You're preparing for an intense workout at the Athletic Center. Let's see, today is Thursday so for cardio you decide to take spin class once again. That workout was intense. Your legs definitely felt the burn through every pedal stroke and you were dripping sweat within the first 15 minutes.
You're normally content with just drinking plain water, but you want an extra boost of energy for today's class. With all the different energy and sports drinks on the market, which is the best for you?
Your body is made up of about 65 percent water, depending on body weight. Therefore the most essential beverage is water. For workouts lasting less than 45 minutes, depending on intensity, drinking a few sips of water every 15 minutes is sufficient. And for pure hydrating power, nothing can match a bottle of ice cold water.
After last week's class you felt a bit dizzy. The next day your muscles were sore, and it prohibited you from taking your usual Wednesday run through Roland Park. These symptoms may be due to low levels of sodium, potassium and electrolytes resulting from intense exercise and sweating.
For exercise that lasts longer than one hour, a sports drink like Gatorade that contains carbohydrates and electrolytes may be helpful. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour may delay fatigue.
The combination of sodium, potassium and electrolytes in sports drinks replaces fluids in your body faster than water alone, and can also help restore muscle glycogen levels to speed recovery.
One serving of Gatorade contains 50 calories, 13 grams of sugar and 13 grams of carbohydrate. Depending on the size of the bottle it is very easy to guzzle down 250 calories in one sitting while thinking that you just drank a healthy beverage. That certainly defeats the purpose of exercise!
Sports drinks are like anything else: good in moderation. Beverages like Gatorade were designed to enhance athletic performance. If you are sitting on the couch merely watching sports, it is not the same as playing in the game. For those who are inactive or overweight, the ingredients and extra calories in sports drinks can be detrimental.
New dieting trends have turned "carbohydrate" into a bad word. The truth is, our bodies need carbohydrates to speed recovery in muscles after exercise. Ideally, carbohydrates should be consumed immediately after exercise. Many people prefer to drink sports drinks to replenish their bodies opposed to eating solid food. This "early recovery" diet can prepare the athlete for the next training session and boost performance.
Flavored water like Propel was designed with light amounts of sodium (about 5 mg/serving) not to enhance performance, but to encourage people to drink more water. Studies have shown that people who drink flavored water are likely to drink more water in general in order to sustain adequate levels of hydration.
When searching for something to quench your thirst, don't fall for the new line of "energy drinks" on the shelf. The labels may appear enticing, but studies have shown that there is little evidence of beneficial effects from ingredients like ginseng, guarana and yohimbe. Many of these drinks contain caffeine that promotes dehydration.
A good plan to get the benefits of drinks like Gatorade without overloading on sugar or stimulants is to dilute them. Try mixing Gatorade with water. By diluting it to just one serving instead of four you are ready to exercise with just enough of the minerals and electrolytes you need to stay energized.
