Refreshing foods

I am not a fan of drinking water. I know, I'm a personal trainer... I should be encouraging water drinking. Really I do, and I will. I am going to now... Promise... But first, let's talk about food.

Drinking water is really not the only way to get hydration. "Reports indicate that you get 20%-25% of your daily water intake from food," says Dominique Adair, MS, RD, who is based in New York City. Some of the foods that have the highest content of hydration are fruits and vegetables. But that doesn't mean that is all they are good for.

Cantaloupe - Though 90% of its weight is water, this fruit contains 30 times more beta-carotene than oranges

Eggplant - With 92% water weight, it draws its color from plant pigments called anthocyanins, antioxidants that protect cells.

With 92% water, this vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked and is extremely rich in antioxidants. It's also an excellent source of potassium, folate, and magnesium, all of which can help keep blood pressure down.

This fruit packs water--92% to be exact--and also lycopene, a phytonutrient important for cardiovascular and bone health that has also shown some promise in protecting against certain cancers.

This vegetable boasts 92% water, plus vitamin C--184 milligrams, or 307% of the Daily Value.

Now, back to what I was saying... I do not like drinking water. Eating fruits and vegetables makes it a little easier since I don't have to drink AS much. Now, let's add another step in all of this. How about putting fruits and vegetables IN your water?

For instance, thinly slice a cucumber, I like to then coat each slice with a little lemon or lime, then drop each piece into a gallon of water. You can let it sit for 10 minute or all day if you want. Take the "drinking water" out of drinking water and you are getting nutrients from the cucumber as well! Here are a few other healthy water add-ins!

• Cantaloupe and Strawberry
• Watermelon and Cucumber
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Apple, Orange, and Raspberry
• Lime and Mint
• Strawberry and Orange
• Blueberry
• Apple Cinnamon