Up to 70% of the human body is water and it is a major component for optimal health and our survival, in general. But are you really getting enough of it?

Well, let’s listen to what research has to say.

As determined and recommended by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the adequate daily fluid intake for an average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate is about 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women.

While it comes easy for a few of us to get this daily recommendation, drinking water can be a boring, repetitive additional chore for many people.

If you are one of them, here are 10 simple tricks to help you drink more water everyday.

 

 

1. Know your own unique fluid needs.

 

Your body may require you to drink more water if you exercise regularly or live in a hot or humid environment so you have to deliberately listen to it.

Despite the daily fluid recommendation determined by NASEM, they also acknowledge the fact that we have to modify our daily fluid intake based on several factors like our lifestyle, environment, diet and overall health.

When you understand your body’s fluid needs, getting more water will be easier and more intentional overtime.

 

 

2. Set a daily intake goal.

 

One reason why we drink less water is simply because we forget to or we thought we had enough water for the day.

Setting a water-consumption goal is then your solution. It helps you track and record your consumption for the day and keeps you motivated to achieve your daily fluid intake target.

 

 

3. Use a marked water tumbler.

 

Investing on a marked water bottle is a fun and visual way to see your efforts and progress. Bonus points if the water bottle that you are using is your favorite so it makes you excited to drink water.

Make sure it is big enough to fit a whole day’s hydration and the measurement matches your daily water needs. This helps you hit your fluid goals throughout the day.

 

 

4. Replace other beverages with water.

 

Beverages high in added sugar like soda and sports drinks should not be in place of water for hydration.

They’re high in calories and can be a serious threat to your health. Fill your fridge with water instead and keep unhealthy beverages from your kitchen.

 

 

5. Drink a glass of water before every meal.

 

Another habit that does not only help you increase your water intake but can also help you lose weight is drinking one glass of water before your first bite to every meal.

It promotes feelings of fullness that decreases feelings of hunger and calorie intake throughout the day.

If you eat three meals a day, that is already three additional glasses of water to help you achieve your daily fluid goals.

 

 

6. Add flavor to your plain water.

 

If you dislike the taste of water,  add a little bit of flavor by steeping fresh fruits, veggie slices or herbs.

Play around with different add-in combinations and find one that suits your taste. You can search for inspirations from fruit-infused water recipes online or just experiment by yourself.

 

 

7. Eat your water.

 

Staying hydrated isn’t just about drinking water. In fact, “eating” your water in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables can help you keep your body sufficiently hydrated for a longer period.

Eating foods with a high percentage of water allows your body to absorb water slowly so the water stays in your body longer. Extra credits for the added vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – giving our bodies the nutrients it needs while also keeping us hydrated.

Below is a selection of fruits and vegetables with high content of water:

 

• Watermelon
• Strawberry
• Pineapple
• Orange
• Peaches
• Cucumber
• Tomato
• Celery
• Radish

 

 

9. Start your day with a glass of water.

 

Drinking one glass of water first thing in the morning is a great way to immediately rehydrate your body after an eight-hour sleep without any water consumption.

According to Dr. Michael Breus, a sleep expert and clinical psychologist, we lose almost a full liter of water every single night and coffee should not be the first liquid to pass over our lips but water.

 

 

9. Make transitions in your day opportunities to hydrate.

 

We do a number of things in a typical day and we can make these transitions into reminders to get a glass of water.

Whether you are going out for a walk, watching a movie or taking a break from studying, take the time in between to drink a glass of water before moving to another activity. Before you know it, you already reached your water goals from tying all these shifts in tasks into drinking water.

 

 

10. Reward yourself!

 

It is a good practice to celebrate small victories. It makes us want to keep hitting that goal and sustain that change until it becomes a routine.

Record your progress daily and give yourself a reward at the end of the week for drinking enough water and taking care of your health. There’s nothing more fulfilling than a treat for yourself after accomplishing something you set out to do.

 

 

 

Drinking water doesn’t have to be difficult. By understanding your body’s needs and incorporating fun in this seemingly boring activity, you can make drinking water less of a chore and more of a habit.

