Proper hydration is one of the key components to living a healthy lifestyle. When stuck at home during isolation, it can be easy to let this slip. With the current quarantine in place many are being forced to switch to at home workouts affecting their usual routine. A break in the routine can cause a rift in what were normally good habits. Now more than ever it is imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle to limit any potential health risks.
Sticking to a Hydration Schedule
Knowing how much water you are drinking throughout the day can help keep you on the right track in terms of your hydration. With a reusable water bottle, you can easily track your daily consumption needs and plan accordingly. One way is to make a goal to reach a certain level of the bottle by a certain time. Making a mark on the bottle with the assigned time you need to reach it will give you a visual goal to attain and work toward throughout your day.
Drinking Flavored Water or Other Liquids
One thing that water is lacking from many desirable drinks is taste. Some will say they flat out do not enjoy the taste of water. This can easily be remedied by adding slices of fruit or cucumber to your water and infusing it with a flavor you enjoy. Even drinking coffee and tea can add to hydration while giving you a boost of energy, though too much of a good thing can actually have adverse effects. Increasing milk and juices not high in sugar are another good way to keep yourself on the right track. Fruit smoothies and protein drinks commonly used as meal replacements can also act as an alternate to water and provide hydrating qualities.
Increase Foods That Aid in Hydration
Aside from drinking liquids, food can also be a good source of water to help with hydration. Increasing fruits and vegetables that are high in water content will help with at home hydration. Melons and citrus fruits are high in water and provide a refreshing snack during the day, especially in warmer climates. Grapes are also a great snack and can be frozen to add a refreshing treat on a hot day. Vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes are also high in water content and go well with most dishes.
Monitoring Fluid Loss with Physical Activity
When exercising, it is common to lose water in the body through sweat. Drinking water before, during and after workouts will ensure that you are not losing key hydration and sodium loss. Keeping track of sweat loss can be done by weighing yourself before and after each workout to see if there is much disparity. This would be most helpful for more difficult workouts when there is an increased amount of sweat loss.
Limiting Alcoholic Beverages
During quarantine, alcohol sales have increased as people are stuck at home, trying to stay social through virtual events. Even though it is a liquid, alcohol can actually dehydrate you. Alcohol is considered a diuretic, meaning it removes the fluids in the blood through the renal system and is removed as waste through urine. Limiting alcohol will make sure that there is not an increase in removal of fluids and help retain hydration levels achieved throughout the day.
Now more than ever is an important time to develop healthy habits and decrease any potential risks of hospitalization. Hydration is an easy way to keep your health on the right track and can be done with minor changes to your lifestyle. Good habits developed now will enhance post-quarantine lifestyles going forward.
Abby Drexler is a contributing writer and media specialist on behalf of Fitness19. She regularly produces content for a variety of health and wellness blogs.
