Hi there, friends!
This morning has been off to kind of a rough start. I’m about to go start my productive part of the day – including a workout hopefully – here after posting.
Today I want to talk about beverages. More specifically, my favorite healthy beverages that are especially delicious in the summer time.
Drink #1 – Iced green tea
I professed my newfound love for iced green tea last month by making it via this method. Green tea not only provides tons of antioxidants, but it’s a great way to get a little caffeine boost, without quite the amount of caffeine that coffee contains.
While reading through my Women’s Health mag (can you tell I’m a fitness mag junkie?) I quickly browsed through the recipes and "healthy cocktails" section, but this one really caught my eye for two reasons. One – it involved gin. While I mostly stick to wine or beer, gin is my liquor of choice. Secondly, it included green tea, which I already had a batch of my honey green tea made up in the fridge!
All I needed was some ice, and so I added 1 shot of gin, half a cup of honey green tea, and some ice, and a squeeze of lemon to top ‘er off.
Drink #2 – Beer???
Most often, after finishing a good strength workout, I follow it up with a healthy, muscle replenishing protein shake. It’s tasty and contains the appropriate amount of carbs to protein.
Yesterday after my workout (my afternoon leg workout, not my a.m. elliptical sesh, mind you 
) I opted for another beverage of choice:
Yep, that’s right – beer! According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, wheat beer could reduce post-race muscle inflammation and upper-respiratory-tract infection. Beer contains the same type of antioxidant properties as red wine, as well!
I think I like this study I’m sure glad I decided to thoroughly ready through my IDEAFit Journal where I read about it!
Drink #3 – Iced coffee
Another one of my favorites…coffee! Iced coffee, that is 
While I’m sure you’ve read over and over the controversy with coffee (is it healthy or is it unhealthy?) However, a recent study found that caffeine combined with exercise might cause DNA-damaged cells to randomly die.
Researchers at Rutgers University conducted a 14 day study with mice (and hamster wheels. and coffe) and found that drinking one to three cups of coffee combined with regular exercise lead to fewer skin cancer-related tumors.
Maybe I don’t need to stop at just one cup, afterall! Hey, this fair skinned-gal needs the cards stacked in her favor
Drink #4 – Water!
Can’t forget about good ol’ fashioned water! It’s important to get between 60-90 ounces of water, depending on your body weight and workout for the day. It’s also better to sip the water throughout the day, rather than chug a bottle when you remember. When sipping, you give the water a chance to make its way into the bloodstream, instead of just getting filtered out through the liver. In fact, if you find yourself going to the bathroom all the time, check to see if you’re sipping your water or chugging it…I’ll bet it’s the latter!
Drink #5 – Sparkling water
Sparkling water! I love all kinds and all flavors. The kind I drink the most is La Croix, because it’s usually the most accessible and the least expensive. My favorite flavors are lime and orange (the TJ’s pictured above is my absolute fave!)
I like to drink sparkling water toward the end of the day, when I’m sick of drinking plain old water (and I’m finished with my third bottle ) It’s tasty alone, but I also use it to make…
Drink # 6 – Wine spritzers!
Just pour in equal parts wine and soda water for a cold, refreshing summer drink. Plus – half the calories! I like to add a couple pieces of frozen fruit, like I did in this video to get it some extra flavor.
Drink # 7 – Coconut water
I love to keep a few bottles of coconut water in my fridge for especially hot and sweat runs or spin classes. Nothing quenches my thirst better! Coconut water is said to best mimic our actual plasma, thus replenishing our electrolytes most efficiently. Plus it’s pretty darn tasty 
Ok…off to try and make this day productive. Here we go.
What, from the list above, is your favorite summer beverage?
Im a coffee girl all the way! Great to hear about It’s possible benefits! I stick to 1-2 cups a day else I’m off the wall!
everyone knows i’m a total wine-o, but i have to go with iced coffee on this list. iced coffee wins all!!
And that’s one of the reasons why I love ya, girl
Oh, to re-live the meaning of Thirsty Thursday in college…
HA! It was the best, wasn’t it?
My staples are iced coffee (hot in the colder months), water and when I go out to dinner I always order ice tea.
Favorite? Iced coffee. But I drink more water obviously
Right now I am loving using lemon juice and stevia to make mock lemonade!
Oh, I love iced green tea, coffee and I’m such a water drinker! I’ve never tried coconut water, but I wish I had that last Saturday after my hot muggy run! I’m sorry your day hasn’t started so great. I hope it gets better!
i’m a huge water person. maybe that’s boring to some, but it’s so good for us and is just so refreshing to me. i do love a glass of unsweetened iced tea or an iced coffee every so often during the summer months too!
I am a complete wine-o, but I’ve never actually made a wine spritzer. Such a good idea!
I’m aware of how steamy it is outside, but that didn’t keep me from bringing along my hot coffee for the commute. For some reason, I just can’t stand iced coffee. I feel as if it’s going against nature!
In other news, I’m with you on the beer thing in the summer- sometimes there’s nothing better than a cold one.
My first cup is always hot! Whether it’s 19 degrees or 99 degrees out.
enjoyed some coconut water this morning, so refreshing
love water and coffee too, though still enjoy it hot not iced. I need to try iced again, at first I was not a fan but think I need to give it another shot!
Yes, try it again! It’s so yummy
You gotta get it really cold, though!
DEFINITELY iced coffee!
Is vodka on the list?
If only…
I can’t drink beer for some reason, just doesn’t agree with me! I’m definitely down with the coffee and iced tea. Two of my favourite beverages!
And for some reason I can’t get down on the iced coffee, its always got to be hot or it just doesn’t feel the same
Great post Paige!
Do you know I love you?
Anyways, I am always drinking water!
Always always! I also have a lot of tea too 
I have been drinking it warm more than iced, though. It’s chilly here 
http://eat2succeed.com/2011/11/15/non-alcoholic-beer-supports-athletes%E2%80%99-health-and-reduces-inflammation/
i read it was non alcoholic beer….:(
Aw man! I could have sworn it just said wheat beer in the one I read.
Yay for beer being awesome! So now my options are green protein smoothie or beer after a run/workout. Not bad!
Iced coffee for sure!!! I’m also loving iced chia tea right now!
How do you make your iced coffee? Been looking for a good recipe.
I read that article about beer too, and I was pretty excited!
i don’t know what it is, but i just can’t get on the iced coffee train! i like mine hot and steamy
i’ve been loving sparkling water lately. all kinds.