But what do you do if you don't really like the taste of water? I know that sounds silly to some, but I'm not keen on the taste of water when I'm drinking it in large quantities. Don't get me wrong--if I'm truly thirsty, nothing tastes as good as a cool drink of fresh water. But after my third or fourth glass in a row, my taste buds start to crave something with a little more pizazz. And this is when I'll usually make the switch to iced tea or something like that, and then my pledge to drink more water goes bye-bye.
So what do you do when you want to keep your New Year's Resolution to drink more water, but also want to give your taste buds a little sumthin-sumthin? You take a Hint!
I was lucky enough to receive some samples of Hint recently and I've got to say, even though my blog is devoted to budget-beauty, I felt compelled to talk about this brand here because, as I mentioned earlier, water is the key to beauty, inside and out. So what better way to start your new year off right than by taking care of yourself and treating yourself to a yummy, good-for-you drink? At around $1.50 a bottle (16 oz), it's about the same price as a premium bottle of plain drinking water, so really, if you're going to indulge in a nice bottle of water, it won't cost you more than what you're probably paying now--and you'll get a delicious fruit flavor to boot.
Of all the flavors I've tried, I have to say that my favorite is Blackberry. There's something about the taste of nice, cool water mixed with tart blackberry essence that makes me chug this stuff like there's no tomorrow. And talk about chugging without guilt--Hint is free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and calories. It's pure water with just a hint (get it?) of natural flavor.
Oh, and before I forget! If you've ever wondered what types of beverages they serve at swanky salons such as Oscar Blandi and Ted Gibson, wonder no more: they're serving Hint! Here are a few celebs who also enjoy this yummy treat:
Lauren Conrad
Miley Cyrus
I've also heard that the always-posh Victoria Beckham enjoys Hint on occassion. :)
So if you're like me, and find it hard to stick to your promise to drink more water this year, remember that you've got a healthy alternative out there, that just happens to be mighty tasty.
Have you tried Hint yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I think I'll just stick to water. When I go to school I always carry a bottle w/ me and the thing is: I can't eat anything without a beverage - b/c my mouth gets very dry. So when I eat lunch at school I def. reach for my water.
ReplyDeletendoodles: You're lucky that you can do it--I actually envy people who can *just* drink water and be totally happy with it. Unfortunately, I get bored with it, and that's when I veer off into beverages that aren't exactly good for me (iced teas, diet sodas, etc.). So I just wanted to show others like me that there IS an alternative if plain water gets a bit dull. :) But congrats on being so good about drinking your water--you've got the gorgeous, glowy skin to show for it! xo
ReplyDeleteIf I'm just drinking water it has to be ICE cold. None of the lukewarm business. I do drink a good deal of water and I find that just adding lemon slices or crushed mint leaves to a pitcher adds a hint of flavor. I also use the crystal light packets when get bored.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried Hint, but I have tried the Metromint stuff. It's very good, but I can't really rationale the price when I can flavor what I get from my fridge :)
The only downside is having to pee 24/7, haha!
as a girl who loves her milk, i get bored with water too- but drinking tons of herbal tea helps with that a bit. additions like lemons, cukes, and herbs can make water taste more refreshing.
ReplyDeletei have access to very cold water at work, which helps, and i too occasionally buy flavoured water to help me keep drinking it. also crystal light and protein water mixes help keep me hydrated and less munchy!
i don't really enjoy soda b/c we never had it around when i was little. it makes my nose tickle. i love coffee but it causes joint inflammation for me, and caffeine makes me sleepy!
I AGREE! I need to drink more water. These days I'm reaching for juice more than anything. :/
ReplyDeleteMy resolutions always include to drink more water and I never do because I actually HATEEEE the taste of water. And if I drink water it HAS to be at room temp.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to give these a try! I tried Vitamin Water and it was worse than regular water! To me anyway lol.
The way I get myself to drink water is to store my water bottles in the freezer so they get ice chips. If water is ice COLD and in portable form, I will take it with me and drink it. My little "trick" really has gotten me to drinking more water. But I cant do flavored waters for some reason. I alternate between water and crystal light. mmmm.
ReplyDeleteI love plain water. Ice cold is the best way to drink it. When I was in 7th grade my Science teacher asked me if I had drank any water. I said no. She said she could tell by looking into my eyes. Ever since I have drank mor water.
ReplyDeleteI also love variety. I drink different things like milk, juice, tea ,coffee, cocoa, cider,nog , soft drinks. I have tried Dasani Essence and like it. I'll keep a look out for Hint.
