7 ways to keep yourself hydrated this winter

Winter is here! You might find yourself often reaching out for snacks and food every couple of hours. But how often, if at all, do you reach out for a bottle of water?

Winter is a time when water intake tends to reduce substantially. Since the weather is cold, you don't usually feel thirsty. Sometimes, thirst is even mistaken for hunger. This leaves your body massively dehydrated.

So, what exactly are you supposed to do when you just don't feel thirsty at all? The answer is simple: drink water and employ some of these simple strategies that could substantially boost your water intake. You may not be able to incorporate everything overnight, but over a period of time, these could become habits.
Get an app
There are many apps that actually keep a track of your water intake and even remind you to drink water from time to time. Install one of these on your mobile phone. Chances are it will go off right in the middle of meetings or while you're stuck in traffic. But after the first week or 10 days, it will help you get into a routine and you will be able to assess your aqua needs better.
Never leave home without water
Make it a point to carry a sports bottle every time you leave home. In fact, make sure you have a couple of bottles in your car, on your workstation in office, inside your bag. Keeping bottles of water will ensure you remember to drink water from time to time, thus increasing your consumption substantially.

Add flavour to your water
Infusing lemons or berries or any other fruits of your choice with water is a great idea to make it quite palatable. When you finish the water once, you could top it right up at least two or three times before you eat up those fruits and vegetables as an extra boost of nutrition.
Two for one
Every time you have a cup of tea or coffee, make it a point to have two glasses of water a couple of minutes later. That way you keep your insides as well as your skin and hair hydrated.
Water therapy
Kickstart your day guzzling a litre of water first thing in the morning. This will not only boost your metabolism, you will also feel a lot more energetic throughout the day. You will also experience significant weight loss within a few weeks, which will be an added bonus.
Night therapy
Before going to sleep at night, make sure you drink at least 500 ml of warm water. This allows your body to heal itself, and ensures your body is rejuvenated.
Alkalise your body
Opt for the least acidic and sodium-laden water. Choose spring water to ensure the alkalinity of your fabulous aqua intake. This will eliminate inflammation from your joints, muscles and entire body.
So get drinking a small bottle at a time and build up every week.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com