a story about lemons

It all started when my dad came to visit for a few days.

burgers and custard at BURGERFI

That's when I decided I was going to show him my new city the best way I know how.
Which is obviously to eat my way through it.

seafood at Norman's Landing

And boy, did we eat.

brunch at Flying Biscuit Cafe

This is only three of the seven times we dined out.

That's right.

Seven.

What I forgot to mention is that I am going on vacation in a week.

Actually, more like three days.

And I have to fit into a bikini.

Let the panic ensue.

So I started doing research.

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not expecting to be a size 2 in a mere three days.

But after dining out for days, I figured it couldn't hurt to take this pre-vacation week to fill my diet with fruits, veggies, yogurt, and hummus.

No fried or processed foods in sight over here.

No breads either.

Not for the week, at least.

But what about hydration?

I could not bring myself to do another 2 Day Detox.

Sorry, Arden's Garden, I like food too much to put myself through that again anytime soon.

And then I found it.

Did you know hot water with lemon had a ton of great health benefits?

For example:

*It boosts your immune system - Lemons have a ton of Vitamin C, known to stimulate and strengthen the immune system.

*Natural diuretic - Hot water with lemon increases urination, which can help with UTIs and get rid of bloat.  {Bikini tip of the year!}

*Flushes out toxins - Lemons aid in ridding your system of toxins, which can reduce acne, make skin appear brighter and healthier, and help the body burn excess fat quicker.  Reason number 500 to cut down on non-organic food and add some lemon into your diet!

*Aids in weight loss - Lemons help fight hunger cravings, making this the perfect drink to sip at your desk during the inevitable 2:00 slump.  Anyone?  Just me?

These are just a few of the health benefits hot lemon water offers.

I tried to narrow it down to a few of my favorites so as not to bombard you with a novel's worth of info.

Although that might be a novel I could write and/or read.

After reading all of that, how could I not run to Costco and buy a five pound bag of lemons?

I mean, I basically had to.

My bikini depends on it!

{And lets be honest, the leftovers can go in the tequila sangria I'm making at the beach next week...}

To make your own hot lemon water, add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of boiling water, stir, and enjoy!

Is anyone else as relieved as me to hear there's a way to kill bloat before heading to the beach?

Lemons for the win!