Summer decided to arrive at the very start of Memorial Weekend this year, and in full force. Temps reached into the mid-90’s, and high humidity made sweat drops appear out of thin air. I know, I know, I should be used to hot and humid temps given that I spend so much time in the yoga room, but dealing with that kind of heat when not in the middle of a yoga posture and while trying to stay cool can certainly get uncomfortable. Sweating is great in the middle of yoga class, not while going to bed/eating/doing chores/nursing.
People ask me all the time, “how do you continue to do hot yoga in the summertime?”, as the struggle is real to find motivation to take a hot yoga class when the weather outside is blistering. Going from the heat to the heat and back out into the heat seems oppressive. While I won’t delve into why summer is actually a great time to improve one’s hot yoga practice, I want to instead give an idea (or more accurately a “recipe”) for staying healthy and energized no matter what activates you take on in the hot weather.
When we sweat, our bodies lose more than just water; we lose electrolytes. Replenishing with water and electrolytes, especially when you’re partaking in a sweat-producing activity like hot yoga is vital. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just can’t motivate myself to drink water. And I’m also not crazy about some of the sugary sports drinks out there. So what’s a yogini to do? Well, as silly as this may seem, when a beverage is served in a fun glass with some simple garnishes, I actually have an easier time drinking it down. And that makes for a perfectly hydrated, non-cramped up yoga mama.
Over the holiday weekend, I mixed together and then froze some of my favorite electroyles and then really did “just add water.” Below is my simple concoction for A Deliciously Replenishing Mocktail.
You’ll Need:
– Two 11 oz. containers of your favorite coconut water
– Two packets of lemonade flavored Ultima Replenisher
– Half a lemon
– Ice cube trays
– Water
– Fun glass (I like a big Mason Jar)
Directions
Mix coconut water and electrolytes in large jar. Pour into ice cube trays and then freeze.
After a couple of hours, put as many electrolyte cubes as you wish into your large glass and fill with water. Garnish with half a lemon, sliced however you wish.
Fresh lemon helps to cut the sweetness of the coconut water and Ultima in a quite refreshing way. You can obviously tweak the proportions to your liking and make this beverage sweeter (less water) or more faint (more water).
The whole point of a drink like this is to encourage hydration on hot, humid days, especially when you plan on doing physical activity. Cramping and dizziness due to dehydration are not fun, and they are totally preventable.
Hopefully this mocktail will allow you to keep sweating all summer long!
