I feel like this is a constant battle with so many people in my life.  My parents, my husband, my friends!  It’s really not that hard it’s easily accessible, it doesn’t require you to sweat or to deprive yourself, and most times it doesn’t cost you any money! You just have to DO IT!  What am I talking about?  DRINKING WATER! 

Water is so important for your health – can’t emphasize this enough.  I aim to drink 8 to 10 cups of water a day for numerous reasons.  Not only do I enjoy drinking it, but I know all the reasons why I should.  But before I get into that, coffee, tea and soda do NOT count as water.  Anything that tends to dehydrate you does not count in your daily water intake, and in fact another cup of water should be added for every cup of dehydrating beverage you decide to drink.  At least that’s my rule of thumb.

Forming a healthy habit of drinking water can seem hard at first but you just need some discipline to stick with it.  Many people are discouraged because in the beginning you feel like you have to go to the washroom every 5 minutes.  But if you stick with it, eventually your body will get used to drinking lots of water and your bathroom trips will be less frequent.

I drink water all day when I’m at work (I keep a 750ml bottle next to me at my desk) and I always have a glass close by when I’m home.  I even take one to bed with me!   Most nights I don’t wake up to drink it but I always reach for it when I wake up.  Most times when I go out to eat I just drink water and nothing else.  Maybe people think it’s because I’m cheap (I am), but really it’s because it’s the healthiest choice.  I’m already eating out, why add extra calories with a calorie heavy beverage?

Drinking water keeps your energy up, your digestive system intact and is just great for your overall health.   Don’t believe me? Keep reading as I quote what some “experts” have to say.

Here are some reasons why you should drink water

(taken from http://www.allaboutwater.org/drink-water.html):

• Water is absolutely essential to the human body’s survival. A person can live for about a month without food, but only about a week without water.

• Water helps to maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and regulating appetite.

• Water leads to increased energy levels. The most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration.

• Drinking adequate amounts of water can decrease the risk of certain types of cancers, including colon cancer, bladder cancer, and breast cancer.

• Water leads to overall greater health by flushing out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease.

• Water naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance.

• Water aids in the digestion process and prevents constipation.

• Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.

What is the best way to drink water? 

Personally I don’t think it really matters as long as you get it in you daily, but here are some tips that I read online by Dr. Willie T. Ong.

• Drink water when you wake up. Your body loses water while you sleep, so drink a glass before you go to sleep, and another glass when you wake up. You are naturally thirsty or dehydrated in the morning. Drinking water in the morning helps flush out the toxins that have accumulated all night.

• Drink 8 to 12 glasses a day. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 120-pound individual needs 8 cups of water a day, while a 190-pound person would require 12 cups daily. Dr. Robert Tanchanco says that we should monitor our urine color and keep it on the light side. However, drink only a maximum of 16 glasses a day, and not more.

• Drink little by little throughout the day. It is preferable to sip water throughout the day rather than to drink two glasses all at once. This will lessen the stress on the heart (especially if you have heart disease) and give your body more time to absorb it.

• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re probably already 2 glasses below your normal water needs. Elderly people are also less sensitive to the body’s need for water.

• Drink water, not soft drinks, alcohol or coffee. Some experts believe that tea, sodas and coffee can be potentially dehydrating. Moreover, the high phosphorus and sugar content in cola drinks can lead to conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes. One study shows that adults who drank six cups of coffee daily experienced mild dehydration. Drinking alcohol is much worse because it actually dehydrates you by making you urinate a lot.

So for those of you who drink 1-2 cups a day, start drinking more!!  Improving your health isn’t just about losing weight, it’s about creating healthy habits for your insides and sticking with them.  Making small healthy changes is the best way to create healthy habits.  If you try to make too many lifestyle changes at once you may feel deprived of your old lifestyle and eventually revert back.  So try increasing your water intake slowly while decreasing your coffee intake.  Your body will thank you!

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