6 Signs You Aren’t Drinking Enough Water

Most of us realize that we need more water when the weather is hot and humid, but it’s just as important in the cold temperatures when we are bundled up and it’s snowing outside. Water makes up more than 60% of your body’s composition. Every system in your body depends on water. Drinking water has been shown to help with weight loss, organ function and skin health.

Water Recommendations

The Institute of Medicine recommends an average of 3.7 liters (125 ounces) per day for healthy adult men and 2.7 liters (91 ounces) per day for healthy adult women.

Here are the 6 signs you aren’t drinking enough water:

1. Dry mouth: Drinking water helps lubricate the membranes in your mouth and throat, which will continue to keep your mouth producing the saliva that you need.

2. Dry skin: Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so of course it needs to stay hydrated. In fact, dry skin is one of the earliest signs of full-on dehydration.

3. Weakness during exercise: Your muscles are ~70% water and your lungs are ~83% water. Therefore, when you are dehydrated your ability to exercise is greatly affected. Your muscles will feel weak during exercise and your cardio strength will be diminished.  Drinking water before, during, and after a workout will help you stay hydrated and comfortable.

4. Low urine output: Drinking lots of water helps aid your body to continuously flush out any toxins through urination. Your kidneys work to filter waste products, and without water it cannot filter properly.

5. Overly lethargic and fatigued: Water makes up majority of your body and helps transport oxygen around the body. When you are dehydrated your body has trouble transporting enough oxygen throughout the body.  You will feel less energized and tire easily.

6. Constipation: When you are dehydrated, the colon will use up the water that would have been used by the intestines in the digestive process causing hard stools that are difficult to pass.

Tips to Drink More Water

You can easily incorporate drinking water into your daily routine by drinking a glass as soon as you wake up, drinking 8 to 12 ounces of water before each meal and 8 ounces before bed to stay hydrated during the night.

Always carry a full water bottle with you and set an alarm every 30 minutes in your phone as a reminder to drink some water.  Foods like cucumbers, lettuce, celery, watermelon, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, grapes, and zucchini have a high water content.  When you eat these fruits and vegetables, you’ll also be “drinking” water!

Jazz Up Your Water

Do you get bored drinking plain water?  Here are some things you can add to jazz up your water!

• Fresh lemon or lime juice

• Small piece of fruit, like honeydew

• Teaspoon of unsweetened cranberry concentrate

• Sliced cucumbers

• Few dashes of an edible essential oils

• Lavender flowers or any other edible flowers

• Herbal tea bags

• Few mint leaves

When your body has the fluid it needs, you will feel better, rest better and have more energy to keep you going.

Your turn to take action: What will you do to increase your water consumption this week?  Let me know in the comments below!

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