Why You Need to Drink More Water In Winter

I'm not a huge fan of water in winter, especially this year! It's been an absolute battle for me to get even half the recommended daily dose the last few weeks. 

Can you relate to this? I've come up with 5 easy ways to help you ditch that dry habit and help your body, and skin, get the hydration it needs. 

Hydration 101: As most of you know, your skin is the largest organ of the entire body. Interestingly enough, the skin is the last to receive moisture since the body prioritizes your vital organs (such as your heart, kidney and liver) to get hydrated first. 

So if you're like me, you might not feel as thirsty in the winter, but for your skin's sake you actually need more hydration.
TIP: If you want to learn more about seasonal weather and skin, read this fantastic blog post by Chey, the owner of Black Chicken Remedies.
 
1. Start your morning with a nice long drink
All night long we dehydrate, so in the morning we often look, and feel, like a dry sponge! Start the day with a nice long drink to help you replenish what was lost over the last 8 hours of sleep. 

2. Track your sips
Most devices have a way to track your water intake nowadays. Fit Bits are great, and you can also use your iPhone to track your daily pogress. If you're really bad at remembering, you can even set a silent alarm on the hour (or whenever you want) to vibrate on your wrist, gently reminding you when it's time for more H20.

3. Drink more tea
I know quite a few people who just really dislike drinking water. Period. This becomes even more difficult to conquer in winter in a cooler climate. Your first option is to switch to drinking room temperature water if you haven't already tried that. Drinking tepid water is better for you anyway. If that still sounds unappealing, try tea. Tea is always fantastic in winter, I mean, you can't beat a cuppa on a cold day. Remember tea has about 1/3 as much caffeine as coffee, so don't overdo it. Another delicious and healthy alternative is hot water/very warm water with the juice of half a lemon and raw honey. It's so delicious, good for gut and very invigorating. 
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4. Tantalize your tastebuds
If water doesn't sound good, try to take it up a notch. Flavoring your water with fruit and herbs is a deliciously easy way for you to make water more interesting.
My fav combos are:
Strawberry + basil
Cucumber + mint
Pineapple + mint
Cucumber, lemon + parsley 

Lenanne Ward, The Fitness Dietitian, has just released some super nifty infusion bottles that have an inbuilt diffuser for your favourite fruit or herbs. They are BPA free, 950ml and only $22.

5. Eat foods with high water content
Ok, so this is doesn't really count as "drinking" your water, but it still works in my book. It's easy to forget that fruit and veggies have a ton of water in them too. Try eating lots of fibre as well a foods with high water content as this will help to keep your body nourished. Not sure where to start? Some foods with high water content are: grapefruit, watermelon, cherries, grapes, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and celery. 

Do you always drink like a fish, or have you noticed a drop in your water intake this winter?

EMK x