Winter hydration

At some point last summer I started noticing that typical sports drinks were upsetting my stomach during runs and workouts and they just tasted entirely too sugary.  I tried filling my bottles up with half sports drink and the rest water, but I grew bored so I started looking for an alternative.  Below is the Smurf blue sports drink that had been accompanying me on runs and workouts before I decided that I had had enough.

If you go to your local running or sporting goods stores you will likely see a lot of hydration options and you may find it overwhelming.  You will see the brands you grew up with and likely several newcomers.  I enjoy trying new things, but sometimes it is difficult to try something new when you have been using the same thing for years.  In this case, I had to try something new because the other sports drinks just didn't meet my needs anymore.  My tastes had evolved.  My needs had evolved and become more complex, so I tried something new.

The product I tried is called Nuun, and it seems to be gaining popularity.  On their website, they have an entire section called Hydration 101, which informs you about ways to determine your personal hydration needs.  Nuun has several different product lines and flavors to choose from, and you can click here to read more about each one.  I tried the Strawberry Lemonade from the Active Hydration line and the Blueberry Pomegranate from the All Day line.

In case you haven't tried Nuun before, the product comes in individual tabs that you drop into 16 ounces of water.  Once the entire tab has dissolved, give it a stir or a shake and Nuun is ready to drink.

I tried Nuun All Day at work first.  I am working on increasing my daily water intake, so this product was perfect for me.  The flavor is not overwhelming like the sports drinks were.  It was light and crisp, with no after taste and no sugary shock the first time it hit my mouth.

For my runs and workouts, I used the Strawberry Lemonade - Active Hydration tabs.  Because the tabs are dissolved into 16 ounces of water and my fuel belt bottles hold 20 ounces combined, I let the tab dissolve in a larger cup before I split the liquid between the bottles.  So far, I have just been using Nuun on my shorter runs (since I have had low mileage November - January) and at the gym.  When incorporating any new products into your routine, I highly recommend testing them during shorter runs or workouts first.  You don't want to start having stomach issues when you are on a trail miles from the next pit stop!

The taste of the Active Hydration line was also light and not overpowering at all.  Since it was so light, I assumed that it wouldn't provide as much energy as the other products, but I was wrong.  I felt great and again, no sugary shock to my system or after taste.  After I started trying Nuun products, I began to notice their presence at running stores and there are so many more flavors to choose from.  After enjoying the Strawberry Lemonade and the Blueberry Pomegranate flavors, I decided to purchase a few more so that I have a variety to choose from on any given day.

If you haven't tried Nuun and don't want to make the commitment of purchasing an entire tube, many running stores have individual packs that you can purchase as well.  There are so many flavors within the various product lines that you will likely find one that fits your needs and excites your taste buds.  Give Nuun a try and check out their website for more information.

Have a great week!