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Don’t like water? Yeah, me neither. But you know water is crucial to a healthy body and mind, right? Yeah, it still doesn’t make it taste any better. How about water alternatives?
Finding Water Alternatives
Hydration has been a huge goal for me in the past few weeks. I’ve joined an end of the year challenge, where the founders recommend you drink half your body weight in ounces every day. Say what? That’s a lot of water.
I bet you’ve heard similar guidelines, most commonly the 8 glasses a day idea. Whichever you go with, its tough. Through much trial and error, I’ve discovered 4 water alternatives that quench my thirst and make this former Mountain Dew drinker happy, along with a few other tips that I’ll include at the end.
Let’s check them out:
1. Flavored Water
Did you just roll your eyes at me? I get it, I’m tired of seeing all the elaborate recipes on my Pinterest news feed too. But please hear me out.
I needed to find something to trick my mind into thinking I was still sipping that wonderful, sugary soda. Weeks ago I even started watering down my pop in anticipation of cutting it out completely. This worked rather well, and my water recipe isn’t too far off!
For you citrus pop drinkers, try a few drops of lemon juice and lime juice in your glass. So simple, but when ice cold, it’s very satisfying and makes my sweet tooth happy.
If you’re a Coke or Dr. Pepper fan, toss a maraschino cherry with a splash of lime juice into your water. Just try it.
Notice how there were no dicing, chopping, mulling, or vegetables involved? The easier it is, the more likely you’re going to stick with it.
2. Tea of any kind
This is still a work in progress since I still sweeten my cups of tea with honey, but it’s not pop. If you don’t have a favorite brand or flavor yet, try some out!
Tea is relatively inexpensive and grocery stores usually carry an impressive variety.
One thing to be mindful of is the caffeine content if you choose this drink later in the day. There may be decaf options available in your preferred flavor.
3. Coffee
Since I like a generous splash of creamer in my coffee, this again isn’t the best choice for me, but it just may work for you.
Yes, I’m aware that coffee is a diuretic, but I’m not drinking it all day and I don’t recommend you do either. In conjunction with my other suggested water alternatives, I stay sipping on something, and that’s what counts.
Again, please be mindful of the caffeine in the evening hours. Decaf can taste just as good ;D
4. Milk
I grew up in a family that served a glass of milk with dinner each night. It’s a tradition that I was quick to break when I started my own family since I was an adult and could drink pop with the spaghetti I cooked if I wanted to.
Not only does milk give me my daily dose of Vitamin D and Calcium, but it can be quite refreshing.
If you’re lactose intolerant or have other milk issues, find a substitute that works for you. I’ve tried almond milk and love the chocolate versions!
Drinking Tips
These may or may not work for you, but experiment until you find your own way.
- Use a Straw. I’m sure there’s been research done on this idea, but I know that I personally drink more when I have a straw available.
- Ice it down. Anything tastes better cold, even tea and coffee sometimes!
- Ditch the sweeteners. Fruit and fruit flavors can take the edge off of a craving until you build a strong habit.
- Get a special cup. Splurge on a fancy or pretty new glass or bottle.
- BYOB. Bring your own bottle of water (not beer) when you’re out so you’re not tempted to grab a soda or go thirsty.
Increasing your water consumption or eliminating soda may seem daunting, but is possible when you have other options available. If you have another favorite beverage that you think my readers would love please message me or comment below! I’m always up for trying new things!
