As a dieter who just lost 56 pounds, I know that there's nothing better for my body than plain old water. During the weight loss phase of my diet, I was encouraged to drink 80 ounces of water each day -- and while I've slacked off a bit on maintenance, I've found that I've become accustomed to keeping myself pretty hydrated.
And then, there's my daughter, the gymnast, who trains for 16 grueling hours per week. Between my daily aerobic workouts and her crazy routine, we both guzzle up a lot of liquid.
I was surprised to learn from a nutritionist who spoke to the team parents at my daughter's gym that athletes who work out as intensely as Megan (expending as much as 600 calories per session) really DO need more than plain water. They need to replace their electrolytes, and consuming a little sugar in their drink can help them replenish their energy.
(Gosh - so there's something to those Gatorade ads? Go figure!)
After hearing that, I became less insistent on giving Megan a plain bottle of Arrowhead, and allowed her to indulge her taste for fancy flavored waters -- at least, during her workouts. So I was jumped at the opportunity to test the new Antioxidant Waters from Snapple -- and was curious to hear what she thought of them. I'm personally kind of wary of the claims that these products contain enough nutrients to make a difference in a body's defenses... but I also think that drinking them can't hurt anything but your waistline and teeth (if you overindulge). And if drinking something that tastes good makes you drink more, that can only be good.
"These are pretty good," Megan announced when we did our tasting. Later on, when she drank one during her workout, she proclaimed them as "very good." Her favorite flavor is the Agave Melon (the Dragonfruit was a little bit too sophisticated for her 12-year-old palate, although I liked it a lot).
Unfortunately, my 30- to 60-minute workouts are not as intense as my daughter's, and I can't help but think I have to run on the elliptical machine for a good 15 minutes before I use up the calories in just one bottle of Snapple's water (or the ones by rival makers Glaceau and Sobe). Maybe when I'll be able to enjoy the benefits of the Antioxidant Water without guilt when my weight stabilizes (in another four to eight months). Or maybe I'll work myself up to the point where I'll be brave enough to train for a marathon (like my friend Karen Sugarpants). In the meantime, I'll stick with plain water for myself...
...but will be purchasing more Snapple Antioxidant Water for Megan.
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