I'm a volunteer writer for wikiHow and there's a great article about how to drink more water:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wikihow.com/Drink-More-Water-Every-Day
(And no, I didn't write it.)
There are some good points there, like soup can count toward you daily water intake, and fruits high in water also help.
There's also:
http://www.wikihow.com/Love-the-Taste-of-Water (although I don't know if that would be helpful, if you get bored with water)
and
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Drinking-Water-More-Enjoyable
I have a fun fact for you! When I took a class in Motivation and Emotion while completing my psych degree, I learned that water will taste better or worse depending on how hydrated you are. Too much water is just as bad as too little, so your brain will tell you to stop drinking so much by making it taste less appealing. I always found that interesting. Of course, that said, there are other reasons why water might taste bad to someone... I love Brita water but can't stand spring water (it's the calcium in it... yuck). My favourite trick is to put a piece of cucumber in my glass. Freshens the taste right up!
ReplyDeleteThat is totally one of my new years resolutions as well! That and exercising more...which is even tougher to do considering the loads of excuses possible when you're in graduate school. I'd love to try some Hint, but I don't think $1.50 a bottle is going to work, lol. I buy my 24 packs of nestle pure life water for $3.88...I'm going to try and rough out the blandness for the sake of my poor student budget. lol
ReplyDeleteUmmm... do you ppl hate your kidneys? I mean - excess water is also bad. I get all my water from my food and drinks (soups, teas, juices, fruits), I feel no need to grab an additional liter or two of water every day. Maybe it's a warm climate thing? Maybe here in the freezing cold we do not loose so much moisture to the environment... Anyway - I do not really understand the water-craze.
ReplyDeleteIt's true, we don't need to drink the 8 glasses a day that have been drilled into our heads for years...because that 8 glasses actually includes all the water in the food we eat. Even Dr Oz (who I hate, tbh) agrees we don't need that much.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I live in what is usually a warm climate (so-cal) just like the Recessionista, and I can say it is certainly beneficial to drink water throughout the day, and also drinking water INSTEAD of other liquids that have calories and sugar. No one's saying drown your body. ;)
I've tried the Hint watermelon and thought it was really nasty. I too hate the taste of water so I'm always looking for alternatives. So far the best one I've found is crystal light. :) The white grape flavor is really yummy. I'm intrigued by the other flavors though so I might give them a shot. $1.50 a bottle is pretty steep though. :\
I haven't tried HINT. It reminds me a bit of Vitamin Water.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for sharing you thoughts about drinking water (and thanks so much to Elocina and Beeks for the great reference materials! I will definitely check those out). :)
ReplyDeleteSiilike: Um, I don't think any of us here hate our kidneys! lol. If you re-read my original post, I never recommend or advised HOW much water to drink, only that I personally need to drink MORE water, as opposed to less-healthy options like sweetened iced teas, diet sodas, etc. which don't do as much to hydrate as water does. This post is really just to let people know that there are other alternatives to water out there if you're trying to cut down on your diet soda, etc. intake.
As for the whole debate on how much water is too much, you're right and it truly depends on the climate and other factors. As Alyson said (thanks Alyson for having my back, btw!) I live in S. California where the potential for dehydration is much higher in the summer during heatwaves. I personally would rather force myself to drink water (or Hint, or other healthy alternatives like that) on hot days as opposed to going the easy route and drinking diet sodas, etc. which may taste good but don't deliver the level of hydration that's necessary.
And to anyone reading this: I would never tell you how much water YOU should drink per day. That's entirely up to you and I'm sorry if anyone misread this post as my recommendation on daily water intake. I don't think I ever even remotely alluded to that, but I guess I need to set the record straight. :)
A "secret" of mine is drinking unsweetened iced tea. It's a pain in the ass to find at convenience stores, AKA they don't sell it anywhere. I've been up and down the east coast and I've never been able to find it at any gas station. But they do sell it in HUGE cups at McDonalds for only a dollar, Wendy's is only a bit more expensive but has the benefit of not tasting old. I work at a restaurant and know that the "old" taste can be attributed to improperly cleaned brewing machines... ew!!!! Anyway, if you can find a good source of it, it is freaking amazing. Same nutritional content as water, but tastes like more than just water. It even gives you a subtle caffeine kick. It's an acquired taste, but if you love the bitter taste (like me) you're in luck!!!
ReplyDelete