weight in ounces.

So, if you weigh 180 lbs, that would be 180 divided by 2 = 90oz per day.   It may sound like a lot, but get in the routine and you’ll surprise yourself – may actually start craving MORE water more of the time – shocker!

6.  Use fresh fruit and herbs to flavor your water and keep it interesting!  This is fun.  Stir in some fresh strawberries and mint, lemon and ginger, lime or watermelon for tasty water options.

Soon, you’ll be CRAVING water, and those sugary drinks will start to seem TOO SWEET!  Amazing, I know!

It all adds up throughout your day and can mean such a difference in your energy level and establishing a healthier lifestyle that you can MAINTAIN long term, because you’ve created the new habit and your body loves it!

If you ordered a Beachbody program such as 21 day fix or P90X3, your workouts came with a nutrition or eating guide, right?  Inside your guide is a full list of suggested additions to stir in and flavor your water.  Happy sipping!!