Hydration Hacks: Boost Your Fluids Before, During, and After Summer Walks

When I was a kid, no one talked about hydration.  No one carried 40-ounce tumblers around wherever they went.  Trying to bring a water bottle to class probably would have gotten us in trouble with our teacher—and, worse, the other kids would have laughed at us.  Other than the tiny milk carton that we had for lunch—and maybe a quick trip to the drinking fountain after recess—we didn’t pay a lot of attention to whether or not we were properly hydrated.  And now that I look back at those days, I wonder how our younger selves didn’t just shrivel up and dry out (though it could explain all of the headaches that I used to get on a regular basis).

Now, however, we know better.  We all know that we’re supposed to drink eight cups (or more) of water every day.  We know that while hydration is important for everyone, it’s especially important when you’re sweating through the miles on the trail—and even more important when things start to heat up in the summer.  So now we carry huge emotional support water bottles wherever we go—and we cover them in cute, colorful, motivational stickers.  But even with that water bottle always within reach, we still might struggle to stay hydrated.  After all, water may be healthy and refreshing and great for hydration, it can also be a little…boring.  Fortunately, I’ve been doing some reading into hydration, and I’ve found that there are all kinds of different ways to boost your daily hydration—and they don’t all revolve around drinking gallons of plain old water.

Kick Up Your Water

If you’re struggling with drinking all of that plain old water every single day, fortunately, there are some ways to make it a little less boring.  Add a little bit of flavor and vitamins with infusing your water with a little bit of fruit—even if it’s just adding squirt of fresh lemon juice.  (Healthy Human Life)  Or mix in your favorite hydration mix to give your water an extra boost of electrolytes.

Drink Up

Did you know that water isn’t the only beverage that can help you stay hydrated?  Of course, sports drinks and other electrolyte beverages can be great for speeding up the hydration process, though they can be high in sugars and calories (Healthline).  But other drinks will help, too!  Instead of all water, all the time, you can mix up your drinks.  Skim milk will help hydrate your body will throwing in added vitamins and nutrients—as will orange juice. (Healthy Human Life)  And while you may have been taught that coffee and tea are diuretics—which will cancel out the hydrating properties—they’ve actually been shown to aid in hydration in moderation.  So go ahead and drink your coffee—just don’t make it the only beverage that you consume during the day. (Healthline)

Fruits and Vegetables

When most of us think of hydration, we think about things that we drink.  It makes sense, right?  In order to get more hydrating fluids in our system, we need to drink them.  But that’s not necessarily the case.  Did you know that a lot of our daily water intake is actually supposed to come from the things we eat?  A number of different fruits and vegetables aren’t just loaded with great vitamins and minerals, but they’re full of water, too!

If you’re looking to eat to stay hydrated, choose fruits and vegetables that are high in water content—including iceberg lettuce (96% water), cucumber (95%), celery (95%), tomatoes (94%), watermelon (92%), and strawberries (91%).  (Healthline)

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

You don’t have to stick with raw fruits and veggies to boost your hydration at mealtime.  In fact, there are so many other great hydrating options to choose from.  You can start your day with a hearty, filling, and hydrating bowl of oatmeal, which soaks up all kinds of hydrating liquids during cooking (or, if you prefer overnight oats, while they’re soaking overnight).  You can even add an extra hydrating boost with some cut-up strawberries or other fruit. (MedExpress)

If you’re grabbing breakfast on the go, blend up a smoothie!  Most contain hydrating fruits and veggies.  My go-to recipe contains things like bananas (74% water), plain yogurt (75%), and spinach (90%). (Today)  You can check out this post for more of my favorites.

Throughout the day, you can stay hydrated by choosing to enjoy meals like garden salads filled with iceberg lettuce and watery veggies like cucumber, tomato, and celery.  Pair it with a flavorful broth-based soup (filled with even more hydration-friendly veggies) to add to the hydration benefits.

Cool, Fruity Treats for Hot Days

Hydration is definitely critical on hot summer days—and you can make your hydration more fun and festive by freezing your favorite hydration-friendly fruits into homemade popsicles or blending them into fruit slushies.  (MedExpress)

Tackling your daily hydration goals isn’t always easy.  Even if you absolutely love carrying a colorful tumbler wherever you go and sipping on plain water throughout the day, that’s still a lot of plain water.  And when the temperatures get hotter and you need even more fluids to stay hydrated in the heat, it takes a little extra effort—and a little extra creativity, too.  But I hope that these tips will help you stay hydrated before, during, and after your walking adventures this summer.

Do you have any hydration tips—or a new one that you’re going to try?  We’d love to hear them!  

 

Kristin

Kristin has been hitting the trail (or the treadmill) for a walk almost every day for the past several years, and she recently completed her first half marathon. She loves sunny fall days, cushy walking shoes, and coconut caramel iced coffee from Dunkin.

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *