How To ACTUALLY Stay Hydrated: 3 Things You Can Do Right Now!

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It probably won’t shock you to hear that hydration is VERY essential to your health. We’re always told to drink more water, and for good reason—we literally cannot survive without it. Our bodies use water for everything: from lubricating our joints and regulating our body temperature, to aiding our digestion and ridding our bodies of toxins. About 60 percent of our body weight is water, and since we’re constantly losing it (through urinating, sweating, talking, etc.), we need to be conscious of and vigilant about refilling our water stores throughout the day.

Now, I understand that drinking water isn’t exactly what I’d call “exciting.” Many people find it a laborious task, and because of that, their health tends to suffer. Thankfully, chugging water isn’t the only way (or even the best way) to keep yourself hydrated. Here are a few simple ways to keep your hydration levels up: 

1. Eat more vegetables 

Believe it or not, a lot of vegetables are made primarily of water. (I mean, it makes sense when you think about it, right? They’re grown from water and sunshine!) “Eating your water” through vegetables is an easy way to increase your hydration without having to chug tons of water. Can you only eat vegetables and not drink any water? No. But the advantage that eating hydrating vegetables has over drinking plain water is that they’re packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber! These vegetables have the highest water content, according to My Food Data: 

  • Lettuce

  • Celery

  • Bok choy

  • Radishes

  • Cucumber

  • Zucchini

  • Watercress

  • Tomatoes

  • Green bell peppers

  • Asparagus

  • Portabella mushrooms

  • Swiss chard

  • Cabbage

  • Okra

  • Cauliflower

  • Spinach

  • Broccoli

And like I always say with vegetables, the more you can fit into your diet the better!

2. Eat more fruits

Surprise! Fruits have water in them too. Vegetables have a higher water content, but when you want something sweet and refreshing, fruit is the way to go. Like veggies, fruit has lots of fiber and vitamins to offer too. Here are the most hydrating fruits: 

  • Watermelon

  • Strawberries

  • Grapefruit

  • Cantaloupe

  • Peaches

  • Asian pears

  • Blackberries

  • Papaya

  • Nectarines

  • Plums

  • Oranges

  • Apricots

  • Pineapple

  • Raspberries

  • Apples

  • Blueberries

  • Mangoes

Source: My Food Data

3. Start your day with a smoothie 

By far the easiest way to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet is to have a smoothie as a meal or snack. Why? Because smoothies are blended! You can pack a high volume of fruits and veggies into them—usually more than you could eat in one sitting. Plus, they’re delicious when you know how to make them. These are my general guidelines for smoothie making: 

  • 1 to 1.5 cups of berries (1 cup if using a different kind of fruit)

  • 2 cups of spinach (any kind of dark leafy green can work, but I like spinach best)

  • ½ a banana, frozen

  • 1 to 2 cups of liquid (or more, depending on what consistency you like for your smoothies. I use unsweetened almond or oat milk)

  • 1 tbsp healthy fat (nut butter, chia seeds, flax seeds, etc.)

  • [optional] 1 scoop protein powder (if I’m having a smoothie for breakfast, I like to add protein or greek yogurt)

Throw everything into a blender and adjust as you go! If it’s too thick, add more liquid. If it’s too thin, add some more chia seeds, spinach, or frozen fruit. If you want a little more sweetness, add a drizzle of raw honey. Whatever you think the smoothie needs, add it. (Just be mindful of the sugar content!)

4. Vary your liquids

Finally, my favorite tip: Vary your liquids. When people tell us to “stay hydrated” we assume this means water only, but it doesn’t. If you love tea, have a cup of tea! If you like fizzy drinks, pour a glass of plain sparkling water and add some lemon or lime juice. Drink some bone broth or make your own green juice at home! As long as you aren’t overdoing it on caffeine or drinking sugar-filled drinks, there’s no reason why you can’t add a little variety to your modes of hydration. Once you experiment and see what you like, you can build hydration into your everyday routine. For example, I start every morning with warm lemon water, I have a glass of sparkling water with lime in the afternoon, and I end each night with a cup of decaffeinated tea. That’s three cups of hydration right there, none of which are plain water. 

Above all, the best advice I can give you for staying hydrated is to be aware. It’s easy to let the day get away from you and to go hours without a single sip of water. (I know, I’ve been there!) But like most things in life, when we apply a little mindfulness to the situation and become aware of the changes we want to make, it’s amazing how much we can transform our health.

Until next time… stay hydrated!! 

Xo, 

Renata