How's your water intake been lately?  Mine has been kinda sporadic.  In winter we don't get as thirsty so we have to make more of an effort to stay hydrated.  It's easy to get busy and go all day without drinking much water at all.  So I've decided to create a water drinking strategy/schedule specifically to harness as many benefits as possible.  Drinking water is good for you but drinking more water at the right time is next level. 

DRINK WATER FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

If you're one of those people who let the day slip by without drinking much, my advice is to start your day by drinking a full liter of water.  This little habit will benefit you in several ways.  

1. Drinking water first thing in the morning is the perfect way to increase your daily water intake.  I like to drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day.  It's really hard to fit in 3 liters if you don't start drinking early.  When I start my morning with a full liter, I'm 1/3 of the way to my goal.  Even if I don't drink much water throughout the rest of the day, I've still had much more than if I skipped my morning bottle.

2. If you drink a full glass or bottle of water first thing in the morning, you kick start your digestion.  This time of year, our circulation slows down and one of the easiest ways to increase blood flow and circulation without actually moving your body is by drinking a full glass of water.  If you have sluggish digestion, I invite you to start each morning by flooding your body with hydration.

Once your first bottle of water is gone, make a mental note to drink throughout the day in between meals.     Basically, you start losing the water you consume pretty quickly.  If you aren't taking extra trips to the bathroom, you're losing fluid simply from the act of breathing.  I read that we lose about a cup of water a day through our breath. 

Imagine that.  

To make matters worse, our body will try desperately to supplement its water intake by cranking up your food cravings. So if you're trying to avoid mindless snacking throughout the day, keep your water bottle nearby.  Drinking water before meals has been proven to help us lose additional weight beyond just dieting alone.  This could be because drinking water is such a no-effort way to boost your metabolism.