Water is such an important part of your life and yet it still remains often overlooked! Body weight on average is 45 to 75 percent water, so maintain adequate hydration is very important. In addition to composing most of our body weight, water also works to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. It is essential for blood, moistening your eyes, cushioning joints and organs, sweat, gastric juice, saliva, and urine. It also helps to prevent constipation! But for many people getting enough water can be hard. Below are some ways to help get enough water daily!

1. First, determine how much water you need. Water needs are based on activity level, temperature, gender, age and body composition. The average adult loses about 2.5 quarts of fluid a day through perspiration, bowel movements, breathing, and urination. To avoid dehydration, Adequate Intake (AI) levels for males 19 and older is 3.7 liters. For women 19 and older, AI is 2.7 liters daily. Dark colored urine is a good indicator that you may need more!

2. Water can come from many places — fruits, vegetables, beverages like coffee or juice, and drinking water. Aim to include more foods high in water like lettuce, broccoli, watermelon, grapefruit, carrots, and apples into your diet. Increasing the number of soups you having in your weekly diet could be a big boost to improving water consumption.

3. Fill up 2-liter bottles of water every day and commit to consuming them. By visually seeing how much water you need to drink in a day and tracking it by being able to see how much you have consumed, you may meet your needs!

4. Pour or order a glass of water with every meal and make sure to finish it before you leave the table.

5. Try sparkling water. Many people report they find that they can consume more water if it is in a carbonated form. To avoid soda, try products like soda streams with a splash of fruit juice for flavor.

6. Fill up four water bottles before you leave every morning and make sure you finish them before you get home. Drinking water in the car, at the gym and at work can help you meet your needs.

7. Add ice cubes to smoothies! Even in a blended form, this can improve your hydration.

8. If you are a heavy coffee or tea drinker, commit to drinking one 8 oz glass of water between each coffee or caffeine drink you have.

9. Some people find that they will drink more water if it is cold or hot or room temperature. Find out what you prefer and fill up bottles ahead of time for the refrigerator or get a hot water kettle.

10. Add flavor to your water! Try adding cucumbers, lemons, mint, basil, fruit juices, stevia extract, orange slices, chilis, rosemary, or other fruits to your water to add some flavor! Get creative when you prepare water bottles ahead of time. How about a Rosemary Grapefruit infused water!?

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