 

 

When you feel good about your body, it magically radiates in all areas of your life.

And whether the goal is to achieve a slimmer figure, maintain a healthy weight or manage a chronic disease, there’s truly power in being comfortable and confident in your own body.

Through the years, many big names in the entertainment industry have opened up about their weight loss journey and it never failed to wow the public.

Their huge transformation inspired so many to take a leap of faith and make a difference in their lives by starting with a change in their diet.

Here are four distinguished celebrities who proved that a healthy diet is not only good for your nutrition but also for your life, in general.

 

 

1. Rebel Wilson

 

Inspired by her efforts to get pregnant, the “Pitch Perfect” star declared and dubbed 2020 as her “Year of Health.”

She took pride in her weight loss journey after shedding 77 pounds that also dramatically improved her health, revamping all her lab and blood work results the best they’ve ever been.

“I was going through a fertility journey, and it was better if I was healthier, and I kind of wanted to be healthier anyway,” the celebrity shared in an Australian morning show.

The actress lost 35 kilos by following the Mayr Method, a hundred-year old diet approach based on healthy vegetables and high-protein foods. She also revealed how taking care of her mental health helped her slim down by managing emotional eating.

 

 

2. Simon Cowell

 

Since adopting a vegan diet in 2019, the America’s Got Talent judge revealed how insane the result was in his weight.

He lost 60 pounds in 12 months by cutting out red meat, dairy, wheat and sugar from his diet.

Simon Cowell’s diet efforts was incited by a health scare in 2017 after he fell down the stairs at his home in London due to low blood pressure. “Sometimes we get a reminder that we’re not invincible and this was certainly mine,” said the celebrity in an interview with The Sun.

He was then advised to make a complete makeover with his relationship with food and reduce alcohol consumption. “Within 24 hours, I changed my diet and I’ve not looked back since. You feel better, you look better.”

 

 

3. Kelly Clarkson

 

The songstress navigated her career with unsolicited comments about her weight throughout her stardom.

Despite the pressure to look thinner as a TV personality, Kelly unveiled that the change in her diet was not to trim her waistline but was just a side effect of her efforts to combat her autoimmune disease and thyroid problem.

In summer 2018, fans were quick to notice her slimmer figure after a number of TV appearances. The same year, she revealed that her 37-pound weight loss was a result of a restrictive new eating plan based on Dr. Steven Gundry’s best-selling book The Plant Paradox.

In his book, Dr. Gundry suggested the elimination of lectins from our diet, a protein responsible for many health problems such as leaky gut, weight gain, inflammation and thyroid issues.

“It’s a really great book that changed my life,” said the celebrity.

 

 

4. Jessica Chastain

 

This multi awarded actress switched to a plant-based diet and has been vegan for about 15 years after realizing how much better this diet made her feel.

“I found myself going to veganism because a friend of mine had a two week vegan food delivery program she wasn’t going to use, so I used it. Immediately I just had more energy than I’ve ever had in my life,” shared the American actress in a 2017 interview.

As a vegan since 2005, Chastain swears by the vegan diet and its health benefits.

 

 

 

Picking the right motivation in losing weight is already half the journey. Be it for more confidence, more energy, or more immunity, what’s important to keep in mind is that whatever positive change you want to instill in your health can greatly reflect in other areas of your life for the better.

The ‘Mediterranean Diet is often typecast as one that uses a lot of herbs and olive oil. This isn’t a misconception exactly, but it is a very limited description for a diet that’s actually pretty inclusive. And pretty darn delicious, too.

So, What’s the Mediterranean Diet About?

Let me preface this by saying that there are at least 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean, which means that you have to consider at least 16 different eating styles when talking about a “Mediterranean” diet. That’s not counting the cuisine, culture, ethnic, and agricultural variations among regions within each specific country.

Point is, there are definitely diet differences across these countries – which would explain why the Mediterranean diet is so extensive. Thankfully, it focuses on what the different regions have in common when it comes to food, food prep, and food preferences.

