Favourites For Now: My week in drinks!

This week, I feel like I've been mixing things up on the drinking front - and not in the way that gives you a fuzzy mouth and a killer headache the next morning!

Living a healthy lifestyle often means you have to limit alcohol, fruit juices and concentrates, soft drinks, milky coffees, hot chocolates and every other liquid form of fun. But hey, water gets boring and I've found myself reaching for different drinks instead of food when I've habitually walked to the kitchen whenever I've gotten bored.

The water bottle to end all water bottles

I've got a 2-litre ECO tanka stainless steel water bottle that I take EVERYWHERE. Yes, it's big and heavy, but who can honestly be bothered refilling a smaller bottle over and over?! Actually, I have this massive bottle because it means I know that I'm drinking enough water (ie, at least 2L a day) if I finish the bottle. I also get picky with how my water tastes, so I like to have filtered water on hand.

You can grab these at health food shops, though I bought mine from Professional Whey when I last ordered my protein powder.

What a fizzer!

I love to use sparkling mineral or soda water to trick myself into thinking I'm having something naughty. Usually, I'll grab half a lemon, lime or grapefruit and squeeze it into a glass with some ice and top it up with the sparkling water.

Sometimes I'll make what I call a No-jito, which is non-alcoholic mojito. Just grab a lime or two cut in half, squeeze the juice into a cocktail shaker, throw the rest of the limes in with a couple sprigs of mint and a hefty dose of stevia. Grab a muddler (so fancy! You can also use the non-spoon end of a wooden spoon, or do all of this in a mortar & pestle) and squish it all together. Pop that glorious monstrosity into a tumbler, add ice and a teaspoon of 100% organic maple syrup (optional) and top with soda water!

You can also blend up some strawberries that are turning and top those with soda water. Same goes for pineapple, mango, peaches and kiwis. See?! The possibilities are endless.

Now I want a Nojito.

Tealightful!

Until early last year, I wasn't really a tea drinker. I'd drink the occasional cup of green tea but didn't like the taste. I now know it's because you shouldn't put boiling water over green tea - that's what makes it taste bitter! (Fill your cup 1/4 or 1/3 with cold or room temperature water, then add the boiling water. Don't let the tea brew for too long or you'll still get the bitterness.)

Now, I'm a total tea convert. My go-to is organic peppermint tea, which is great for calming the body and aiding digestion. I also love lemongrass and ginger tea, which soothes the tum after a meal. Any herbal tea with liquorice root is great after dinner because it tastes sweet on the tongue, too. But lately I've really been enjoying Dilmah's Berry Sensation! It's a black tea with strawberry, raspberry and blueberry and totally gets me through the day by satisfying my sweet tooth. It's not overly sweet, and doesn't need anything added, and to be honest I probably like the smell more than the taste! Great to have at work when you're bored of herbal tea.

I don't know how to espresso my feelings about coffee

I love coffee. I know the argument is still knocking around about how good or bad coffee is for you. My thoughts are so: if you don't get any negative effects from drinking coffee, and you don't drink more than two a day, there's no reason to cut it out. The problem is when you're adding huge volumes of milk or turning your morning coffee into a double-shot-mocha-choca-vanilla-latte with a caramel swirl and whipped cream.

If I'm at home, I make myself a long black and add about half a teaspoon of cacao powder and a bit of stevia for a clean mocha. If I'm buying, I normally see if they've got any cinnamon behind the counter to add to a long black. And if I'm feeling particularly in need of some coffee lovin', I indulge and add a tablespoon of pure cream. Cream has less sugar than milk and isn't quite as processed, plus a little goes a long way so you won't feel like you're "missing out" if you have a dash of cream instead of an entire cup of frothy milk. The fat content of cream also helps you feel satisfied for longer, so it's great to add if you drink your coffee between meals (or in long meetings!).

What have you been drinking lately? Got any good ideas to up your fluid intake??

note: all Favourites For Now posts are 100% my opinion about things I have been enjoying and are in no way sponsored.