As many of you know, I have been on a bit of a health kick lately, seeing as how I am going to be bikini-clad in Florida in less than a month. To help hydrate me after my workouts I usually reach for a Gatorade; but have you seen how many calories and carbohydrates are in those drinks!? No thank you. But I do feel I need to hydrate my body with something more than just water. So I set out to find a delicious recipe for my own sports drink sure enough, I managed to get my hands on a simple yet effective alternative to those commercial sports drinks.
Sports Drink
Juice from a quarter of a lemon
1 cup of Water, hot
1/2 teaspoon of Honey
Pinch of Salt
Food coloring, optional
Food coloring, optional
Combine the ingredients together and stir well. Let the mixture chill in the refrigerator and enjoy after a sweaty workout. If you have little tikes running around, they need all the hydration they can get. It can be difficult sometimes to put anything that it considered “healthy” into their bodies, but add a drop of food coloring to their cup for an extra punch of color. Drinking something blue couldn’t possibly be healthy, right?
Plain water alone does not replenish your body of the carbohydrates and electrolytes your body loses from a vigorous workout. The salt added to sports drink gives your water electrolytes that you sweat out during your workouts. Because there is a little “oomph” in the water it gives your body something to hang onto.
If you love the many flavors of the commercial sports drinks, no need to worry. This drink is easily customizable. If you have a juicer, this opens up a world of possibilities. Try juicing a handful of strawberries and add the juice to your homemade sports drink. Try watermelon or even kiwis!
Just do me a favor and try this out next time you go to grab for a bottle of water. I promise it will quench your thirst and you will feel a little pick me up from the sugar.