Water! Water! Water!

One of the things that I have always known (at least I don't recall not knowing it), is how important hydration is for you. Especially, when you are trying to lose weight and when you are maintaining an active life and working out.

You know, one struggle that many people have is that they sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. I know, it sounds crazy, but it is true. I once was told that if you are trying to lose weight and you feel like you are constantly hungry, try drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry, wait 1/2 an hour and if you are still hungry, then you likely do need to eat, but if the hunger goes away, it likely was dehydration. I'm not sure of the science behind this, but I do know that there have been times where a glass of water has helped me no longer feel hungry. (Here is a mention of this on LiveStrong)

As a member of Weight Watchers, I know that they have made changes over time to what counts towards your 8 glasses of water a day, but the reality to me is that even if I can count milk, juice, coffee or whatever as part of my water, but I still have to count those points. So, I have a tendency to rely on good old water to fulfill a majority of my glasses of water each day.

Experience has showed me that when I am drinking my water, I have more success in my weight loss. I strive hard to drink the 8 glasses a day. I love water. I can drink it straight from the faucet, it doesn't need to be ice cold or anything. But, as with many things, variety is the spice of life and without it, things get old. I do need to mix it up occasionally to help maintain that target of 8 glasses per day.

But, there are times where I really want some flavor. I kind of like having something fruity to drink with my breakfast and I need a flavored beverage with pizza and with popcorn. I used to have a glass of orange juice to start my day and a can of soda every time I had pizza and popcorn. I'm not a big fan of alternative sweeteners for my soda (perhaps they are better with some of the new sweetener options out there, but from my childhood I just remember the terrible after taste that diet/low calorie sodas had) and have always been a full calorie soda drinker. Being on a weight loss journey, this simply doesn't work for me (although, an occasional splurge does happen - at 3 points, it's not awful but certainly not something worth it on a regular basis).

I have found alternatives that have helped me. A while back I started using many of the different drink sticks to help me flavor my water. They work really well and I keep a few in my purse just in case. My challenge here is that I have really only found two flavors that I like and well, honestly, I feel like sometimes I need a little variety in my life.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try Fruit2O Essentials. "Fruit2O Essentials is a simple, refreshing beverage choice that promotes a healthy lifestyle because it combines several nutrients found in two servings of fruit, with the hydrating benefits of zero calorie water." Fruit2O Essentials come in six different flavors - Cranberry Raspberry, Strawberry Kiwi, Peach Mango, Citrus, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Cherry Acai. Each variety has it's own set of vitamins and minerals. I like that it is ready to serve and that it is fortified with nutrients and fiber (1 g per serving) that I need in my diet.

Would you like to learn more? You can check out the Fruit2O Essentials webpage or become a fan of Fruit2O on Facebook to find tips, share small changes that have made a big impact on your health and to learn more about upcoming tours and product coupons. Fruit2O Essentials are available as single bottles and as 15-packs at club stores.



Would you like to try Fruit2O Essentials? Courtesy of Fruit2O and MomSelect, I have the opportunity to giveaway a one month supply of Fruit2O Essentials to one reader of A Busy Mom of Two.

How to enter: Leave a comment sharing a small change that you are making to live a healthier life.

The giveaway will remain open until April 21st at 6pm. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and once posted, will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. It helps if you leave an e-mail (or include it in your profile), so that I can send you a notification in addition to simply posting it on A Busy Mom of Two.

Getting my recommended daily water intake, mixing it up with variety in water flavor, works for me on my weight loss journey. This post was shared at Works For Me Wednesday.

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided with bottles of Fruit2O Essentials to try so that I could share my experience, courtesy of MomSelect and Fruit2O.