What's the Energy in VS Energy Out?
Gatorade contains approximately 600kj per 600ml (standard serving size) and an average 30min training session burns approximately 1200kj. Crunching the numbers reveals that if you had a 600ml sports drink during your 30min workout you would be replacing approximately 50% of the energy you burnt during your exercise session. If you are training for weight loss your main goal is to achieve an energy expenditure that is greater than energy intake. Exercise plays an important role in helping to increase your 'energy out', but if you are taking 'energy in' at the time of exercise you are undoing a lot of your hard work.
Recommendations for Weight Loss
Water is the preferred option if you are exercising for weight loss. It allows you to replace fluids without increasing energy intake. If you are exercising for short durations and are able to replace fluids frequently water provides adequate rehydration in most normal circumstances.
Recommendations for Performance
Sports drinks with electrolytes and carbohydrates such as gatorade and powerade etc are ideally suited to very high intensity or longer duration exercise sessions or where performance is the main objective. Sports drinks provide faster hydration and replenishment of muscle glycogen stores which can improve training and sport performance but also be counter productive for weight loss, as previously discussed
Consider your main training goal when choosing your fluids. Sports drinks have their place, just not within weight loss training programs.
Related Reading
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