Progress Gym - 20 tips for hydration (part 2)

11.      Be prepared for the worst case scenario- we can never predict 100% of the time what life is going to throw at us…but we can be prepared for most occurrences. Keep a case of bottled water in car- in case you’re caught in traffic/called out at short notice/it’s after hours and you can’t find a shop open. Keep 500ml bottle in your rucksack- in case you’re locked out/are caught without cash to buy fluids. Keep a bottle in your locker- in case you didn’t have time to drink during your shift. Be prepared!

12.      When at home/in the office- leave a glass of water primed for when you walk past it. Stunningly simple, seriously effective. Committing to preparing the drink and putting it somewhere visible removes friction….this works!

13.      Use a timer- if you find you can get lost in work/play, for hours at a time, and don’t consume fluids it might be worth setting an automated reminder. Use whatever form of reminder works for you- app/stopwatch/computer. When the timer sounds- get drinking!

14.      At the gym- increased activity levels mean increased fluid loss, through sweat and exhalation. So keep the fluids flowing whilst you’re training. If you’ve been chronically dehydrated previously, you won’t believe the difference to your energy, stamina and pump once you start hydrating effectively. More effective workouts mean more progress!

15.      Consider cutting down your caffeine- caffeine has a diuretic effect on the body, ie it encourages us to excrete more water as urine. By cutting down on our caffeine intake, we can help our bodies to retain more water. If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, consider replacing every other caffeinated coffee drinks with decaf options, or a good hit of water

In the evening

16.      Pi$$ed off with interrupted sleep?- Drink the bulk of your fluid intake prior to 18:00 and void bladder directly prior to getting in to bed

17.      Make it neat- if part of your routine is to drink protein and/or CBD before bed, consider using less fluid in your protein shake and gummies/drops instead of a CBD drink

18.      Get a head start- now is a great time to make things easier for the next morning and prepare tomorrow’s first drink…put in a shake/bottle a splash of lemon/lime juice, a few twists of Himalayan pink salt and water. Start with 500ml and up the total by 100ml each time it starts to feel easy. I’m up to 1200ml upon waking and this has done wonders for my hydration and energy levels

19.      Prime your fridge- if you like your fluids chilled, number and fill 6 bottles or shakers with your drink of choice. Place in the fridge and you’ll not only get the drink chilled, but you’ll also get the satisfaction and motivation of knocking through the numbered, pre-prepared container.

20. …and if you do happen to wake up- if you have to make a ‘toilet stop’ during the night, place a shaker with protein powder near the sink. After hands are washed, add water to the shaker and neck down 20-50g protein. This will help you hydrate and recover more quickly from your workouts