Here are a couple, to start:

•   Low to minimal servings of red meat
•   Low to minimal servings of processed food
•   Low to moderate servings of dairy products
•   Low to moderate servings of eggs
•   Low to moderate consumption of alcohol
•   Moderate servings of fish and poultry
•   Lots and lots of olive oil (primary fat source)
•   Lots of potatoes
•   High servings of vegetables, nuts, and seeds
•   High servings of bread and other grains
•   Fruits as a sweet/sugar source

Sounds simple enough, yeah?

It is.

And that’s why everyone’s talking about it.

 

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

1. Non-Restrictive

Despite the fact that fad diets and 30-day diet challenge programs are oh-so trendy right now (thank you, Tik Tok), no one can really stick to them. They’re limited, restrictive, and have way too many hard rules for anyone to truly enjoy them.

Some do, sure. But not a lot. Not most of the population.

The Mediterranean diet, in contrast, is more of a dietary guideline. It’s a set of principles and best practices that basically tell you what to eat, and in what quantities. It adopts more of an “eat this, eat that, don’t eat this if you can, and if you have to, only eat this much,” sort of tone.

Which, honestly, is quite refreshing.

Especially since most other diets are more of a “eat this much of this and don’t eat that. At all. No exceptions,” type of tone.

Also: no counting calories on the Mediterranean diet. Yay!

2. Heart Health

The Mediterranean Diet (guidelines) is based on the typical food patterns the 16 Mediterranean countries had during the 1960s. Statistics show this to be the Golden Era for that particular area. Life expectancy was the highest in the world in these countries, and chronic diseases related to diets were at an all-time low.

It didn’t take long for medical science to figure out the reason behind it. Removing processed food from your diet, limiting your red meat intake, and indulging in red wine instead of hard liquor are all steps that have been proven to reduce the risk of stroke and heart diseases.

A growing body of research also points to the positive correlation between the Mediterranean diet and improved levels of cholesterol and overall blood vessel health. And because so many approved dishes in this diet are high in fibre, you also minimize drastic swings in blood sugar – great for weight maintenance and preventing Type 2 diabetes!

3. It Tastes Great

Come on. Even though you’re cutting out red meat, you can’t argue with a diet that allows for potatoes, grilled salmon, and red wine! You can have Mediterranean pizza (who doesn’t love pizza?), sandwiches (just make sure it’s whole grain bread!) lasagne, and grilled lamb! This diet is said to be quite rich and satisfying, and it’s not hard to see why.

Rather than focus on the quantity of the food (aka calorie counting), the Mediterranean diet wholly supports focusing on the quality.

 

So if you’re tired of restrictive diets with all those ridiculous rules and hard-to-find alternatives, give the Mediterranean diet a try. We can say with confidence that it’s one of the friendliest diets out there.

 

“Intuitive Eating” is often referred to as the opposite of a “traditional diet.”

Rather than designing your meal plan according to a set of rules and dietary limitations, intuitive eating encourages you to do away with restrictions and eat according to how you feel. Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, even describe intuitive eating as a “non-diet approach” that helps people “unlearn” certain rules and expectations related to food.

What does this all mean?

Basically, intuitive eating is a nutrition philosophy that encourages us to eat whatever we want – and how often we want – without entertaining thoughts of social norms or internalized guilt.

But wait!

This doesn’t give you a free pass to overindulge, either. Intuitive eating practices encourage awareness of what you put into your body. You listen to your body for cues on when to eat, what to eat, and how much of it.

It’s honestly so simple, it’s almost ridiculous.

Eat when you’re hungry.

Stop when you’re full.

Eat food that makes you feel good emotionally and physically.

So why is everyone talking about Intuitive Eating?

1. Guilt-Free Dining

Why do “cheat days” or “cheat meals” exist?

Because we’ve equated certain foods as “bad.” We consider eating said foods as “bad behaviour.” So when we do indulge in the typical unhealthy junk food – pizzas, chips, nachos, ice cream, cakes, cookies, etc. – we feel guilty. We feel like we “cheated” ourselves somehow.

