I am a huge fan of stainless steel water bottles. I have actually amassed a pretty large collection of them in my attempt to find the "perfect" water bottle for me. (Easy to clean, keeps liquid COLD yet doesn't sweat on the outside, doesn't leak, no funny noises when I drink from it, etc. are a few of the qualities that I have been in search of.) Alas, all of my many water bottles seemed to fall short in at least one or more areas. I began to think that maybe the perfect water bottle just didn't exist. My hope was restored though once I discovered this beauty...
This is the Thermos Vacuum Insulated Hydration Bottle. This water bottle is soooo amazing and all of my other water bottles are collecting dust because I will ONLY use this one now. It is just that good. It never leaks or sweats water to the outside, it's easy to drink from, and very easy to clean. But it's best feature in my opinion is that it keeps liquid COLD!!! For hours and hours and hours!! On Saturday for instance I took a full water bottle with me to go shopping. I put 3 ice cubes in it before we left home and after spending 4+ hours in a hot car (it was in the 90s) it still had the ice cubes left in it when I took a swig. AMAZING!! I actually used this bottle when I ran the half-marathon too (I had a strap thing that I made work with this bottle rather than the flimsy plastic bottle it came with.) It probably looked like I was carrying some coffee with me, but I didn't care. I don't seem to get my thirst quenched properly unless I'm drinking cold beverages and this little bottle kept me in cold water from start to finish. If you can't tell, I am a huge fan of this little hydration bottle!!
This actually ties into the weekly challenge for this week....to drink water, and lots of it!! Water is an essential nutrient to keep our bodies healthy and performing their best. It helps keep your muscles and organs hydrated, cushions your joints, keeps your skin clear from blemishes, assists in weight loss, transports oxygen and nutrients to cells, eliminates toxins and wastes from the body, and regulates body temperature. Not getting enough water can make us eat more (confusing hunger with thirst), make our minds fuzzy and unable to concentrate and interfere with short-term memory.
Because of my active lifestyle, I aim to drink about 3 liters of water per day. I have a 3-liter container of water that I keep in the fridge and I just fill up my water bottle whenever it empties until I have downed all 3 liters. Your challenge for this week is to make sure that you are getting at least 8 cups of water per day and if you're active, try for even more (think 2-3 liters.) I know some of you may have a hard time getting in that much water, especially if you enjoy sodas and flavored drinks so do the best you can with this challenge. Aim for reducing your flavored beverages and increasing the amount of pure water you drink each day. You can also try adding in some lemon, lime, strawberries or kiwi slices to help flavor your water more naturally.
Time to DRINK UP this week!!
Talking Point: How much water do you typically drink each day? How do you make sure that you are getting enough?
This is another one that I find challenging, since I don't really enjoy water--especially when I'm not thirsty. When I'm being diligent about getting my water, I buy some of those big (32 oz) bottles of SmartWater. My goal is to down one with just water and then refill it and down the second one by the end of the day. Usually on the second bottle, I start mixing it with packets of Crystal Light or Propel just because I need some flavor by then. I did have my hydration level tested awhile ago and was happy to see that I am over 60% water, which is where you are supposed to be. (Of course, probably a good 50% of that was Diet Coke!) I'll try to get back on a water kick this week. It would help if we'd get back up in the 90's again!
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