Alternatives to water?`

lynnmc40
lynnmc40 Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone!
I am new here and excited to start this journey.
One of my problems is that I HATE water. Crazy, right? I try to force some down, but it is painful. I've been drinking the Sparkling Ice drinks, which advertise themselves as "naturally flavored sparkling mountain spring water". Is this a good alternative? Anyone have any other suggestions? Propel?
Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • kosuke081
    kosuke081 Posts: 69
    I had to work myself back into plain water. It took some time, while on the way I did sugar free on the go packets (Like crystal light, but the off brands). Plain water is still best, but adding flavor helped me get used to it again.

    Also, if you put some fruit slices into the water, that can help a lot. I like adding strawberry slices and orange slices. You don't have to add sugar with them.

    Hope this helps!
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    You can put fruit, herbs (such as mint), or vegetables like cucumber in your water... many people like the crystal light packets, or mio (I personally don't like), or other water flavor enhancers.... but I find that when I do any of these I eventually revert back to soda.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    That is the ultimate first world problem. You're not going to get much support on it. Just drink the water. As an adult you don't always get to do things you like. It's required for life.

    Good luck OP :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • DoctorCheeba
    DoctorCheeba Posts: 28
    I used to only drink Ice Tea and juice so I had this problem too... now I basically only drink plain water.
    But the best thing to do is add MIO (0 cal, liquid water enhancer), they have great tasting flavours. My favourite are Fruit Punch, Lemonade and Berry blast. Crystal light is a great one too, I never like the taste very much though.

    And if that still doesn't do it for you, try low calorie Gaterade (usually 40 cal per bottle, which is pretty damn good). Awesome stuff!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    That is the ultimate first world problem. You're not going to get much support on it. Just drink the water. As an adult you don't always get to do things you like. It's required for life.

    Good luck OP :flowerforyou: :drinker:

    ^This
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    That is the ultimate first world problem. You're not going to get much support on it. Just drink the water. As an adult you don't always get to do things you like. It's required for life.

    Good luck OP :flowerforyou: :drinker:


    Absolutely!!! How bad do you really want to loose weight?
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Anything that's wet.
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
    Have you tried bath water?

    Okay, serious answer. Try drinking tea. I have tea time twice a day and that just adds to my water intake. It also provides a much needed crack... I mean caffeine boost.
  • jakesfitness
    jakesfitness Posts: 123 Member
    umm... Lemon... water???
  • crandos
    crandos Posts: 377 Member
    ^^ Yea put some lime or lemon along with water give it bit of flavour.
  • aliceb39
    aliceb39 Posts: 84 Member
    I don't really like the flavored waters, though a little fruit (orange or watermelon are nice) is OK. Do you drink water when you're at a restaurant? If so, you may find that you'll drink more water if it's ice cold. That's what I figured out for myself. I use an insulated Tupperware tumbler at home (24 oz), fill it with 16 oz water and the rest with ice, and go through 2 or 3 at home after work. At work, we have a cold water dispenser, but as soon as the water drops to room temp, I stop drinking it, so I put ice in my work sports bottle. I have a pop-up on my computer calendar at work, telling me every 10 minutes to drink some water. That was very useful when I first started trying to drink more. Good luck to you!
  • GTAFrank
    GTAFrank Posts: 730 Member
    I used to only drink Ice Tea and juice so I had this problem too... now I basically only drink plain water.
    But the best thing to do is add MIO (0 cal, liquid water enhancer), they have great tasting flavours. My favourite are Fruit Punch, Lemonade and Berry blast. Crystal light is a great one too, I never like the taste very much though.

    And if that still doesn't do it for you, try low calorie Gaterade (usually 40 cal per bottle, which is pretty damn good). Awesome stuff!

    Wait? Lemonade MIO?? Where?!! Love that stuff.
  • lynnmc40
    lynnmc40 Posts: 8
    Thanks for the replies!
    well, I lost 33 lbs. 5 years ago without drinking plain water. But now I am 5 years older, and the weight just isn't coming off. I was drinking the MIO until my cleaning person told me it was one element away from what she uses to wash my floors. Then I went to Crystal Light ice tea. Which I liked, but drank so much of it I can't even look at it now. So now I am on the Sparkling Ice. It says it has vitamins and antioxidants too. This has got to be better than the diet coke I love, right?!
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    That is the ultimate first world problem. You're not going to get much support on it. Just drink the water. As an adult you don't always get to do things you like. It's required for life.

    Good luck OP :flowerforyou: :drinker:

    #bestreplyever hundreds of thousands of people around the world don't have access to clean drinking water. Suck it up buttercup!
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    beer
  • BHKLEIN
    BHKLEIN Posts: 104
    They have flavored powders that you can add to water. Check out the juice aisle usually by the kool-aide. They are really low in cals and give you lots of choices.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
    That is the ultimate first world problem. You're not going to get much support on it. Just drink the water. As an adult you don't always get to do things you like. It's required for life.

    Good luck OP :flowerforyou: :drinker:

    I don't think you travel very much, bro. I've travelled a lot, and in some places I'm more afraid of drinking the local water than anything else.
  • Cmclow84
    Cmclow84 Posts: 10
    Water itself...Mio and all those other water flavors have additives that can actually cause severe depression. DRINK THE WATER!
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    I know exactly what your problem is.

    Your brain is addicted to the stimuli you get from alternative beverages (e.g. sugar and carbs). You will have to retrain your brain. This is part of what I call: induction. Its the hardest part of starting a change in lifestyle. I chose a hard regime which was pure keto. But I've found a great deal of success with that approach in starting out. But induction is a universal for any major diet. After 4 weeks I've found its a breeze. But the first month was incredibly difficult.

