H2O Hacks for Weight Loss, Digestion & More

Today’s post is all about a habit I’ve gotten into that’s helped to hydration, better digestion and — yes, even lose weight.

Seems too good to be true, right? Read on…

First, though, to preface: I’m not exactly an Iron Chef — which you know if you read my outdoor entertaining post last week (worth a read, if you haven’t!); so the fact that this fancy-looking feat is super-simple to recreate is very, very exciting to me.

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Much like you, I imagine, I’ve made it a goal to drink more water this year. Like, a lot more… During the summer especially, as my happy hour game has been en fuego as of late.

Hydration is pretty much the answer to all wellness woes we tend to experience — bloating, feeling tired and sluggish, headaches, you name it.

To make that (mid-year) resolution stick, I’ve gone beyond “trying” to remember to drink more water to simply turning it into a better, more delicious daily habit.

I’ll take a step back:

Admittedly, the idea came to me when bobble sent me two of their Infuse filtered water bottles to try late in the spring. It works one of two ways: As a filtration system (with a removable carbon filter), and a fruit infuser (without the carbon filter).

I ended up taking one with me to Paris and in all honesty, it was a total game-changer — the Infuse is perfect for traveling, so you can fill up on-the-go and not worry about where that tap water is really coming from.

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Over the last few weeks especially, I’ve been using it to refresh the flavor of my new h2O routine — as well as curing a few cravings I’ve had for sugar and sweets. (Hence, the weight loss aspect!)

Staying hydrated naturally boots your metabolism — among so many other things — but adding fruit, herbs and veggies is a great way to up the ante on the amount of antioxidants you’re consuming, too.

Naturally flavored water can have a ton of benefits (depending on what you’re infusing with) — better digestion, appetite control, you name it. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive to make and practically calorie-free.

You can infuse water with any number of herbs, spices, fruits and veggies, really, but here’s two of my favorite combinations as of late:

• Strawberry, lemon and mint: This one tastes like a healthified strawberry lemonade, but better — and with much less sugar.
• Grapefruit, rosemary and pomegranate: Super sophisticated with just the right amount of citrus.

Here’s how to make your own infused water:

1. Gather your ingredients

… Of course, I’d (genuinely) suggest getting one of bobble’s Infuse filtered water bottles (they’re only $15). Ain’t nobody got time for flossing out lemon pulp and the like.

2. Mix and match

Experiment! And research: Use berries for blood sugar support, cucumbers for hydration and lemon for digestion, for example. Here’s what I’ve been mixing:

• Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, mint, basil
• Fruit: Berries (fresh or frozen), grapefruit, kiwi, orange, lemon, lime, pear, pineapple, pomegranate
• Vegetables: Cucumber
• (Occasionally) Edible flowers: Rose, lavender, hibiscus (make sure they’re pesticide free)

3. Let sit

Once you’ve added your desired ingredients, let your bevy sit for at least 30 minutes (in the fridge) to allow the flavors to infuse. Typically, the longer it sits, the more flavorful your water will be. Some foods infuse quicker than others — citrus, for example, is practically instant. Herbs take a bit longer.

4. Enjoy!

Yum, right? You can refill the water a few times and let it infuse again, but the flavors won’t be as pronounced.

Lastly, a few tips:

• Avoid using fruit that’s bruised or overly ripe — as well as herbs that don’t look fresh. Duh.
• Cut your fruit slices small so that they’re not a pain in the ass to scoop out once you’re done. (I learned this the hard way!)

Have you ever had fruit-infused water? What are some of your favorite combinations?

*In this post:

White dress: Zimmermann Zephyr Broderie Dress (splurge, but I love it so much)
Foundation: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue
Nail color: Shellac ‘Romantique’
Hair: Curled with a wand like this

*Kitchen essentials:

Gold straws
White marble board
Colorful mini-bowls
bobble ‘Infuse’ filtered water bottles (comes in four colors)

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Iron & Honey Photography

Thanks to bobble for partnering up on this post. All opinions are, of course, my own.