A woman who hates water so much that it’s left her in hospital twice has revealed that she hydrates with coffee and beer.
Lori Cheek says the clear liquid tastes “flat and uninspiring”.
A seasoned triathlete, she’ll take a cup of joe or a pint as a “recovery drink” over water any day.
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She’s been “slammed” online for her aversion; mostly by followers of popular influencers who have reacted to her story.
But Lori doesn’t care – and believes that people “rely too much” on water.
“Water’s been put on a pedestal as the only way to hydrate, but that’s just not true,” the entrepreneur told Need To Know.
“People call it ‘refreshing’, but I’ve never had that experience.
“It’s like slimy nothing going down my throat.
“I crave flavour.”
Lori has hated water for as long as she can remember.
Even her parents disliked the liquid, so it wasn’t an issue avoiding it growing up.
She said: “I grew up on Tang, Kool-Aid and Capri Suns.
“I’ve never been dramatic about it; I just tried to dodge drinking it whenever I could.
“I’ll sip just enough to make it look like I’m drinking it – or I’ll ask for something else when it gets too much.
“I’ve ended up in the ER twice, both times after pushing too hard at the gym.
“They were scary experiences and taught me that I can’t take hydration lightly.
“Since then, I’ve made it a priority to find flavourful ways to stay hydrated.”
Lori, 52, from Kentucky, US, starts off her day with a coffee – and proceeds to have three more cups throughout.
She’ll then chug flavoured water, such as Crystal Light or sports drinks, and a few beers after a bike ride.
After dinner, to ensure her body is well hydrated, she’ll have a couple of Pedialyte popsicles to sneak in some electrolytes.
She spends an average of $150 (USD) (£111) on staying hydrated each month – compared to nothing if she drank water.
Lori said, “Despite the myths, coffee does count toward hydration.
“And so does beer, as it has water in it.
“My strategy has more personality to it than plain H20.
“Doctors are often shocked – or sceptical – but once they see I take my health seriously, they usually relax.
“They might not like it, but it works for me.”
Lori trains six days a week and, for fun, rides to local breweries to get her beer fix.
She’s recently completed a relay of the half Iron Man, which included riding a bike for 57 miles.
Despite her success, people are still quick to judge.
She added, “I’m looked at like I’ve confessed to a crime.
“People are shocked, some laugh, and others look at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“But it’s a great conversation starter, and I’ve learned to embrace it as one of my quirks.
“When a popular influencer reacted to a video of mine, the floodgates opened.
“His followers kept commenting on my Instagram, saying: ‘That’s ridiculous’ and ‘You’re going to kill yourself’ or saying it’s ‘dumb’.
“Some people even blamed my parents for not forcing me to drink water.
“You’d have thought I announced I was giving up oxygen.
“People are surprisingly passionate about water.
“It’s bizarre.”
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