Part III of "So, What Does SHE Do?": Beverages

The new rule for how much to drink each day is to drink AT LEAST a half an ounce for each pound you weigh, more than half an ounce if you're working out, if it's hot and you're sweating.

I calculated my range awhile ago and made a routine off of it, so I get between 10 and 12 cups of water a day.

Is it just water? No. Every beverage is mainly water, so we'll just call it liquid, with exception to alcohol, since alcohol dehydrates you.

My routine on most days is: 16 ounces of lemon water when I get up and work out, 4 ounces of kombucha, 12-16 ounces of coffee at late breakfast, 12-16 ounces of coffee during work, 16-ounce protein shake at work, 16-ounce water bottle at work or in the evening, 16 ounces of sparkling water at night, often made into a mocktail. The only calories I'm getting from beverages are from my protein shake, which doubles as lunch, and none of my other beverages have any more than 15 calories at most. Sometimes zero!

What I like about it is the variety. I used to be a juice drinker as a child, so the kombucha takes care of that fix.

I also used to be a milk drinker. I find regular milk to be heavy and filling now, even skim milk, so the almond milk makes a great base for the protein shake. I'd probably never drink a whole cup of it, but it definitely thickens up the protein powder and gives it a richer texture. I've also tried coconut milk and cashew milk and I don't find a difference except price.

The sparkling water craze has been amazing. I was never a huge pop drinker, but I do like a beverage that has a fancier effect, especially since I used to drink a glass of dry red wine every evening. Now, I'll just add sugar free syrups, extracts, lime juice, etc. to sparkling water, serve it in a fancy cup, and I don't even miss it.

So it definitely can be done without a gallon jug of plain water. What is your favorite guilt-free beverage?