By Grant and Cathy Pritchard

Question: I know water is great for my health and hydration, but I get really tired of drinking it all the time. Are there any other healthy alternatives that will allow me to hydrate just as well?

Answer: Water is optimal for quenching your thirst and it’s important for many bodily functions, but many people just get bored with it and yearn for something else.

A great way to spruce up water is to add fruits and vegetables right to the glass or pitcher. Add a citrus flavor to your water with orange or lemon slices, add cucumbers or, for a hint of sweetness, add strawberries or another sweet fruit. Another option is flavored seltzer water, or make your own seltzer by combining your favorite juice with seltzer water. Tea is another healthy alternative that can quench your thirst, as well as providing immune-boosting antioxidants that can help repair oxidative damage done to the body.

If all else fails, try watering down a juice you like or, even better, try juicing your own fruits and vegetables to provide your body with the hydration and nutrients it needs.

Question: I am someone who regularly skips meals and workouts, thanks to both a busy work schedule and family life. I’m wondering if you have any tips that might get me back on track.

Answer: Luckily, there are many people who lead busy lives while still finding the time for healthy meals and productive workouts – it can be done. You need to make sure that fitness and nutrition are priorities in your life. Once you make this commitment, doing the “right” thing will seem like a lot less work. Try taking an inventory of your week on Sunday night, figuring out which days are light and which ones are heavy in terms of work and family responsibilities. Then, you can schedule your workouts in your planner and resolve any meal planning issues as well. For example, maybe you need to pack more comprehensive snacks if you have a meeting during lunch, or maybe you need to create a reminder so you remember to take frozen meat out of the freezer the night before you cook it. These seem like small, almost trivial, changes, but they make a world of difference when you’re in a time crunch. We typically schedule things we don’t want to forget, so why not schedule meals and workouts, too?

About the authors: Grant and Cathy are the club owners/operators at Anytime Fitness in Buckley and Orting. To submit a question for future articles, contact the authors at grantp@anytimefitness.com.