Ok, so I can taste a sugar substitute from a mile away, and its nasty!

And when I drink water - bottled or from the tap, or filtered, it tastes almost metallic to me. I just HATE swallowing it - its a chore! Is there anyone else out there like me? I know it is healthy for me, and I completely cut soda out of my diet (and all I ever drank was soda) but now i drink iced tea instead (yep, sweatened)

Any words of wisdom out there?

Tina

I used to have the same problem. Pretty much all I drank was soda and juice. Soo bad! I hated water... flavorless and gross! Somehow, I have come to actually enjoy it and even crave it. First of all, a big help for me was at first to always drink it ice cold. Like, super ice cold! That made it taste better for me. i have also heard of people giving water a little kick by adding citrus fruit like lemons and oranges to it, or even herbs to give it flavor. I don't really like artificial sweetener much either, but SOME crystal light flavors are actually tolerable to me. You could even use a little less water than suggested to give it more flavor. I hope that was helpful. Good luck!

I used to hate water too. I would only drink milk, juice and soda. I also hate the taste of artificial sweeteners. Now I can drink plain water without any problems. I even remember having that metallic taste problem you mentioned. For me drinking was a chore at first too. But just like eating healthier it's something that becomes easier as your body adjusts. I use a brita pitcher for my water, keeping it in the fridge so it's always cold. After a while you get used to water, and the taste goes away, if it doesn't you might want to ask a doctor because metallic taste in your mouth can sometimes be a symptom of various conditions. Now I drink water by choice even when there's soda and juice in the house because it quenches my thirst much better than anything else. I think my body finally realized that drinks don't have to taste, food is what taste. I also remind myself of a study I read about which showed that a person's body does not register calories that it drinks, only those it eats. So basically you eat the same amount whether you drink soda or water. Now I almost never drink soda, if I do it's a small juice glass amount and I treat it like I would dessert. For example I had a small glass of cream soda the other night (a personal favorite) and sipped it slowly AFTER dinner. It has the same nutrition as candy so I treat it as such.

Crystal Light and similar packets that can go in a 20 oz bottle - its pretty much all thats worked for me. Just be aware that some crystal light tastes terrible. I find that Raspberry Lemonade is the most tolerable.

Stef

I hate tap water. About all I can stand is bottled water. But like some people said above, drinking it ice cold really helps. When I have to drink tap water, I put a lot of ice in it.
Crystal Light is great. The Peach Ice Tea flavour is quite good if you like ice tea. Also, try the flavour waters. It's all I used to drink. I used to love the Volvic touch of fruit (not sure if you can get it here, I got it in England and haven't seen it here). But be sure to get the sugar-free...Some of the flavoured water are horrible, but try a few differnent brands to see if you like any.

Drinking water for me is a chore as well. I have found that if I slice up a lemon and keep wedges in the fridge and put it into ICE COLD water it definitely helps. I understand the fake sugar taste/aftertaste issue...but I do enjoy both the Sunrise Grapefruit and Sunrise strawberry orange banana Crystal light flavors. There is one more ...I think it has tangerine in it that is good.

I also have a brita pitcher...a really big one with a spout so that I don't have to refill it as often...helps with the cold water part and that way I don't have to buy bottled water...I recommend a Camelbak water bottle because they are easy to clean and I have found them at REI and Eddie Bauer in two sizes...I have the 750ml but they also have a smaller one that fits in a car cup holder.

Once I started drinking enough water I realized that my body craves it more than something to eat...I've started noticing that when I rummage the fridge my bottle's probably empty...ok I ramble:)

Good luck:)

I use Crystal Light as well to make it less of a chore to drink - the Orange, Lemonade and Raspberry Ice ones were good. My daughter loves the white grape and green tea...

The only way I can drink water is for it to be ice cold, and I add lemon juice or grapefruit juice. It adds flavour to water without adding any fat or additional calories.

I have been drinking bottled water along with that I drink 1 bottle of Vitamin Water. Has anyone heard anything about Vitamin Water? I heard it isn't good for you. But I didn't know the source very well so i kept on drinking it. Any input on vitamin water?

I agree with everyone that said the taste of water is more tolerable when cold, but I have to drink room temperature water, especially when working out. I can't drink cold water very quickly, so to get all the hydration I need it to be barely cool. If nothing else, maybe you could try drinking your water with your meals? I find that I don't notice the taste of drinks as much when it's masked by the flavor of foods that I'm eating (it's how I trained myself to drink diet soda instead of regular!).

Good luck!!

Hey I am with ya! I hate water as well. PROPEL Fitness water tastes great. You can buy all kinds of flavors and theres only 25 calories per bottle. Its AWESOME!! Try it and I guarantee that you will love it. GOOD LUCK!

I have a couple of suggestions for you. First, to make myself drink more water through the day, I had a Dixie cup dispenser in both my bathrooms by the sink. Every time I washed my hands, I'd have a little cup of water. If you can't stand to drink the whole thing, start with drinking a sip. When that becomes tolerable, drink two sips, and so on. I've graduated to keep a small plastic cup by the sink and drinking that when I wash my hands. It's a little at a time, but you can build up some tolerance that way.

Second suggestion is regarding the sweet tea. Let me start by saying, I am Southern and I KNOW my sweet tea. What we had to do was a sort of weaning process with ours. We started out using 1 3/4 C sugar and 1/4 Splenda. I don't care what the packaging says about Splenda=sugar measurement-wise, Splenda is sweeter. So we played around with it til we got a good mix by just cutting out the 1/4 sugar. When we got use to that, we cut another 1/4 C sugar and added in the Splenda to taste. We continued the process til we were 100% Splenda. Now, I'm adjusted so much to the Splenda, I ask my husband sometimes when he makes tea if he forgot and put in sugar.