    The hard truth is there is no way around it. Your going to have to exercise self-discipline and force yourself to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Do not use additives. Water is part of cleaning mechanism your kidneys use to flush toxins which is extra important in the beginning. Its also going to help you lose water weight. I know that sounds counter intuitive but since your body knows that water is plentiful it stops storing it. You will pee it all out! Yay.

    But you won't lose any considerable fat until 1) you burn all the excess crap (sugar and fat) in your liver with 2) a considerable caloric deficit and 3) start drinking water.

    Coffee is fine but beware of milk and other additives -- about 80 calories + sometimes. Stay away from juices ...Gatorade is great if your a 200 lb weight lifter. But its just empty carbs/calories for most people. Soda is the worst thing you can do to yourself. It increases your appetite. Diet coke is a diuretic that will dehydrate you and exacerbate the problem. Seltzer is fine. I drink lots of it because I like the carbonation. After I work out, I usually have a scoop of protein in my water to recover myself. Its a great way to kill those after workout munchies.

    I hope that you give it a try! Good luck.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    One of my problems is that I HATE water. Crazy, right?

    maybe, but you're not alone. there are tons of you lunatics here.

    hello-friend-you-should-drink-more-water.jpeg
  • lynnmc40
    lynnmc40 Posts: 8
    h
  • lynnmc40
    lynnmc40 Posts: 8
    Not sure how to take some of the comments - I won't apologize for struggling with this. Everyone has their own struggles. No one would be here if they didn't, correct? Mine is water consumption, and I shouldn't be made to feel guilty because some countries don't have clean drinking water. Some also don't have clothing, but that doesn't mean we should all walk around naked (ok, I'm sure I just opened myself up to some jokes here). I was just asking for some suggestions and wasn't really expecting comments like this, and being told to "suck it up". I am brand new here, just signed up today, and as i said, unsure how to take these comments. Think I will choose to think that everyone is trying to be helpful.

    To those with genuine helpful responses, many thanks!!!
  • isisbryan
    isisbryan Posts: 105 Member
    I drink plenty of water now but I didn't start out drinking an abundance of water. I started on this journey drinking water with lemon at restaurants. Then when I received my meal, I would order another drink. Wait Staff would keep my cup full so I was sure to get in a good bit of water. Now I only drink water at restaurants. I also bought cute cups to drink out of. I saw an idea that might help you get started drinking the amount of water needed every day.

    water bottle idea:
    http://evewaspartiallyright.blogspot.com/2012/05/crazy-smart-water-bottle-trick.html
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    I love water, so I can't relate at all. You can try lemon, lime, strawberries, cucumbers, mango, oranges, watermelon, etc. or a combo in your water. Put them in the night before and the water will be really tasty. Try some agua fresca recipes without the sugar (just google it). Tea is good. You can also water down juice or combine juice with carbonated water.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    ...dehydration?!!!!
  • neongoldie
    neongoldie Posts: 11 Member
    I swear by Mio. The Mango Peach is my favorite, but I love the Berry Pomegranate and Strawberry Watermelon ones too.
  • stonel94
    stonel94 Posts: 550 Member
    No, anything sparkling is not a good alternative.
    Try getting like liquid mio or crystal light and adding it to plain water and then slowly decrease the amount until you get used to it. It's not natural for the body to dislike water so you can learn to like it.
    Also for me it tends to be harder to drink a lot of water from like a cup, I use the camelback water bottles with the like sucky straw and it's so easy to just drink so much water without even noticing
  • stonel94
    stonel94 Posts: 550 Member
    Okay, serious answer. Try drinking tea. I have tea time twice a day and that just adds to my water intake. It also provides a much needed crack... I mean caffeine boost.

    DO NOT do this, if you're going to use tea as an alternative make it herbal as the caffeine will dehyrdate you which is the opposite of what you want drinking water.
  • lollipop4401
    lollipop4401 Posts: 9
    Water is the best! Try drinking it with lots of ice. Only, don't drink it right after you eat. Drink it about an hour after eating so it doesnt mix in with the food your body is trying to digest. If you do this then the your body can use the water faster and not have to filter it out. (don't put even lemon in the water or your body will have to filter out the lemon. Lemon is great to help train you to drink plain water.)The best time to drink water is right after you wake up. The flavored mixes are awful on your body too. Ever since I've started to drink plain water, I've noticed clearer skin and less headaches. Well, the choice is yours of what you put in your body, good luck!!
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    Hi everyone!
    I am new here and excited to start this journey.
    One of my problems is that I HATE water. Crazy, right? I try to force some down, but it is painful. I've been drinking the Sparkling Ice drinks, which advertise themselves as "naturally flavored sparkling mountain spring water". Is this a good alternative? Anyone have any other suggestions? Propel?
    Thanks in advance!

    I haven't read all the comments. Somebody else has probably made these suggestions.

    Another water hater here (unless it's over ice). However, water curbs hunger and is incredibly good for your skin, your immune system, and everything else in your body.

    (1) add fruit slices. Fresh lemon is my favorite.

    (2) buy a cool water bottle. I bought a beautiful (BPA-free) lime green water bottle that holds 32 oz. and keep it full of filtered water with fresh lemon. I try to drink 2 of those a day.

    (3) buy a water filter. Filtered water tastes 100 percent better than tap water. I've tried different filters and am currently using the pitcher kind (the kind you fit on the faucet seem to crack over time for me).

    Water is the best thing you can drink.

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