***This content is sponsored in part by DASANI through the Markerly blogger network. All opinions and images below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2014.
Momma Told Me: Drink 8 glasses of water a day!
In 2012 I was diagnosed pre-diabetic following my first blood-work panel in 3 years. The words came as a shock, and my doctor was very adamant that my then current status and family history put me at higher risk for diabetes. He shared some averages and numbers and discussed placing me on medication to help regulate glucose. As scary as the conversation was, the cause of it was quite obvious; the more and more I looked at my diet in retrospect, I was not eating healthy. More importantly I was not drinking healthy.
Beverages should first-most provide hydration, right? The old adage of 8 glasses of water a day has more recently been proven to relate to one's weight, divided in half. That is to say that you should consume half your weight in ounces of water a day. It sounds easy, but the addition of sugars and electrolytes to juices, sodas, and sports drinks can also impact dehydration (in addition to adding other health and dietary concerns.) But let's be real, the average person prefers some sort of flavor in their water, right?
A year ago I cut out all sugar from my beverages, and changed over 95% of my drinks to straight water. I lost over 70lbs (something I'm certain I could have gone far beyond when including this lifestyle change into an exercise regimen.) But I have a big sweet tooth to satisfy and I needed water with flavor. My solution? I turned to flavor enhancing drops and sparkling water with infused flavor. For a while I would carry around large liter sized bottles of sparkling water throughout the day, and they would often end up flat or tasteless by the time I finished them. Recently I was introduced to new DASANI Sparkling beverages (in lemon, berry, lime, and apple) with zero calories and a convenient 12oz can.
Featuring the crisp flavor of DASANI water that I already loved, these sugar free drinks have just the right amount of natural flavor and carbonation to excite my taste-buds and keep me hydrated. The Apple flavor is seriously addictive, and these go great in a glass of ice with some fresh fruit. It couldn't be easier to #SparkleWithDASANI right now! In fact, DASANI is celebrating the launch of these new Sparkling beverages with a new and exciting sweepstakes that challenges you to share a photo of how you sparkle for a chance to win a sparkling getaway to Ft. Lauderdale! It's as easy as snapping a photos of what makes you sparkle (your family, a hobby, your blog) and sharing it on Twitter with the hashtag
#SparkleWithDASANI, now through the end of July.
How do I Sparkle with DASANI by my side? Not only do I have more energy with the new Sparkling DASANI by my side, but I stay hydrated through 3 games of bowling, two nights a week in league! I've been bringing a can or two to the alley each week and have been getting some serious drink envy- the nearby snack bar is full of sugary sodas that weigh a bowler down. I stay on top of my game and help my team win when I'm hydrated!
How do you stay hydrated?
What Daughter Says: While the rules may have changed, water is just as important as ever.
