Quenchmaster

Here I was at the gym enjoying my 30 minutes of elliptical bliss when I noticed another gym user take a swig of his Gatorade. This scenario made me laugh because…well, do you really need a sports drink only to run on a treadmill for half an hour? If he’s at the gym to lose weight or to get fit by burning calories, his logic doesn’t seem to add up. Let me show you what I mean.

Doing some quick math, 30 minutes of cardio at the gym results in approx. 300 calories being burned (depending on intensity, of course). However, drinking something like Gatorade can easily add 50 calories to your workout. As a result, you’re actually only burning off 250 calories. After my silent chuckle, it dawned on me – maybe he’s just trying to rehydrate and thinks that sports drinks are the official “Quench Master”.

It was once thought that if physical activity lasted less than an hour, water was the best choice for fluid replacement. This is STILL true if you are NOT performing high-intensity, stop-and-go sports, such as hockey, basketball, and sprint cycling. In other words, I’m still allowed to chuckle at this Gatorade lover. For athletes, not necessarily gym junkies, water can dilute blood, which can increase urine output and shut off thirst drive. Unfortunately, this scenario will lead to dehydration, which is a very serious issue for athletes. Again, this is for high-intensity athletes, not someone who spends 30 minutes three times a week on a cardio machine.

Alright athletes, pay attention, this next bit is just for you! When exercise extends beyond 60 minutes, the use of sports drinks can offer several advantages over water. For one, the carbohydrates in sports drinks can enhance your performance, and second of all the electrolytes can help maintain blood volume, and increase the absorption of water and carbohydrates from the intestines. In other words, all good things.

Just in case this isn’t obvious, please avoid alcoholic beverages, drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine, carbonated beverages, and drinks with a sugar content above 10% (soft drinks or fruit juices) WHEN working out. I say “when” because I’ve heard that drinking morning coffee can give you a better work out.

Personally, I’m going to stick to water. But if I ever decide to run a marathon, I think I’ll definitely grab a sports drink. In 2007 Gatorade introduced a low-cal version of their original sports drink called G2. If you’re looking for something less processed as fuel for some light exercise, try nature’s sports drink: coconut water! Just a gentle reminder that you’re still guzzling extra calories compared to something like water. Did I forget to mention that water is also free?

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Photo by Ethan McArthur on Unsplash