Cameron Diaz's Easy Stay-Hydrated Secret

In Cameron Diaz’s new title, The Body Book, she reveals the easiest health trick ever: waking up each morning and drinking a bottle of water first thing.

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“Once I drink the water, I feel it immediately,” she writes. “I go from being a wilted plant to one that has been rejuvenated by the rain.” While Cameron’s explanation sounds awesome (if a tad hippie-ish), we asked a nutrition expert to break down how rehydrating in the morning really affects your body.

“Water is so crucial when it comes to weight loss and overall healthy living—but most people’s first drink of the day is coffee,” says Heather Bauer, R.D., founder of Bestowed, a Birchbox-like concept for healthy foods.

Diaz’s morning ritual definitely falls in line with the advice Bauer gives clients: “You need eight cups of water a day, and I always recommend drinking at least 32 ounces by lunch,” she says. Why? One of the biggest benefits of staying hydrated is that it helps rid your body of the sodium it absorbs when you eat salty foods. So if you get a few cups out of the way early in the day, Bauer says, you start that process sooner. Just make sure it’s flat water—seltzer, sparkling, and other unnatural varieties come with various drawbacks (like bloating and/or added chemicals).