Water for hydration

[TuksTuki]

Hi, I'm 46 and I'm not a fan of drinking water. Can you guys suggest a better replacement for hydration.

[WinglessOne]

Hi @TuksTuki ! Upfront disclaimer: I’m not a dietician or medical doctor, and you may wanna talk with one about your water intake. 

Do you like watermelon? It’s a great source of water. It’s not a 100% replacement for drinking water, but it’ll help keep you hydrated. If you have a medical condition that needs a restricted sugar diet, watermelon might even be a better choice than other hydrating raw fruits (oranges, cantaloupe, etc.) that contain more sugar per gram. One of my favorite things is cubed watermelon & tomatoes mixed together as a 2-ingredient fruit salad, plus a little salt & pepper. 

If you love lettuce as much as I do (I can eat a whole head of romaine as-is, no dressing necessary 😅), some of those are good water sources—though less hydrating than fruit. 

Staying hydrated is more of a challenge for me now that I’m in my 50s. Lately I’ve drunk less coffee than I used to, and it’s obvious that coffee was a main water source for me. Iced espresso helps: espresso can actually contain less caffeine than a regular cup of black coffee, surprisingly. (Variables apply there.) If you’re a coffee drinker and still do Starbucks, order an iced espresso with 1-3 shots (depending on time of day, to give your body time to process that caffeine before bedtime) in a grande or venti cup with extra ice and an extra splash of your choice of milk (I’m a soy milk drinker). An iced macchiato also works. Both cost much less than other espresso drinks and will hydrate you. 

[danielledanielle]

@TuksTuki 

I was long ago forced into drinking water by a family member.  Not recommended 😂, but I find having the water bottle visible always helps.  I sorta credit her to why I drink water, so some nostalgia is present, too.  Maybe get one if those bottles that has little phrases on it like "keep it up!". That would be a positive version of my experience.

I also add like to my water, I like the taste of it over lemon, but both work.

If that's not for you, thankfully, you can be hydrated with a lot of different beverages if you aren't a big water drinker.  Herbal teas, sparkling water, milk and even juice (careful with quantity)are all pretty hydrating.  (Even coffee and black/green tea are hydrating, just not too much of those since caffeine does make you go to the restroom more and may keep you awake . )  Foods like yogurt, soup (broth based) and fruits are pretty hydrating, too.

A good "recipe" I learned was using a splash of juice with seltzer/sparkling water.  You can add other things to it, too, like lemon slices and kind of turn it into a mocktail.

[SportyGirly125]

@TuksTuki @Have you tried adding fruits to your water or ice cubes with fruits?