5 Ways To Drink More Water + Lemon Cucumber Infused Water Recipe

Do you indulge a little too much over the weekend?
Well if so you're in luck because today we're talking all about water and why it's so important... especially when your desperately craving a full body detox.
Let's get right into it!
We've all been told that drinking water is good for us, but never really been given the details like how much we should drink or why it's even so beneficial to our health.
So today we're getting to the facts.
How much water should you drink in a day?

• I'm not a doctor, but a quick and easy way to create a daily water goal for yourself is just dividing your weight in half. For example, I weigh 140 pounds, so I divide that in half, meaning my daily water goal should be around 70 ounces Obviously if you're very active your body will probably need more, but this is just to get a very general goal. If that math is too much, just remember the 8 x 8 rule, which is to drink eight 8 oz cups of water a day to equal about 64 ounces total. ***Please note that half your body weight and the 8 x 8 rule are not backed up scientifically. They are simply general recommendations for people to aim for to prevent dehydration.

But I thought I just needed 8 cups of fluid per day?

• This is my favorite question EVER! So many people think that their morning orange juice, diet soda, coffee or sports drink counts toward their recommended daily water intake. Let's clear things up right now...IT DOESN'T! You need at least 8 cups of PURE water daily, which I understand can be incredibly challenging, so stay tuned for some tips on getting in more water!

Why is water so good for you anyway?

• Do you have time to read an entire novel about my thoughts on this? I'm such a psycho about drinking water that I drink at least 200 ounces daily. Partly because of my running/ hot yoga, but mostly because staying hydrated keeps my entire life in balance. Here are some of the top reasons you should drink more water:
• Increases your energy- If you're one of those people who is always tired and can't figure out why, think about how much water you drink in a day. Your brain is made mostly of water, so staying hydrated will keep you focused, alert and incredibly energized.
• Headache relief- Do you get headaches every afternoon? It may not be that you need another cup of coffee...it's probably that you need some water. Being dehydrated is one of the main causes of headaches, so next time you start to feel a headache coming on, skip the extra cup of coffee and drink water instead.
• Flushes out toxins- Yes please! Drinking water helps your body excrete toxins through your urine and sweat. Cheers to that!
• Helps with weight loss- Again, yes please! Staying hydrated not only increases your metabolism but also helps keep you full, making it less likely you'll be snacking on crap between meals. I highly recommend having a glass of water with every single meal and water between meals as well.
• Aids in digestion- Feeling bloated? constipated? You may simply be dehydrated. Water helps your body digest food and keeps things regular!
• Saves money- I'm super cheap and hate spending money on soft drinks when I eat out. I'll take the FREE water cup please! 
• Prevents muscle cramps/ fatigue- People who exercise, I'm talking to you! Staying hydrated helps prevent muscle cramps and helps your muscles function at the best of their ability. If you've ever tried to exercise while hungover and your body just doesn't work...hello dehydration.

5 Ways To Drink More Water:

Now that we've established how much water we should be drinking and why it's so important, it's time to get into the HOW!
How on earth does someone go from drinking maybe 3 cups of water a day to half their body weight in water?
IT'S HARD!
Most people I know wake up, drink coffee, get to work and drink more coffee, go to lunch and have a diet soda, come back to work and get another cup of coffee then get home and are exhausted because they haven't had a sip of water all day.
And yes, I get it; people are busy at work, in meetings, flying on a plane or whatever but there really is no excuse not to take care of yourself.
Here are 5 tips that will help you drink more water:

1. Invest in a reusable water bottle- Sounds silly but you'll never drink enough water using those tiny little plastic cups. I highly recommend purchasing a reusable water bottle that holds anywhere from 20-40oz of water. That way, it's easy for you to keep track of exactly how much water you drink in a day and you can bring it with you so you'll never go without water on a busy day. My favorite water bottle is this one by Hydro Flask. It seriously keeps ice in there for at least 24 hours. I have a 40 oz. one and drink about 4-5 daily.
2. Try it sparkling- I know, I know... I know some people just hate the taste of water and that's why they prefer to drink juice or diet soda. Trying sparkling water that doesn't have any added sugar or calories is a great way to stay hydrated and make it a little more enjoyable. I did a post awhile back on Soda Alternatives and my boyfriend swears that Perrier sparkling water is one of the BEST soda alternatives out there.
3. Set goals/ timers throughout the day- Some  days I get to work, put my head down and BAM it's 2:00 pm. If this sounds like you I highly recommend setting an alarm on your phone say every 2 hours to get up and have a drink. This will train your body into actually craving water on it's own. As for goals if you know you need to drink 80 oz of water in a day try breaking it up...20 oz in the morning, 20 oz in the afternoon, 20 oz at the gym then 20 oz in the evening. It will make it a lot less overwhelming.
4. Consider using an App to track your intake- Great Apps to use are Waterlogged  and Daily Water, or if you're more old school like me, I just use a pen and paper and make tally marks in my day planner. Really hold yourself accountable to drinking more water; I promise it pays off.
5. Infuse water with fresh fruit, herbs or veggies- This is my favorite way to drink water! I always fill a big pitcher with water and throw in random fruits, veggies and herbs to infuse the water and add some 0 calorie flavor. This is great to keep at home and they even make water bottles now with an area to put fruits in to infuse your water on the go. I'm currently obsessed with the combination of cucumbers, lemons and fresh mint in my water. See recipe below!

Lemon Cucumber Infused Water:

This really isn't a recipe and feel free to use any combination of fruits, veggies and herbs!
You need:

• A large pitcher
• 2 lemons 
• 1 whole cucumber
• 1 bunch of mint
• Ice
• Water

Directions:

1. Wash lemons, cucumber and mint. Cut up lemons and cucumbers into disks and just tear the mint leaves off the stems. Place all ingredients in the bottom of the pitcher. 
2. Then fill the pitcher about half way with ice!
3. Fill the pitcher with water, stir everything up and store in the fridge. For best results let it sit at least 1 hour before drinking to really let those flavors infuse in there.