The #1 Way to Stay Hydrated All Day Long

Staying hydrated should be a primary focus of everyone’s wellness routine. Those in the fitness industry, especially Peloton instructor Ally Love, know this best.

“Hydration is so important,” Love tells EatingWell. “Small things create a huge impact, and hydration is such a small thing, but it’s really important to amplify it.”

In this exclusive interview, we talked to Love about her tips for preventing dehydration all day long—which was a fitting convo as she just announced her very own limited-edition water bottle collection with Contigo. Learn all about how the instructor keeps her water intake up, plus more on her new bottle line below.

Why Hydration Is Important

Not consuming enough water can actually have negative effects on your overall health.

“Being dehydrated actually has huge contributing factors to poor health,” Love says. “In your everyday life, you may have brain fog, it can cause headaches, it can cause chapped lips. It also impacts your emotions. There are moments where I’ve been testy, and sometimes it could be that I’m just dehydrated. We forget about those small things in life.”

There is plenty of scientific evidence to back up Love’s claims. A recent study shows the correlation between hydration and lower disease risk, suggesting that increased water intake can promote longevity. And keeping your body hydrated may help you maintain muscle mass, boost your productivity and lose weight, if that is your goal.

The #1 Way to Stay Hydrated All Day

So what’s Love’s top piece of advice for those looking to create a more refreshing routine? It’s scheduling your daily water intake. Here’s how she breaks it down.

“In terms of tips, one of my go-tos is my ‘rule of three’: before, during and after,” she explains. “When you are going for your workout, whether it is a low-impact recovery day, or you’re doing high-intensity interval training, you want to have that rule of three of hydrating before, during and after your workout.”

An easy way to quickly get dehydrated is by not drinking enough fluids on a physically active day. When you wake up, a glass of water should be a priority, according to Love.

“Even if you’re an early bird like me and you’re waking up at 4 a.m., you want to get up and hydrate right away before you go and start to sweat because you want to have something to sweat,” she says. Love goes on to explain why you should hydrate during and after your workout: “While you’re sweating, you want to make sure you’re getting that hydration in as much as possible throughout the workout. You don’t have to drink every five minutes, but don’t wait until you’re thirsty. And as soon as you’re done, start to hydrate.”

Drinking water post-workout is particularly important because your body will continue to lose fluid as you cool down, whether that’s through sweat or urination. Continue to sip water after exercise.

More Hydration Tips

There are more things you can do to stay ultra-hydrated throughout the day. Here are some of Love’s favorite techniques.

• Electrolytes: “I like to hydrate not just with water, but with electrolytes,” Love shares. If you’re prone to muscle cramps, headaches, fatigue and even constipation, you may need more electrolytes in your diet. Electrolyte powders are common, but there are also plenty of foods packed with electrolytes worth incorporating into your eating plan. 
• Set Timers or Reminders: If you often forget about drinking enough water throughout the day until it’s too late, Love’s practical advice includes setting reminder alarms. “Having those little alarms preset on your phone is something that I used to have to do when my days were really, really busy.” 
• Love Your Water Bottle: “Have a water bottle that you love, which is why I designed this collection,” she shares. “It’s important that you’re not just having a water bottle for functionality because you’ll forget that. If you have something that’s visually appealing, you’ll want to use it.”

Ally Love’s Exclusive Water Bottle Collection

Love is now Contigo’s first-ever Chief Hydration Officer, meaning she is ready to educate us on the importance of water in a healthy lifestyle (if you ask us, she’s already doing an amazing job!). To celebrate, she is launching a collection of stylish, practical water bottles with the brand—and to say she’s enthused is an understatement.

“When designing the collection, I didn’t want to compromise the functionality of it being leak-proof or physically accessible if you have sensory issues,” Love says. She designed her bottles with a non-slip grip base and a splash-proof sliding lid for this reason. “Some of my friends and family have sensory issues, and as my mother gets older, being able to grab that water bottle and have an extra grip so it doesn’t slip out of your hand was really important. It’s multigenerational and multi-accessible in that aspect.”

In 16-ounce, 20-ounce and 24-ounce sizes, the patterns include solid blue, orange and black as well as cow print. Love says that she is paying homage to the cowboy aesthetic trend popularized at Beyoncé and Taylor Swift concerts this spring and summer. These bottles will be marked at budget-friendly prices when compared to popular competitors, starting at $18.99.

“Luxury meeting accessibility is so important to me,” Love notes on the price tag. “No matter where you are, you’re getting something that is iconic, that is luxurious, but at a price point that you can afford because not everybody needs to buy the most expensive things.”

The first rollout of the Contigo x Ally Love water bottle collection will be available exclusively on Amazon starting Thursday, September 9. You can join the waitlist now on their website.