Healthy Habits - Fitness and Weightloss

I often find myself challenged to drink more water, especially if I have fallen out of the habit.

Here are a few tips that I've found helpful.

• Purchase a few glass water bottles that you can keep in the fridge and sterilize once in awhile, or replace them every so often. Fill them at night so that you have them ready for the next day. Drink them. No thinking or counting involved. I have two 750ml glass Perrier bottles that I like to use. If you prefer plastic, purchase a water bottle and be sure to dump anything you haven't drank through the day every night and give it a rinse. Fill it and put it in the fridge the night before for a quick solution in the morning.

• Drink flavoured water or carbonated water to get you into the habit, then slowly work up to straight water.  I add a bit of juice, but lemon or a slice of cucumber to freshen it up is good too. I like lemon club soda as well - that's ok to use as a crutch until you are back in the swing of things, but it's not a good permanent solution because of the salt content and the carbonation can be hard on your stomach. If you are drinking fake sugar flavoured water, aim to use them to get you in the habit of drinking more water, but don't make them a permanent solution either. If you are using any additives in your water, be sure to clean your bottle daily.

• Carry it with you. If you work at a desk, get it out of the fridge in the morning and take it to work and keep it at your desk (if you have more than one, you can store the other in the fridge). Get in the habit of taking a bottle with you when you travel, just be sure that you have a bathroom break scheduled somewhere along the way!

• Enjoy the healthy glow that you will notice almost right away, the renewed energy - water can be a better pick me up than coffee, and watch those pounds start slipping away if you are following a proper diet and exercise plan - when I am stuck, I am almost always not drinking enough water - either because I am dehydrated or eating more instead of drinking water - it makes a huge difference.

It always amazes me how much more water I drink when I simply need to go to the fridge in the morning and put the bottle on my desk. It's only 9:45 and I'm already over half way through my first bottle.

It seems that the biggest habit to get into is that one - get your water first thing and have it nearby. The rest seems to take care of itself.

Here's another article I wrote about getting in the habit of drinking more water that you may enjoy. (alas, my new fresh water bottle disappeared one day, it's where abouts are presently unknown )

Freshen Up Your Water Bottle