Fritzy 22's Journal, 27 Apr 22

Watermelon, grapes and fresh pineapple all have high water contents. All fruits are good, though. If at all possible, drink a few glugs before heading out for your walk, and a few glugs when you get back. Dehydration makes exercise harder and more exhausting (plus can cause cramps). Could also try brewing tea and drinking it over ice -- there's a lot of fruit flavors available so you get the taste without the sugar. 

I hear you on the water - and I just read an article that reiterates what u said, ie, dehydration raises your heart rate during exercise, ie, harder to go long and longer to recover. Shoot for 64 oz a day at least, even more if u are hitting it hard 

I like beverages with flavor, too. My biggest source of water is coffee, actually. Tea works, herbal teas. A bag of mint tea in a large water bottle makes it a different experience. You might try making flavored waters in your fridge by adding cut up lemon, other fruits, or cucumber. A lot of options for adding some flavor without calories or artificial sweeteners  

I like to add fresh fruits, lemon, berries, mango, or mint to flavor my water. Served cold.  

I add flavor to the water, usually a hydration packet or an individual flavor packet. Currently using a squeeze product, fruit punch flavor. Yeah probably has more sugar than I really need, but the need to drink more and this helps out weighs that. Congrats on up the hill!! Soon you will be ‘OVER the hill!!’ 

I add lemon juice and a packet of black cherry unsweetened kool-aid powder to a half gallon of water. It is tart. If you don't like it that tart you can add stevia or sweetener of your choice. Lemon adds vit. C and is a natural diuretic. I usually get my half gallon in every day now. Never used to get near that.  

Good for you for getting out to walk☀️ 

Thanks Bananas! Those are 3 of my most favorite fruits. I did read that around 20-25% of our daily water intack comes from food. I take a bottle of water with me on my walks. Thanks Aaron - I don't think I am "hitting it hard" because I struggle to just get out for a daily walk. But I do try to drink 64 ounces of liquid, mostly water. Thanks Writingwyo - I read that caffeinated beverages aren't quite as hydrating as water - but I count my coffee too. Mint tea is the only tea I can drink (so far) without adding sugar to it. I forgot I have a water infusion bottle that I got as a gift a few years ago. I just pulled it out of the refrigerator. I like putting berries or lemon in it. Thanks Saigegirl! Thanks Daddy - I have a couple packs of Crystal Light - raspberry ice tea. It's probably not any better for me than diet soda but I am using up whatever I have in the pantry. I made a gallon of it yesterday and it's almost gone. I can easily drink a 16 ounce glass of it while it takes me all day to finish 16 ounces of water. And I am "over" the hill already! Thanks Slyone - I like tart drinks. Cranberry juice is one of my favorites but I rarely drink it anymore. Thanks Maguscanook - I had to force myself out for a quick walk this morning, but I did it. Only about 15 minutes because I wasn't up for the challenge of the hill and it was colder out than I expected. I am starting to feel guilty if I don't get out even if it's a quick walk. 

I drink hibiscus tea three meals a day. There are so many great teas, experiment. You can also sweeten your tea with SWERVE (erythritol) monk fruit sweetener or Stevia.. NOTHING WITH ASPERTAME in it. I wish I could like hot tea but I don’t, but I really like iced tea and have lots of flavors that I REALLY enjoy and don’t necessarily require any sweetener. 

Thanks Kenna - I have lots of different tea bags. So far the only one I can drink without sugar is mint tea and I prefer it sweetened as well. I like both ice tea and hot tea.