Water works

The Institute of Medicine recommends women get about 2.7 liters of water per day. While that may seem like a lot to swallow, it's crucial for nearly every bodily function, says Lisa Dorfman, R.D., a Miami-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. To up your water intake, Dorfman offers these simple tips:

TOSS IN FRUIT. You'll want seconds when your drink is flavored with slices of lemons, limes, kiwis, or strawberries. (And don't forget that most fruits and vegetables are 75 percent to 95 percent water.)

DRINK HERBAL TEA 30 minutes before every meal. (Make it a glass of cold or a cup of hot, whichever you prefer.) Not only will this satisfy almost a third of your daily water requirement, it will also help control your appetite.

FILL UP TWO WATER BOTTLES before you hit the gym: one to empty during your workout, the other to polish off afterward.

ADD A WATER-FILTERING COOLER to your kitchen. It'll serve as a helpful reminder to hydrate throughout the day, and you'll avoid as many as 260 tap-water contaminants detected in a recent Environmental Working Group study.

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