Hope that helps at least a little.

I know what ya mean. Plain water, yuck!!!!! I bought one of those filter pitchers with the flavor cartridges. I keep it filled and in the fridge so it's real cold. I think the flavors have no calories or fat, but I'm not sure. They're a bit pricy but it's better than pop. That's helped me drink more water.

I feel the same way too. I stopped drinking soda on the 4th of January 2009. It was hard for me, but I have been soda free for over a month. I only drink water now. At first I had the same problem with not liking the no taste factor, but I too put ice in it to make it very cold. I like to slice up lemons or oranges and put them in an ice cold glass of water. That is actually my favorite way to drink it. I use Crystal Light or the Great Value off brand that Wal-Mart makes and I really enjoy most of the flavors (not all of them are good though). When I work out I only like to have plain water for some reason. You get use to the change and like others have said you start to crave the water. My husband had a sprite the other day and I took a very, very small sip and it was sooooo sweet that it made me sick. To think that I use to drink 4 or 5 sodas a day and now I have 0.

I have always been a water drinker and haven't been a soda drinker since I was about 11. I just decide one day that I didn't like it and that was that. Once in a blue I will have a diet cream or black cherry - maybe 2-3 times a year. I hate colas. All these tips are great. The one thing I really wanted to say was about the metallic taste. Someone else mentioned it as well. If you only got it when you drank tap I would say it was your local water but if you are getting it from bottled I would ask a doctor about it or even you dentist. It could be something with your dental work. I just googled "metallic taste when drinking water" and this is some of what it said:

"You might also want to visit your dentist, because the taste might be a symptom of gum disease. Even if you don't have gum problems, poor oral hygiene can affect taste. Be sure to brush your teeth carefully at least twice a day and use a tongue scraper to remove the bacteria and debris that can collect on your tongue. Dental work done in the past can break down and alter taste, so your dentist will probably look at that as well.

In addition, not drinking enough water can contribute to problems with taste. Increase your intake and see if it helps. While you don't have to drink the standard recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, my rule of thumb is to drink as much of that amount as you comfortably can and more than you think you need."

There was a lot more about it and a host of causes - just something to think about. Water should not taste like anything at all.

I can only drink filtered or bottled water plain, if it comes straight from the tap, I have to have something in it to disguise the chlorine taste (YUK). When I drink tap, I use crystal lite, but I have to water it down a lot, to where it just barely flavors the water, because I find crystal lite is too sweet for me when mixed as suggested.

I don't like the taste of water either and it is a chore to drink enough of it every day.

I also don't like Crystal Light, artificial sweetners or any fruit added.

Some things I have adopted:

1) Force yourself to do it. Drink one or two glasses when you get up in the morning. Drink at one with lunch. Drink one with dinner. After you can do it at those three times, add some more... drink one glass at 10am, drink another at 2 pm. It's hard to do, but I hear the statistic that most people are perpetually dehydrated so we have to get our water in somehow.

2.) When you go out to dinner, order water. Your tastebuds will be enjoying the taste of your food so you won't need to appease them with a sugary or alcoholic drink. You're also saving money.

On the whole, I like water. I have to buy big jugs of Poland Spring because my tap water gives me gas and I don't like the taste of a lot of the filtered waters out there. But, even so, I get to the point every once in a while where I can't stand the thought of even one more ounce of water. My alternatives:

• jug of water in the fridge mixed with a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice and a squirt of lemon (good for beating the bloat, too!)
• plain or flavored seltzers (check to make sure there's no sodium!)
• pitchers of herbal ice tea (mint is refreshing on hot days, and lots of the fruity flavored herbal teas that I think are gross when hot make great cold fruit drinks - look for strawberry, blueberry, or cherry Bigelow for some of my picks)

If I really need something different, I go with some Crystal Light. I try to get the stuff that has added fiber or vitamin C as a way of "compensating" for the calories in it.
If none of these options sound appealing, something else you could try is eating crushed ice, just be careful of your teeth.

I'm fine with water. However, if I'm not in the mood for it, it's impossible for me to "drink" it. I'll force myself, but it's typically fast (almost gulping). When I have a "I need something else" moment, I brew some green tea.

One thing you could try if you like tea is green tea with honey and lemon. I love the crystal light packets I put one in a 32 oz bottle and still get tons of flavor. For certain foods I always preferred soda (pop or cola) but now I get a bottle of sparkling water with lemon or lime and it takes away the craving

I hate water too. I use the flavor packs. I started years ago remember to always have a drink of some kind with me 24/7. When driving I always have a drink. Use water and use it like when waiting for stop lights see how much you can drink before it changes or even try to drink a whole bottle before you get to your designation.At work I would make myself take a drink at the water fountain everytime I passed it.I had to drink at least one cup.Also when going out to restaurants take flavor packs with you and get water saves you money ..

Also Im southern too I know how we love sweet tea one suggestion. I have learned when making your tea start lowering the sugar just a little at a time. When you get to where your comfortable with the taste keep it at that. Remember when tea sits in a fridge overnight it sweetens itself more. I now use 1/2 cup for a gallon..make it at night by morning it taste sweet enough for me..Good luck..Also when at restaurants ask for your tea half and half ...(half sweet/ half unsweet). Good luck..