How I keep hydrated

  • Ali

Hydration is so important for maintaining your energy levels.

I stay hydrated by drinking two plus litres of filtered water through the day. I find I often reach for a snack thinking I’m hungry when I feel tired but I’m actually dehydrated so it’s good to make sure you’re drinking enough to stop yourself from eating when you don’t need to.

I’ve noticed that I can often reduce the onset of a dehydration headache with a Rehydration drink - my favourite is Phytosport Rehydration from Arbonne as it is plant based and contains no nasty chemical ingredients. It’s perfect for busy days when you haven’t had the chance to sit down with a drink or had the chance to keep nipping to the kitchen to get a top-up. You can save 20% on all Arbonne products when you join as a Preferred Client, so contact me if you’d like to know more.

Before I started on my clean eating journey, a can of fizzy drink or cola used to be within reach. Can you imagine - nine teaspoons of sugar in leading brands! The sugar is unnecessarily high and there’s plenty of other options if you’re just after something sweet, from fresh fruit to a chocolate protein shake.

Now when I fancy something other than water, for a real pick me up I reach for an Arbonne Energy Fizz stick. My favourite flavour is Pomegranate but Miss H loves the Citrus fizz sticks so try them both and see which you prefer. They contain B vitamins, Ginseng and Green Tea plus a small amount of natural cane sugar making them a great pick me up. 

As well as fizzy drinks, it’s also easy to forget the amount of sugar in soft drinks or fruit juices, although some of it can be natural sugars, large amounts of sugar can be difficult for our bodies to process as we get older or if we’re more sedentary. Unmetabolized fructose (fruit sugar) can leave you feeling lethargic so it’s best to avoid large volumes of it.

These days, it’s water all the way for me.  I love it and if I’m feeling a little bored with it I jazz it up with some fresh fruit, herbs or vegetables. I love citrus in my water bottle, or strawberries when they’re in season. Strawberry and mint or mint and lemon, or even mint on its own is super refreshing. Don’t forget the classic of cucumber and mint, or cucumber on its own too. Ring the changes and get excited about H2O!

Then there’s the mid-afternoon coffee or tea break that requires some re-thinking too. I gave up caffeine from tea and coffee three years ago and have never looked back. I do love the smell of coffee and happily make an espresso for anyone at home but I never touch it. For me the smell is now better than the taste – it’s a case of having drowned out the bad stuff with the good stuff and I never crave it anymore. It just takes a little bit of time so keep at it and don’t give in! It’s also great to remember that a Green tea or herbal tea will also hydrate you far better than a coffee ever will when you have a bit of a craving.

Whatever you, make sure you’re drinking plenty and avoiding unnecessary sugar or caffeine –you’ll feel much better for it. If you have any questions about how I like to keep hydrated or how I managed to say goodbye to coffee and fizzy drinks let me know!

Best wishes,
Ali