It is summer time and with that comes the WEIGHT threads.
I have seen most recently a reoccurring theme of athletes saying skip the sports drink and gu’s and just go with water.
I like the idea of this as it saves money and lessens ones caloric intake for the day which of course optimizes weight loss for those looking to get down to race weight.
I will start playing with this today to see how it feels on my afternoon workouts.
My questions for those that are currently skipping on the sports drink are :
Have you noticed any difference in performance while training ?
At what time point do you say I need some sport drink, this is gonna be a longer workout ?
Are you experiencing any kind of electrolyte deficiency, body cramps etc?
3.B. Second part to that question is are you using any electrolyte supplements to replenish that deficiency.
How many if any have gone back to using sports drink in training when trying only water and what happened that made you turn back ?
Are we all just slamming sugar water because this is what we have always known ?
Personally I eat or drink whatever I need to make it through a workout. If you are drained and need calories then use whatever you like. I worry about cutting calories at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A bottle of gatorade has maybe 250 calories in it? I could cut a serving of chips at lunch to make that up, or maybe a couple of sweets during the day.
Now an hour is not really that long but if you did an hour in the morning and then another hour at lunch it’s possible that Gatorade or GU could help you. In addition, if you did 3 hours the night before you could see how your Glycogen stores would not be up to full.
I have been working out long with just water. No noticeable differences for me. But I might add winters I run a lot with coffee when on the dreadmill.
After a especially hard workout when water does not seem to quench my thirst I go for a sports drink.
I do sometimes and when racing in two weeks will put the gu unflavored pills in my water just because it will be so hot and hopefully under 5 1/2 hrs ;0)
somewhere around 90 minutes you will run out of stored glycogen. so for workouts that long and less, you don’t need any calories.
but for weight loss the real key is how many calories you consume each day, compared to how many you burn. micromanaging the timing of it is not necessary. If having 50 calories of gatorade on the bike in a 1 hour workout helps you go harder or feel better, that is fine.
just have 50 calories less afterwards, or before, or whatever.
also don’t feel you have to be a slave to sports drink. you can bring along almost any calories you want. I kind of prefer banana or shot blocks with water in my bottles. keeps the bottles from getting sticky and moldy =)
if the workout is 60ish minutes or less, then water only.
if its significantly more than that, 90 min, 120 min, then i’ll start some electrolyte type drink around the 45 min mark.
but even that is only if i’m trying to hit a performance mark late in the workout.
if i’m just doing a 90 minute mellow run then i’ll stay with the water and get the nourishment in my recovery meal.
seems to be a good way to work lean. and it translates to racing. water only until early in the bike, then start in with the gatorade and some bloks.
Personally I eat or drink whatever I need to make it through a workout. If you are drained and need calories then use whatever you like. I worry about cutting calories at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
X2 I need a few calories in me for workouts. My metabolic rate is pretty high as it is, and I typically don’t get to eat lunch until after 2 PM. Not enough morning calories = headache, irritability, eating shite food at lunch. I’m always happier eating a few extra calories if it means that I don’t have a massive craving for Wendy’s come 2:30.
Personally I eat or drink whatever I need to make it through a workout. If you are drained and need calories then use whatever you like. I worry about cutting calories at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A bottle of gatorade has maybe 250 calories in it? I could cut a serving of chips at lunch to make that up, or maybe a couple of sweets during the day.
Now an hour is not really that long but if you did an hour in the morning and then another hour at lunch it’s possible that Gatorade or GU could help you. In addition, if you did 3 hours the night before you could see how your Glycogen stores would not be up to full.
My $.02
jaretj
What jaretj said:
Eat as much as you want IN workouts.Eat as little as possible outside workout
I seem to have difficulty with item 2 and quite frankly, even on long workouts I really have no desire to take anything in…so I am sabotaging myself on both fronts…nothing worse than ending a workout with low blood sugar, because it just means that there will be a ton of overeating going on outside the workout! As Jaret said, on a multi workout day, for workout 2, there may be a need to consume something…either during or immediately before.
My questions for those that are currently skipping on the sports drink are :
Have you noticed any difference in performance while training ? ****I doubt that you will since you typically store enough CO to get through ~90 minutes of activity
At what time point do you say I need some sport drink, this is gonna be a longer workout ? ****If you are going longer then ~90 min or if you have two workouts planned and the second workout of the day is a tough one ie track intervals. Then you may want to think about cho supplementation during the first workout of the day and/or during workout #2.
Are you experiencing any kind of electrolyte deficiency, body cramps etc? *****Typically cramping is due to localized fatigue. When you sweat, you lose more plasma volume then electrolytes thereby increasing your electrolyte concentration.
3.B. Second part to that question is are you using any electrolyte supplements to replenish that deficiency. *****Normal diet should do this fairly well.
How many if any have gone back to using sports drink in training when trying only water and what happened that made you turn back ? *****it’s not an either or thing. It’s use sports drinks if workouts are going to be >then ~1hr and water only if <~1hr. When you “go back” if the workout is only in the 60-90 min range I doubt that you are going to be able to tell the difference. Now on a 4hour interval filled bike ride I suspect that you will notice a difference.
Have you noticed any difference in performance while training ?
No
**2. At what time point do you say I need some sport drink, this is gonna be a longer workout ? **
If I know that it’s going to be longer than 90 min- 2 hours, then I will take something along( your body has 2 hours of stored energy reserves in carbohydrates - assuming a normal diet and eating patterns)
Are you experiencing any kind of electrolyte deficiency, body cramps etc?
There is only an indirect and remote link, if that, between electrolytes and cramping - que the massive long discussion and thread!!
3.B. Second part to that question is are you using any electrolyte supplements to replenish that deficiency.
No - as there is little need from my personal experience and knowledge to do so.
How many if any have gone back to using sports drink in training when trying only water and what happened that made you turn back ?
Less than 1 hour = Water or NUUN
1-1:30 = NUUN or a Gatorade at half strength (mainly just to have something else to drink)
1:30-2 = Gatorade, HEED, or other electrolyte drink or a water/gel combo
2+ = Perpetuem and a bottle of NUUN
Tip for those like me who are kind of addicted to the taste sports drinks and find it hard to go back to plain water. I’ve started using the little Propel packets to flavor my water. Tastes good so I drink more but minimal calories.
But, today will be the first day this year where I have to ride in the low 90s. We completely skipped the 80s. My warmest ride so far was about 78. I will definitely putting the real stuff in the bottles today!
nuun or ultima work well for this, too. certainly helps in hot weather when electrolytes may or may not be of benefit, and helps palatability for those who find warm water horrible to drink.
i do a dilute sport drink for those grey-area workouts as well: 40min bike + 1hr5min brick run last night with humidex @ 33c = water only on the bike + 24oz bottle of water with 1 serving of eload in it.
for a straight 1:45 bike i’d probably stick with just water, but for a 1:45 run i might take 1 gel at 60mins. sometimes i’ll run up to 2hrs with no nutrition, and i was out noodling around on my bike (running errands and just riding around for fun) for about 3.5hrs on sunday with nothing but water and nuun. stopped for a latte on the way home, though
