Sunny Sips: 8 Hydration Challenge Ideas For The Summer
With the summer fun, sun, and sweat that’s just around the corner, it’s time to talk about our need to drink water and stay hydrated.
Yet the summer months are full of other more refreshing drinks (or so we tell ourselves!), like lemonades and light beers, and water can end up taking the back seat.
Stay Hydrated and Reward Yourself
Staying hydrated is a challenge. But it takes a lot of hard work -- a lot of time -- before you see the results you want. Stay motivated and reward yourself with our In Real Life Achievement IRLA Hydration challenge medals. Get a series of five medals that mark your milestones for drinking more water. As you set more goals and make progress in challenges, your IRLAs give you the motivation to do more and more.
Given the health risks that come from spending time outside in the summer sun – like heat exhaustion and dehydration – it’s worth figuring out a way to keep the water flowing.
To help, we’ve come up with eight summer hydration challenge ideas that are fun, easy to do, and will help make drinking water a daily habit. Let's dive in and find out how to make staying hydrated this summer a breeze.
6 Things Most People Miss About Staying Hydrated In The Summer
Staying hydrated in the summer is about more than just drinking liquids when you feel thirsty. There are a number of points people often miss about staying hydrated during the summer, including the following:
-
Underestimating the amount of water needed - Though the recommended amount of water intake is 9-13 glasses per day, the heat and sweating that happens during the summer means your body may require even more water.
-
Waiting until you feel thirsty - Thirst is not always an accurate indicator of hydration status. By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated, and this can happen much quicker when the weather is warm and the sun is shining.
-
Relying on sugary or alcoholic drinks - Drinks like soda, sports drinks, and alcohol are certainly more enjoyable to drink, but they can end up leading to dehydration if not balanced with actual good old-fashioned water.
-
Not celebrating their achievements - In one sense, the reward for staying hydrated is a body that feels normal and operates like it should, and that may not be motivating enough to last the whole summer. That’s why these hydration challenge medals are so effective – they give you a tangible, real-life medal to mark and celebrate your progress.
-
Not hydrating before and after physical activity - Many people forget to drink water before and after physical activity, which can lead to dehydration (see the next point) and fatigue. Hydration and replacing lost fluids should be as important to your workout as the warm-up and the cool-down stages.
- Ignoring the signs of dehydration - Dehydration can lead to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. If these symptoms are ignored, it can lead to more serious health issues like heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
8 Summer Hydration Challenge Ideas
1. Sip, Sip, Hooray!
With the summer heat, it's important to stay hydrated to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion, whether it’s a casual trip to the park or a full-day festival.
Stay on your game and challenge yourself to drink your recommended number of glasses of water every day for a week.
2. Fruity Frenzy
‘Tis the season for fresh fruits, so why not take advantage and make that water you should be drinking a little more interesting? Add in strawberries, lemon, and lime to make it more flavorful and enticing.
Not only will this help you stay hydrated, you can give your body a little boost with some much-needed vitamins and minerals.
3. Mug’s Up
Drink a mug of herbal tea every day to stay hydrated and cool down on hot summer days.
Chamomile, mint, and hibiscus teas are great choices as they have cooling properties and are caffeine-free.
4. H2O on the Go
Carry a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go and aim to drink at least half of it before lunchtime.
This challenge is perfect for those who are always on the move and need a reminder to drink enough water.
While some of you might think this means you’ll have to go to the bathroom more often, or that you might “break the seal,” remember that breaking the seal is a good thing!
5. Soda Swap
Challenge yourself to replace any sugary beverages like soda and energy drinks with water for a week.
This challenge will help you cut down on unnecessary calories and improve your overall health. If this hydration challenge is too extreme, see our Fruity Frenzy challenge for a way to keep the flavor without so many of the artificial additives.
6. Hydration Nation
Join forces with friends and family to challenge each other to drink enough water every day.
Encourage each other to stay on track and make it a fun competition (or even a group weight loss challenge!).
7. Water Your Plants
Plants get thirstier over the summer, too! If you’ve got plants in your workspace, this hydration challenge is meant to remind you to take care of yourself and your greenery at the same time.
For each day of the week, choose a plant, and then give it a drip or two of water from each bottle you finish.
8. Sweat It Out
Make sure to replenish your body with water after a workout. Challenge yourself to drink at least two glasses of water for every 30 minutes of exercise. This challenge will help you stay hydrated and energized during your summer workouts.
Even if you end up sweating more, don’t sweat it – sweaty workouts are a good sign!
