Add flavour to your water without the added sugar or calories by infusing it with fruit and herbs!
Optimizing water intake is one of the first things I have clients focus on when they first begin to improve their fitness and nutrition.
Approximately 60-70% of our body consists of water and since we are constantly losing water through urine, sweat, breath and bowel movements, it is important to drink it daily for your body to function properly. Water helps your body to:
- Maintain blood pressure and blood flow
- Operate digestive processes
- Move nutrients throughout the body
- Eliminate waste products and toxins
- Decrease constipation
- Protect and lubricate the joins, organs and tissues
- Regulate and maintain body temperature
- Metabolize fats
When you don’t consume enough water, your body secretes a hormone which causes it to hold on to fluid and suppress thirst. When you consume enough water extra fluid and sodium is released and normal thirst returns.
Note that thirst can often be mistaken for hunger as your body starts to ask for anything that may have fluids in it so if you feel hungry but aren’t sure, have a glass of water and see how you feel.
If you aren’t used to drinking water regularly, you might find it tastes ‘boring’. This is a common complaint, and understandable if you normally only drink flavourful beverages. Your taste buds are used to being stimulated and lets face it..water doesn’t necessarily do that.
As with everything, your body adjusts and, over time your taste-buds will too. In the meantime one great strategy to hype up your water is to infuse it with fruits and herbs.
Fruit & Herb Infused Water
Making infused water is easy if you have a fruit infuser jug or water bottle (like the one pictured here filled with berries), however you can also just use a regular jug or mason jar if you like.
Start by choosing what flavor you want, wash and chop your produce and simply add it to your water.
You can increase the intensity of the flavour by adding more produce and/or letting it all soak a little longer. Play around with it and find what works for you. Some items (like cucumber, melon, citrus fruits and mint) will add flavor almost immediately, while other items like rosemary, berries, apples and ginger will need to be crushed/mulled or soak overnight.
Infused water can sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, but to prevent bacteria growth, you should store it in the fridge after that.
Here are some fun infusion combo ideas:
- Lime & Mint
- Blackberry & Sage
- Watermelon & Rosemary
- Raspberry & Lime
- Cucumber & Lemon
- Blueberry & Basil
- Grapefruit & Jalapeno
Choose your flavor combo. Let the mixture infuse for at least 2 hours or overnight for full flavor. Strain it into a water bottle or glass and enjoy!
Are you looking for more tips to keep you motivated and on track to reach your goals, willpower not required? Listen to the podcast! Episodes are uploaded every Monday, Wednesday & Friday and are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and RadioPublic
You can also find videos of each episode on our YouTube channel
To find out more about what Fired Up Fitness has to offer and how we can help you safely and effectively reach your goals, check out our virtual & in-person services or contact us. We’d love to help!