Use this nutritional comparison chart the next time you go grab a thirst-quenching low-cal drink, and you'll be better informed about what selection to make. I've pitted the biggest brands against one another to see how they deliver in the nutrients and low-cal department. Labels can often be confusing, so hopefully this chart will help!
I grew up chugging orange Gatorade on tennis and basketball courts after hours of sweaty play. Since my workouts are considerably shorter these days, regular ol' Gatorade just seems like too much: too much sugar, too much color, too much flavor. The sports drink pioneer realized that many fitness fanatics and weekend warriors felt the same way, so Gatorade created the G Series Fit, a trio of products that are toned-down versions of its more hardcore G series.
To energize your workout, Gatorade created Prime ($2). It's a 200-calorie energy bar divided into four separately packaged, 50-calorie pieces — meaning no more half eaten energy bars floating around you gym bag since you can easily customize your portion size. The thin outer wafer is super finger-friendly — it's so not sticky. The Prime bar comes in three flavors: Banana Nut Chocolate, Cranberry Pistachio, and Raisin Cinnamon Flax. My fave is the Cranberry Pistachio; it reminded me of a marzipan treat. Trainer Gunnar Peterson thinks the raisin flax flavor tastes like Raisin Bran, which he thinks is a good thing.
Forget Gatorade; some fitness enthusiasts are turning to beer to rehydrate. Erdinger Alkoholfrei, a nonalcoholic Bavarian brew, is becoming a favorite amongst European athletes. The beer even has a team of reputable athletes that it sponsors consisting of triathletes, biathletes, and championship skiers.
Positioning itself at many of Europe's top sporting events, the company claims that unlike sports drinks, the carb-rich beer is free of additives and unnatural ingredients. And because it's nonalcoholic, there's no chance of getting wasted after running a 26.2-mile course. The company is now setting its sights on the American market. While there's nothing satisfying like a good beer after a long run or bike ride, my experience with nonalcoholic brews is less than noteworthy. Although, it might be better than one of the alternative sports drink offerings: pickle juice.
Source: Flickr User paul-simpson.org
During a race or intense workout, I really, really enjoy drinking Gatorade, especially red Gatorade. When I'm not working out, I can't stand the stuff. My best friend, on the other hand, absolutely loves Gatorade. She loves it so much, in fact, that as soon as a new flavor comes out in her local grocery store, she buys a couple bottles and has a tasting party. Seriously.
Sports drinks are actually engineered for sipping during workouts every 10 to 15 minutes to maintain your blood volume. In my mind, Gatorade, Powerade, and the like are made for working out, not for sipping. I try to avoid caloric drinks as it is, and don't enjoy the taste of sports drinks enough to seek them out when I'm not working out. What about you?
Source: Flickr User randomduck
To warm up for the ESPY Awards, Gatorade honored elite high school athletes at a luncheon yesterday afternoon in LA. For the last 25 years, Gatorade has honored the top up-and-coming athletes from the wide world of sports. Our fave Kerri Walsh won for volleyball back in '92, as did LeBron James in 2003 and more recently WNBA star Candace Parker.
Listening to the accomplishments of the nominees for Gatorade Athlete of the Year award is inspiring (and kind of makes you want to reclaim your misspent youth). Along with amazing stats in their respective sports, the athletes all have done an impressive amount community work and have high grade-point averages (something I haven't thought about for years). Gatorade selects the best high school athletes in 12 different sports, divided equally between the sexes. The dozen athletes, yet to enter college, make a roster of who to watch in the coming years — think major league sports and the Olympics. From these 12, one top female athlete and one top male athlete are selected as the ultimate athlete of the year.
To meet the winners read more
We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:
Today Party and I were talking about Summer stone fruits, and she remarked that she thought many of the season's fruit varieties had funny-sounding names that reminded her Gatorade flavors! I have to agree — some of the fruit names bear a striking resemblance to names that you might come across in the snack-food aisle. Are you able to identify whether the name is a stone fruit variety or a snack food flavor?
Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson is no stranger to pet projects. Not only did he help Jennifer Lopez train for her triathlon last Fall, he also teamed up with Molly Sims to help the canine set get some more exercise with the PetFit Challenge. These days he is teaming up with Gatorade to spread the fitness word, which he did at the G Gym during the Sundance Film Festival. Recently, I was able to do a brief interview with him — he is a busy man. More a man of action than words, I went right to the heart of the matter and asked about core work.
FitSugar: Let's get down to business — what is your favorite core exercise?
Gunnar Peterson: I’m a big fan of the wood chop, whether it’s standing with a medicine ball, kneeling with a cable, or on a stability ball with a dumbbell.
FS: If I only have time for one strength training move at the gym, what multitasking move should I do?
GP: Squat with bicep curl and overhead dumbbell press, all in one.
FS: What do you recommend for a post-workout snack, after a 60-minute training session of cardio and strength training?
GP: This is what I would consider perfect eating after a workout: salmon, a yam, broccoli and Gatorade.
FS: Speaking of Gatorade, what is your favorite flavor, and when do you think sports drinks come in handy?
GP: I am a lemon lime lover! The original G (Gatorade) for the original G (Gunnar)! You should drink Gatorade during a vigorous workout and post vigorous workout, sports drinks are best.
To hear what Gunnar has to say about training celebs, read more
I watched the following vid and was overjoyed to see a chick finally kick arse at a male sporting event. But a little research later revealed that our bat girl never made this Spidey-inspired catch; the vid is actually a staged advertisement for Gatorade. The illegitimacy of the play makes me wonder if the Gatorade folks are mocking women's athletic potential with this ad, or on the flip side, if they're seeking to unsettle established gender norms and advance the girls-can-do-anything message. Or a bit a both? Tell me what you think.
I seem to have a couple of new obsessions lately: sodium and sports drinks. I thought this little quiz comparing these two common beverages would be enlightening for you. Take it and see if you know which drink has a higher sodium content.
