At Sanctuary Fitness, we keep our nutrition advise pretty simple for clients, and it can be summarized in just a few words: protein, veggies, fish oil, and water.
Of those 4 concepts, water intake is the simplest to explain, but occasionally someone will say “but I don’t like drinking water.”
I certainly enjoy ice cold water on a hot day, but there are times that I don’t feel like drinking plain water, so I can sympathize with this sentiment. So here are some suggestions for healthy hydration. Start with a good water filter at home, and of course use reusable bottles when on the go.
- Lemon/lime juice added to water – juice of half a lemon or lime added to a glass of cold water makes a very refreshing drink. Here is a convenient water bottle that already has a citrus juicer built in: Zing Anything. Also, you can boil a cut lemon in 2 cups of water to make a healthy detox drink full of limonene.
- Mint water – someone made a fortune of bottling this concept, but you can make your own easily. Add a few drops of mint essential oil to you water and stir, or add mint leaves and refrigerate overnight.
- Carbonated water – this idea can be combined with any of the other flavoring ideas, or add a few drops of liquid stevia to make your own soda. Make your own with Soda Stream.
- Tea – herbal, green or white teas are a great way to get hydrated. I like having tea in winter, but you can also do iced tea in the summer time. Keep it lightly sweetened.
- Any fruit or vegetable combination that appeals to you – I never got into cucumbers in water, but I have seen lots of people do it. Try whatever you like with your own infused water.
Note: Sometimes people don’t want to drink enough water because they aren’t absorbing it (feel like it is just sloshing around in stomach). In that case, adding a pinch of sea salt to a water bottle will help you to absorb the water better. Use just a pinch – you should not be able to taste it. Try Celtic Sea Salt.
Katherine Williams: Joy in Movement 