From Artificial Sweeteners to Fruit Infused Water

I HATE WATER! My biggest hurtle since I could eat solid food is getting in the right amount of water.  I practically lived off of Crystal Light and then got sick of it and switched to Propel and now I'm sick of that.  Between the artificially sweetened water I drink and the splenda and SF creamer I add to my coffee every morning I have realized that every single thing I drink contains sucralose.  

Studies say that artificial sweeteners make the body crave carbs because your body is being tricked into thinking that the splenda products are carbs which in fact they are not, therefore your body goes into "carb craving mode" until it's craving gets satisfied.  This means that studies show that artificial sweeteners cause you to gain weight.  There are also studies that say that those studies are BS.  I've read previous posts on this forum and done lots of research on this and I've made the decision to cut artificial sweeteners from my life.  Whether the studies are BS or not, it is in fact true that splenda and other artificial sweeteners are just not good for us.  

I'm swapping Splenda for Truvia (possibly Stevia since it's not proven that Truvia is all natural) and I'm swapping my SF creamer for coconut milk.  Next, I'm ditching the Crystal Light and Propel for regular water.  But this brings me back to my original dilemma, the fact that I can't stand drinking plain water.  Someone suggested that I try infusing my water with regular fruit.  Has anyone tried this? Does it actually taste fruity or is it like regular water with a slight hint of flavor but not enough to make it worth the money spent on a sh*t ton of fruit that I can't actually eat?

Sorry for the long post...this has been on my mind for a few weeks now.

Fruit infused water is great!  Try sliced cucumber and mint.  Or sliced oranges.  Or strawberries.  The old standby, lemon, is good too.

I usually keep two kinds in the fridge at home or work.  Slice the fruit each morning, and keep it in the fridge (they only last a day before they start to taste off....or pithy if you're using citrus with peels.

Thanks you for your response!

If this was true, I would have over dosed on carbs by now. I have used sweeteners the last 18 months ( and many more years) and I can honestly say, I do not eat high carb foods at all. Yep, no rice, pasta, crackers, pie, cake cookies, ice cream, and so on. The carbs I eat are veggies and some fruit every day. I keep my protein in double digits and my carbs and sugar in single digit counts. I use them in my coffee, in my hot tea, 5 or 6 cups a day. I use flavor water and add flavor to my green tea. What creates carb craving is eating simple carbs, too much sugar grams and processed foods high in carbs. I really believe who ever started all of that about sweeteners were working for the sugar industry because these products have put a dent in the sugar industry. I have lost 147 lbs in 18 months and I still losing but very slowly.

I didn't really care for fruit infused water. I will squeeze a half a fresh lemon. In water and sweeten it with stevia,but fruit mashed up and floating around ,not so much. 

The fruit has some carbs themselves from the natural sugar in the fruit. Not much to. Be sure,but depending on. How much fruit you infuse in each serving of water it can add up.