You've probably heard it plenty of times to drink more water but probably haven't been told at some of the amazing benefits upping your water intake has - which is why I am here. So, make yourself comfy, grab yourself a drink of water for this week's read.
In this blog post I'll tell you:
The benefits of drinking water and what impact it has on weight loss and your body
Is all water zero calories? The hidden calories in water.
Handy tips to help increase your water intake
Do you think you're drinking enough water?
Yes, I always drink 2 or more litres a day
No - that's why I'm here!
The Benefits of Drinking Water
There are so many great reasons to I could tell you to drink water that I wouldn't be able to cover it one section of a blog post alone, so I've narrowed it down to some surprising benefits.
It can help with weight loss: there has been evidence to support that drinking more water throughout your day helps boost your metabolism - meaning you're burning more calories throughout the day!
Helps aid digestion: drinking a glass of water before a meal helps prepare the stomach and digestive system for food to come. If you're eating high fibre foods (which you should be!) combined with water intake this will help improve your digestion.
Reduces puffiness: are you finding yourself trailing and testing skin care brands to help reduce dark circles and puffy under eyes? Puffy eyes can be a sign of water retention and water will help flush out the waste in your system, so pause on those expensive skin creams and head straight for a water fountain.
Helps prevent headaches: Headaches are often caused by dehydration. If you're keeping yourself hydrated then you may see the number of headaches you have decrease.
It flushes out toxins: when we sweat and go to the toilet, water helps flush out these toxins. When drinking more water this makes us go to the toilet more to help excrete toxins. You may also see changes in colour of your pee from yellow to more clear as a sign of being well hydrated. You'll often see on Instagram or in some female magazines that there's a trend of 'detox juices' so if you were thinking about signing up, you can save some pennies and just head straight for a water dispenser.
It lubricates: Water acts as a lubricant for joints and muscles and reduces friction between the tissues - so make sure you're topping up your glass frequently!
Is all water zero calories?
Thanks to marketing, there's all sorts of food labels that shout 'protein' or 'low fat' and bottles of water have fallen victim to these marketing messages.
My bottom line (or bottle line I should say!) is always try and opt for a plain still water if you can, but if you feel like you want something with a bit more taste then lookout for the below:
Flavoured water: flavoured water is a great alternative for a sugary fizzy drink and an even better alternative to alcohol and those high calorie summer ciders! The majority of flavoured waters are low in calories but just make sure you're having a double check.
Vitamin water: again, another sneaky drink that can be high in sugars and just have enough sugar as a fizzy drink - so it's not the smartest of swaps. If you feel like your body is lacking in vitamins and/or nutrients always look to find these in foods rather than high sugar drinks.
Mineral water: mineral water is basically water that is bottled at the source which you don't get with tap water. Minerals can include calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium to name a few. Mineral water is will have zero calories against it, the only downside is that it will come at an extra cost to you.
How to up your water intake throughout the day
Carry a re-usable water bottle everywhere you go: Think of a water bottle like your phone or keys, never leave the house without it! Water bottles can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours and a lot places like airports, train stations and shopping centres have a free use of water fountain for you to refill your bottles.
Add fruit to your water: you can get specialised bottles to infuse your water or you can do this with a jug at home and leave over night to infuse. Fruits like raspberries and strawberries are great for infusing alongside mint and cucumber to give you a refreshing taste.
Ask for tap water when you're sitting down for meals at the table ask for water. Tap water is legally free in the UK but most restaurants also offer still or sparkling mineral water too. It is great to sip on between meals and especially between drinking alcoholic beverages.
Download an app or set yourself a reminder: when you're not already drinking enough water it can be hard to remember to drink and you want to get yourself to a point where you're drinking water without even thinking of it. There's plenty of free apps to set yourself a reminder to keep hydrated, you can also log water in take in commonly used app like MyFitnessPal and FitBit app too.
Have a glass of water by your side: If I say 'don't think of an elephant' what do you do? You think of an elephant. Having a glass of water in eyesight will have you thinking about drinking water even when you're not being told to. If you're office is offering hot desking grab a desk by the kitchen or water dispenser.
I hope this blog post has made you run for a glass of water and I hope it has shed some light on why it is advised to drink lots of water throughout the day.
Still in the mood for some reading? Explore my popular blog posts below!
Comments