Intuitive eating removes the “good” and “bad” labels on food. When we subscribe to the principles of eating intuitively, we instead develop an awareness of which foods make our body feel good and which ones do not. And then we simply eat according to that awareness.

2. Delicious Dishes Once More

Once you remove the guilt and anxiety attached to food, you eliminate the subsequent feelings of self-worth. If you’ve ever been on a diet and found yourself subconsciously patting yourself on the back for turning down that slice of cake or that extra serving of pasta, then you’ve probably experienced the flipside, too. Mentally kicking yourself for having dessert on a “non-cheat day.” Or agonizing for days over how badly that one burger from McDonald’s could have messed up your macros and why did you eat it you shouldn’t have eaten it you know better-!

Yeah. This punishing way of thinking can really take away food’s flavour.

Intuitive eating helps you reprogram your beliefs about food, neutralising the resist-reward system diet culture has ingrained in us. When you’re no longer plagued by the concept of “good food,” “bad food,” you really start to taste and appreciate each dish’s unique flavour.

3. Reconnect With Your Body

Eating intuitively forces you to listen to your body. Again, it’s not about eating food that makes you feel good emotionally i.e., comfort food like chips, pizza, cookies, etc.

You can still eat those, of course, but trust me when I say that your body’s going to crave whole foods eventually. Vegetables, white meat, soups and broths, whole grains …

By following the principles of intuitive eating, you have to remove your preconceived notions about what you should eat and instead embrace what your body intrinsically tells you to eat. It’s a very wholesome experience that gets you to reconnect with your body.

 

To reiterate, intuitive eating is not a free pass to eat high-processed junk food 24/7 and simply write it off as “eating intuitively.” It’s also not a free pass to overindulge. Intuitive eating promotes achieving a healthy relationship with food – and subsequently optimised health – through a hyper-awareness of your body. Ultimately, it’s about balance.

We love hearing transformation stories and actress Rebel Wilson’s incredible 18kg (or 60 lbs) weight loss is no exception. She not only inspires us with her commitment to health but also her new sunnier outlook on life. 

She set a goal and achieved it, all through hard work and cleaning up her diet. We’re sure there was a lot more work to it than that but in the interests of keeping things succinct, here are 3 important lessons we can take away from her lifestyle change.

 

1. Leave off the Sugar

It’s no secret that overeating can often be a symptom of deeper issues. Wilson recently revealed her own struggle with emotional eating, sharing how she would consume 3,000 calories per day. 

“My way of dealing with it was just eating donuts,” she said after boldly making the decision to change her unhealthy lifestyle. 

Instead of eating those sugary treats, Wilson said she would drink a bottle of water instead. It takes discipline but if Rebel Wilson can do it, so can you!

 

2. Follow a Diet Plan

While there are many diet plans that promise a lot, however, simply eliminating junk food, reducing dairy and gluten and cutting your sugar intake can be a simpler way to approach things as the Mayr Method suggests. Rebel reportedly follows this method and it has been working its wonders on her.

 

3. Start Walking

“I want you guys to know that the majority of exercise I’ve done this year has just been me going out for a walk,” the 40 year old actress tells her fans through her Instagram account. “That is free, you can do it, it’s safe.”

Physical activity can improve your metabolism and help you burn excess fats. 20-30 minutes of moderate to intense activity 3-5 times a week can help you strengthen your cardiovascular and immune system which is great for your overall health.

Wilson also mentioned the importance of being accountable. Doing things in secret might leave you discouraged and downhearted. Instead, be open about your goals, talk to your coaches or dietitians, track your progress, or share your weight loss journey on social media.

 

Losing weight might sometimes seem impossible but if you keep these three steps in mind and continue with them at a slow and steady pace, you’ll lose those excess pounds and get to your goals. That’s a guarantee!

 

At Hearty Health, we love helping our clients stay on track and excited about their meals. If you’d like to know more about getting our freshly packed chef-prepared meals sent directly to you email us at hello@heartyhealth.com.au